Get started with your new career in healthcare today and learn how to become a surgical technician / technologist (surgical tech) in Illinois.
We have information on all the top accredited surgical tech programs, certification/ licensing requirements, and salaries and employment data for aspiring surgical technicians in Illinois.
Listed below are some of the schools and colleges nearest to you offering surgical tech and related programs. You can take the first step towards your new career by requesting curriculum and tuition information.
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How to become a Surgical Tech in Illinois
A career as a surgical technician offers great income potential and excellent job prospects with growth of over 11% projected between 2016 and 2024.
In order to become a surgical technician in Illinois you will need to complete an accredited surgical tech program. Surgical tech programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) as well as the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
A high school diploma or similar is typically a requirement for admittance into such programs. Some schools may require certain subjects such as biology or math’s as a prerequisite. Additionally you may be required to undergo some background checks and health screening as part of the admittance process.
Most surgical tech programs will typically take between 9 months and 2 years to complete depending on whether it is a certificate or degree program.
Once you have graduated from an accredited program you can then choose to sit the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) certification exams to become a Certified Surgical Technologist. Certification is not essential but it is generally preferred by employers and will help greatly with career advancement.
As of yet licensing for surgical technicians is only a requirement in a small number of states including Colorado, Illinois, Washington, Indiana, and DC.
Accredited Surgical Tech Programs in Illinois
| College | Metro Area | Website |
|---|---|---|
| College of DuPage | Glen Ellyn | cod.edu |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | clcillinois.edu |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | elgin.edu |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | icc.edu |
| John Wood Community College | Quincy | jwcc.edu |
| Lincoln Land Community College | Springfield | llcc.edu |
| Malcolm X College | Chicago | ccc.edu |
| Parkland College | Champaign | parkland.edu |
| Prairie State College | Chicago Heights | prairiestate.edu |
| Richland Community College | Decatur | richland.edu |
| Robert Morris University | Chicago | robertmorris.edu |
| Rock Valley College | Rockford | rockvalleycollege.edu |
| Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Mkt Consortium | Herrin | siccm.com |
| Triton College | River Grove | triton.edu |
| Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | waubonsee.edu |
Before you enroll in any surgical tech school it is strongly recommended that you confirm that it is fully accredited.
There are currently 15 accredited surgical technician programs in Illinois – listed above.
You can also view the map below for more information on surgical technician programs in Illinois.
Surgical Tech Salary Illinois
| Average Salary | $46,730 |
| Hourly Wage | $22.47 |
| Top 10% of Earners | $62,740 |
| Bottom 10% of Earners | $32,670 |
| # Employed | 3,080 |
According to the most up to date Bureau of Labor Statistics data released in March 2018 the average surgical technician salary in Illinois is $46,730 – 3% less than the national average of $48,060.
This represents an hourly wage of $22.47.
Those in the top pay brackets for the profession in Illinois earn an average salary of $62,740 whilst those in the lower pay brackets and in entry level positions earn an average of $32,670 per annum.
There are currently 3,080 persons working as surgical technicians in Illinois.
Illinois Surgical Tech Employment and Salaries by Metro Area
The table below details salary and employment levels for surgical technicians in the main cities and metro areas in Illinois.
As can be seen from the table the highest average salaries for surgical techs in Illinois are in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights area whilst the highest number of surgical tech jobs are in Elgin.
| Metro Area | # Employed | Average Salary | Top 10% | Bottom 10% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | 260 | $43,490 | $56,050 | $32,100 |
| Carbondale-Marion | 130 | $43,350 | $58,340 | $33,400 |
| Champaign-Urbana | 190 | $43,230 | $57,110 | $31,710 |
| Peoria | 150 | $45,200 | $58,920 | $34,120 |
| Rockford | 210 | $37,830 | $49,110 | $22,120 |
| Springfield | 60 | $34,720 | $45,860 | $26,420 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights | 70 | $50,860 | $62,800 | $38,090 |
| Elgin | 690 | $47,080 | $61,820 | $34,500 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | 150 | $36,610 | $49,290 | $26,810 |
| Lake County-Kenosha County | 320 | $40,080 | $50,110 | $31,800 |
Surgical Tech V’s Related Careers
The table below compares average surgical technician salary and employment in Illinois with salary levels for related healthcare careers in the state.
| Salary | # Employed | |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical Technologist | $46,730 | 3,080 |
| Medical Assistant | $34,710 | 19,890 |
| Dental Assistant | $39,030 | 12,710 |
| Nursing Assistant | $27,770 | 61,390 |
| EMT Paramedic | $33,540 | 5,990 |
| Veterinary Technician | $35,290 | 4,040 |
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