Program Description

Surgical Technologists are allied health professionals who are an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients in a variety of settings.

The surgical technologist works under medical supervision to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasive surgical procedures. This individual works under the supervision of a surgeon to ensure that the operating room or environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety.

A surgical technologist possesses expertise in the theory and application of sterile and aseptic technique and combines the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation tools and technologies to facilitate a physician's performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.'

Accreditation Information: The Surgical Technology Associate Degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Accreditation Review Council in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775.

Found in These Career Fields:

Approximate Program Cost

$10,928
Tuition & Fees: $10,362
Books & Supplies: $566

Starting Salary

$41,600–$52,000
Average, based on the NTC Graduate Outcomes Report

Financial Aid

Available
Total financial aid offered may not exceed the estimated Cost of Attendance (COA).
A full team of students prepare and organize surgical tools before a mock operation.

Take a Look Around

Explore the Surgical Suite used to train students in our Surgical Technologist program.

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The application takes just a few minutes to complete.

Availability

Courses for this program may be available at a variety of campus locations through multiple modes of delivery if you meet the admission requirements and prerequisites.

100%
at Wausau
30-40%
at Antigo
30-40%
at Medford
30-40%
at Phillips
30-40%
at Spencer
30-40%
at Wittenberg
30-40%
at Online

* Campus and online availability of courses and programs may be subject to change.

Outcomes

Graduates will be able to…

  • Maintain principles of sterile technique in the surgical environment
  • Provide a safe, efficient, and supportive environment for the patient
  • Prepare the patient, operating room and surgical team for the preoperative phase
  • Perform intraoperative case management in the scrub role
  • Perform postoperative case management
  • Function as an ethical, legal, and professional member of the healthcare team as determined by governing bodies
  • Apply healthcare and technological science principles to the perioperative environment

Careers

Some of the potential careers graduates can pursue are:

  • Material Manager
  • Laser/Endoscopic Technician
  • Second Assistant Technologist
  • Central Supply Technician
  • Claims Approver
  • Private Scrub Technologist
  • Scrub Surgical Technologist
  • Tissue/Organ Procurement
  • GI Technician
  • OB Technician
  • Surgical Sales Representative
  • Vet Technician
  • Surgical Technologist

Courses

The Surgical Technology Associate Degree is a 62 Credit program. The following is a typical semester breakdown of the courses within the program.

First Term

Medical Terminology 3.00
Gen Anatomy & Physiology 4.00
College 101 1.00

Second Term

Exploring Surgical Issues 2.00
Surgical Tech Fundamentals 1 4.00
Intro To Surgical Technology 4.00
Oral/interpersonal Communication 3.00

Third Term

Microbiology 4.00
Written Communication 3.00
English Composition 1 3.00
Surgical Pharmacology 2.00
Surgical Tech Fundamentals 2 4.00
Surgical Skills Application 2.00

Fourth Term

Surgical Interventions 1 4.00
Psychology Of Human Relations 3.00
Intro To Psychology 3.00
Surgical Technology Clinical 2 3.00
Surgical Technology Clinical 1 3.00

Fifth Term

Surgical Interventions II 4.00
Surgical Technology Clinical 4 3.00
Surgical Technology Clinical 3 3.00
Introduction To Diversity Studies 3.00

Credit for Prior Learning Available

View All Detailed Course Information

Accreditation

National Certification Exam Pass Rates

The pass rate for students testing within six months of graduation from NTC is 87.5% for 2022.

Licensure/Certification Information

NTC’s Surgical Technology Associate Degree is designed to meet the State of Wisconsin's licensing/certification criteria. However, NTC has not made a determination whether this program meets licensure/certification requirements in states other than Wisconsin. Students who may be seeking professional licensure or certification in states other than Wisconsin should contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to verify that the NTC program meets licensure or certification requirements.

