Surgical Technologist Jobs in Atlanta, GA
Surgical technologists in metro Atlanta earn a median of about $32.49 an hour, and Emory's outpatient surgery center has posted a $33.96 starting rate. The work runs from Grady's Level I trauma ORs Downtown to the Pill Hill surgery floors. Here are the current openings, then who hires and how to train.
Current surgical technologist Openings in Atlanta, GA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Surgical Technologist Work in Atlanta
Atlanta's operating rooms are concentrated in a few clusters. Grady Memorial Downtown handles the metro's heaviest trauma load, so its OR techs take call, weekends and holidays. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital on Peachtree Road runs a cardiovascular OR, Emory staffs ORs across its hospitals plus an ambulatory surgery center on the Clifton Road campus in Druid Hills, and Northside Hospital Atlanta on Johnson Ferry Road at Pill Hill runs multiple surgical floors plus outpatient surgery centers in Sandy Springs and Midtown.
The split between hospital and outpatient work shapes the job here. Outpatient centers off GA-400 and the Clifton Road corridor tend to run weekday day shifts with no weekends, while trauma and cardiovascular ORs pay for nights, call and open-heart experience. Techs who build CVOR or trauma skills at Grady, Piedmont or Northside are the ones recruiters chase.
Top Atlanta Employers for Surgical Technologists
These Atlanta hospitals and surgery centers employ surgical technologists:
- Emory Healthcare - The Emory Clinic's ambulatory surgery center and Emory's hospital ORs hire surgical techs, with day shifts at the ASC.
- Northside Hospital - Northside Hospital Atlanta hires surgical technologists for its inpatient and ground-floor ORs, with day shifts and on-call duty.
- Piedmont Atlanta Hospital - the Peachtree Road hospital hires surgical technologists for its operating rooms, including the cardiovascular OR.
- Grady Health System - Atlanta's Level I trauma center hires certified surgical technologists for OR coverage that includes call, weekends and holidays.
Surgical Technologist Salaries in Atlanta
- Entry level: about $22 to $30 per hour for new program graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $31 to $38 per hour, plus call pay at trauma and hospital ORs.
- Senior and specialty: $38 to $42 per hour or more for CVOR, trauma and lead techs.
These are estimates based on 2025 federal wage data for the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell metro, where the median sits near $67,600 a year. Pay moves with certification, specialty and setting: Emory's surgery center posted a $33.96 minimum and a $40.37 midpoint for a certified tech, and cardiovascular experience and call coverage push hospital pay higher.
How to Become a Surgical Technologist in Atlanta
Georgia does not require registration, certification or licensure for surgical technologists, but Atlanta employers set their own bar. Most want graduation from an accredited surgical technology program plus American Heart Association BLS, and many require or prefer the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville offers a CAAHEP-accredited Surgical Technology associate degree with clinical rotations at area hospitals, and Atlanta Technical College on Metropolitan Parkway lists surgical technology courses in its current catalog. Some employers accept two or three years of OR experience in place of the CST.
What the Job Involves
Surgical technologists prepare the operating room, sterilize and arrange instruments, and keep the sterile field intact. During a case they pass instruments, sponges and sutures to the surgeon, anticipate the next step, count instruments and supplies with the circulating nurse, and help turn the room over between cases. Hospital techs also take call for emergency surgery.
Skills Employers Look For
- CST or TS-C certification, or eligibility
- AHA BLS certification
- Strong sterile technique and instrument knowledge
- Specialty experience in CVOR, ortho or trauma
- Ability to anticipate a surgeon's needs
- Stamina for long cases and standing
- Willingness to take call, nights or weekends
Career Path and Advancement
Many Atlanta techs start in general surgery at a hospital or an outpatient center off GA-400, then specialize in cardiovascular, orthopedic, neuro or trauma cases. From there the ladder leads to lead tech, OR educator, sterile processing management or surgical first assistant with further certification. Piedmont, Northside and Grady all post specialty surgical tech roles, so moving up rarely means leaving the metro.
Related Careers in Atlanta
If operating room work interests you, these Atlanta healthcare roles are close matches:
- Radiologic Technologist Jobs
- Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a surgical technologist in Atlanta?
No. Georgia does not require registration, certification or licensure for surgical technologists. Atlanta hospitals still expect graduation from an accredited program and BLS, and many require or prefer the NBSTSA's CST credential.
How much do surgical technologists make in Atlanta?
Federal 2025 wage data puts the Atlanta metro median near $32.49 an hour, or about $67,600 a year. Emory's outpatient surgery center has posted a $33.96 starting rate for a certified tech, and specialty and call work pay more.
Where can you train as a surgical tech near Atlanta?
Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville runs a CAAHEP-accredited Surgical Technology associate degree with clinical rotations at area hospitals, and Atlanta Technical College lists surgical technology courses in its current catalog. Graduates of an accredited program can sit for the NBSTSA's CST exam.
Do surgical techs in Atlanta have to take call?
At hospitals, usually yes. Northside Hospital Atlanta and Grady both list on-call duty for OR techs, and Grady's trauma ORs include weekends and holidays. Outpatient surgery centers more often run weekday day shifts without call.
What is the difference between a CST and a surgical tech?
A CST has passed the NBSTSA national certification exam after an accredited program. Some Atlanta employers hire uncertified techs with two or three years of OR experience, but the CST opens more doors and is often required for specialty rooms.
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