CVOR Surgical Technologist Salary Guide

A CVOR surgical technologist is an allied health professional who prepares for and assists with cardiovascular procedures. Before surgery, the CVOR surgical tech assembles equipment, gathers supplies, prepares the instrument tray and positions the patient. Once the operation begins, the role of the CVOR surgical tech is to assist surgeons and other OR staff by passing instruments and supplies, maintaining the sterile field and monitoring the patient for complications. After surgery, the CVOR surgical tech gathers used equipment for sterilization.

How do you become a CVOR surgical technologist?

Before you can work in the CVOR, you must complete an approved surgical technology program to learn about human anatomy, microbiology, surgical patient care, surgical pharmacology and other relevant topics. If you don't already have a college degree, you may be required to take English composition, math and other general education courses.

To practice as a CVOR surgical tech, you must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS). If you work in Arkansas, you must apply for licensure through the Arkansas State Medical Board. According to the College of Health Care Professions, nine states require all surgical technologists to be certified by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). One state, New York, requires the NBSTSA credential or another nationally recognized certification.

What credentials/licensing does a CVOR surgical technologist require?

Not all states require NBSTSA certification, but obtaining the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) credential may help you advance your career. To sit for the CST exam, you must graduate from a program accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools or the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. NBSTSA also accepts applicants who graduated from military training programs. The CST exam has 175 questions, but only 150 questions count toward your score.

Average CVOR Surgical Technologist Salary

$28.66/hour

The average salary for a CVOR Surgical Technologist is $28.66 per hour. This is 54% lower than the practicing US average of $44.10.

Estimate based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Salaries for CVOR Surgical Technologist compared to Allied Health Professional National Averages

$28.66/hour

54% lower than the practicing US average.

$44.10/hour

United States

What are the highest paying Employers and Agencies for CVOR Surgical Technologist jobs?

Last updated on April 26, 2024. Information based on active jobs on Vivian.com and pay data from BLS and around the web.

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CVOR Surgical Technologist Career Guide

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How can you increase your pay as a CVOR surgical technologist?

An option is to obtain the CST credential if you don't have one. Many employers are willing to offer higher wages to employees who demonstrate their competence with a nationally recognized certification.

You may also be able to increase your earnings by going back to school for a bachelor's degree in health sciences. According to the 2022 Education Pays report from the BLS, the median weekly salary for workers in any field with 4-year degrees exceeds the median for workers with 2-year degrees by 42.5%. Healthcare employers typically follow this trend, with a preference for medical professionals with higher levels of education.

How much does a staff cardiovascular operating room surgical technologist make?

Staff cardiovascular operating room (CVOR) surgical technologist jobs paid an average of $28.66 per hour, according to Vivian Health's salary data for the week ending May 13, 2023. Multiplying the hourly rate by 40 hours works out to a weekly salary of $1,146.40 for a standard workweek.

Is CVOR surgical technology a growing career?

According to 2022 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for surgical technologists should increase by 6% between 2021 and 2031, a net of 6,500 new jobs. As baby boomers age, they’ll likely need more surgical procedures, increasing the demand for healthcare services.

Also, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As the prevalence of heart disease increases, medical facilities need more CVOR surgical techs to assist with cardiovascular procedures.

What types of employers/facilities have the most CVOR surgical technologists employed?

According to BLS data from May 2021, hospitals account for 72% of all surgical technologist employment. Physician offices and outpatient care centers were tied for having the second-highest level of employment, with about 11% of surgical technologists working in each of these settings. Only 2% of surgical technologists work for dental offices.

Which employers/facilities have the highest pay?

Regarding pay rates among the different facility types, outpatient care centers had the highest median salary for surgical technologists, per BLS data from May 2021. Physician offices were in second place, with a median salary about $6,000 below wages at outpatient care centers. Hospitals and dental offices paid nearly the same rate, with a difference of just $240 between the median salaries for each employment setting.

How does CVOR surgical technologist pay compare to similar healthcare jobs?

CVOR surgical technologist pay is about the same or a little lower than similar healthcare jobs per salary data on Vivian Health from May 13, 2023. It depends on whether you accept travel assignments or work a staff job. Per this data, staff cardiac catheterization technologists earned an average of $28.66 per hour, the same as staff CVOR surgical technologists. However, travel cardiac catheterization technologists made more than travel CVOR surgical techs, averaging $2,639 per week compared to $2,335 per week.

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