Surgical Technologist Jobs in Las Vegas, NV
Surgical technologists in Las Vegas scrub in on everything from outpatient knee scopes to open heart cases, and Nevada law says hospitals and surgery centers may only hire certified or grandfathered techs. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires, what it pays and how to qualify.
Current surgical technologist Openings in Las Vegas, NV
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Surgical Technologist Work in Las Vegas
Operating room work in Las Vegas is split between big hospital ORs and outpatient surgery centers. On the hospital side, Sunrise Hospital on Maryland Parkway runs cardiovascular and open heart cases, Dignity Health's St. Rose Dominican Siena campus anchors surgery in Henderson, and The Valley Health System staffs ORs from Valley Hospital in the Las Vegas Medical District to West Henderson Hospital at Raiders Way and St. Rose Parkway. Outpatient work runs through centers such as Optum's Southwest Surgery locations on Charleston and Tenaya, where schedules are closer to weekday hours.
The local catch is Nevada's certification rule. Since 2018, a Las Vegas facility cannot simply train a surgical tech on the job; it needs a graduate of an accredited program with national certification, a military-trained tech or someone grandfathered in.
Top Las Vegas Employers for Surgical Technologists
These Las Vegas employers hire surgical technologists for hospital and outpatient surgery:
- Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican - the CommonSpirit hospital hires certified surgical technologists for 12-hour OR shifts at its Siena campus in Henderson.
- Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center - the HCA hospital on Maryland Parkway hires certified surgical techs, including experienced CVOR and open heart techs.
- The Valley Health System - the UHS hospital group hires certified OR surgical technicians at West Henderson Hospital and its other Valley hospitals.
- Optum Nevada - hires surgical technologists for its Southwest Surgery outpatient centers on Charleston and Tenaya.
Surgical Technologist Salaries in Las Vegas
- Entry level: about $23 to $28 per hour for newly certified techs.
- Experienced: roughly $29 to $40 per hour with a year or more of acute care OR work.
- Senior / specialty: $41 to $51 per hour for CVOR, open heart and trauma techs at hospitals.
These are estimates. Federal wage data for the Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas metro put the median surgical technologist at $35.67 an hour in May 2025, about 15 percent above the national median. Recent postings ran from $20 to $35.72 at Optum's surgery centers to $37.14 to $51.48 at St. Rose Siena. Hospital ORs, heart and trauma experience, call pay and 12-hour shifts move pay up; outpatient centers trade lower rates for steadier hours.
How to Become a Surgical Technologist in Las Vegas
Nevada has no state license for surgical technologists, but NRS 449.24185 limits who a health care facility may employ: a graduate of an accredited surgical technology program who holds the Certified Surgical Technologist credential from the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting, a tech trained by the armed forces or U.S. Public Health Service, or someone who practiced in a Nevada facility before January 1, 2018. New graduates may work up to 180 days while they sit the exam. The local program is the College of Southern Nevada Surgical Technology AAS, a CAAHEP-accredited, limited-entry degree of 64.5 credits that runs about one year after prerequisites; CSN reports a 100 percent NBSTSA pass rate in its 2026 annual report, and dexterity testing for applicants runs through May 31, 2027.
What the Job Involves
Surgical technologists prepare the operating room, sterilize and lay out instruments, and scrub in to pass instruments, sutures and supplies to the surgeon during the case. They maintain the sterile field, count sponges and sharps with the circulating nurse, handle specimens and help turn over the room for the next patient.
Skills Employers Look For
- CST credential from NBSTSA
- Graduation from an accredited surgical technology program
- Current BLS certification
- Strong aseptic and sterile technique
- Instrument knowledge across general, orthopedic and specialty cases
- Stamina for long cases and 12-hour shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Many Las Vegas techs start in an outpatient surgery center or a general hospital OR, then move into specialty teams such as orthopedics, neuro or the cardiovascular OR at hospitals like Sunrise, where pay climbs fastest. From there the path leads to lead tech, sterile processing or OR coordinator roles, surgical first assistant with further certification, or nursing school for an OR nurse career.
Related Careers in Las Vegas
If operating room work interests you, these related Las Vegas healthcare roles are close matches:
- Radiologic Technologist Jobs
- Registered Nurse Jobs
- Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs
- Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need certification to be a surgical tech in Las Vegas?
In practice, yes. Nevada does not issue a surgical tech license, but NRS 449.24185 lets facilities employ only certified graduates of accredited programs, military-trained techs or techs who worked in a Nevada facility before 2018. New graduates get 180 days to pass the CST exam.
How much do surgical technologists make in Las Vegas?
New techs typically start around $23 to $28 an hour, and experienced hospital techs earn roughly $29 to $40. CVOR, open heart and trauma techs can reach about $51 an hour.
How long does surgical tech school take in Las Vegas?
The CSN Surgical Technology AAS runs about one year once you are admitted, with classroom and clinical work. Plan extra time for prerequisites and the program's dexterity test, since it is a limited-entry program.
What shifts do Las Vegas surgical techs work?
Hospital techs often work 12-hour shifts such as 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., plus weekends and call for emergency cases. Outpatient surgery centers usually run weekday daytime schedules with no overnight call.
Can I become a surgical tech without going to school?
Not in a Nevada facility today. Unless you trained in the military or worked as a surgical tech in Nevada before January 1, 2018, you need an accredited program and national certification, except in the rare case a facility documents a shortage of qualified techs.
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