Accrediting Agency Contact Information

Accreditation Review Council on Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (ARC/STSA)

19751 East Mainstreet, Suite #339, Parker, CO 80138

303.694.9262

info@arcstsa.org

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775

727.210.2350 (Phone)

727.210.2354 (Fax)

mail@caahep.org

Transfer Information

All associate degrees transfer to a variety of programs at other partner colleges to give you the opportunity to continue your education in other areas of study.

View all transfer guides

Cost of Attendance

2024–2025 Estimated Academic Year Budgeted Cost of Attendance

The estimated Cost of Attendance (COA) is a budget that includes categories of expenses that a student can expect to incur while attending college. The COA does not reflect actual charges. It is an average based on the estimated living costs typical of our region. In determining the cost of attendance, Northcentral Technical College uses the budget established by the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Financial Aid Budget Work Group. This budget is used to determine financial need for all students who apply for financial aid. A student's cost of attendance is composed of all educational expenses that can be included for financial aid purposes that a student may accrue while pursuing their education for the year (or semester, if enrolled less than a year). A student's financial aid cannot exceed their cost of attendance. Schools are required to provide a fuller picture of what it may cost students to pursue their degree, not just what they will owe in tuition/fees and books/supplies.

Please Note: this COA budget estimate assumes full-time attendance for two semesters — Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.
Expenses Student Living With Parents (Home) Student Living on Own (Other)
Full-time Tuition (based on a total of 30 credits, 15 credits fall and 15 credits spring)
In-State Tuition & Fees
$4,844*
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$7,127*
In-State Tuition & Fees
$4,844*
Out-of-State Tuition & Fees
$7,127*
Living Expenses (Housing & Food) $3,008 $9,147
Books / Supplies $1,465 $1,465
Transportation $4,017 $4,017
Personal Expenses $3,608 $3,608
Loan Fees $85 $85
Professional Licensure / Certification $247† $247†
Total Estimated Cost Of Attendance
In-State
$17,274
Out-of-State
$19,557
In-State
$23,413
Out-of-State
$25,696

* Tuition listed is based on approved rates for the 2024–2025 academic year. Rates are approved each March by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and estimated budgets are updated at that time.

For the 2024–2025 academic year, the Wisconsin Resident tuition rate is $149.50 per credit and Out-of-State resident tuition is $224.25 per credit.

For the 2024–2025 academic year, Student Fees include: a minimum $5.00 material fee and a $13.15 per credit activity fee. A $4.00 per semester insurance fee will be assessed to students taking at least one course which has a scheduled session on campus.

Students awarded Federal Direct Loan(s) also have an average of the mandatory loan fees automatically added to their COA.

Students with disability-related expenses may contact the Financial Aid Office to have their additional expenses considered. Disability-related expenses include but are not limited to: personal assistance, equipment, and supplies. The Financial Aid Office may potentially include disability expenses in the COA that are not provided by other assisting agencies.

† Certified Surgical Technologist Examination: $247, purchased as Gold Bundle Through AST to secure membership for students (incurred in January of their final Spring Semester).

NTC also offers a Net Price Calculator to help estimate costs.

For more information regarding billed tuition and fees visit https://www.ntc.edu/admissions/tuition-fees

We’re happy to answer any questions you may have about how the financial aid process works. Please feel free to reach out for more information.

NTC Financial Aid Office

715.803.1647
financialaid@ntc.edu

Admissions Process

Our application process takes just a few minutes to complete, but we want to make sure you have the things you’ll need on hand to complete the application. We’re here to help if you have any questions while submitting your application.

Before you apply, you should know

  • This program may require a Criminal Background Check and/or Health Record. Acceptance to Northcentral Technical College will not be denied based on a criminal background or health record, however, a check may be required for placement at clinical sites or field experiences.
  • Current Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR certification is required prior to starting program courses or within the timeframe discussed at program orientation. Accepted certifications include BLS CPR from American Heart Association or American Red Cross.
  • After admission to the college, you will be considered a pre-program student. Students are eligible to submit a financial aid application at this point and can work to complete general education courses as laid out in the program curriculum. Students interested in beginning the core clinical surgical technology program courses will declare during the designated dates.

Fill out our application

The application can be submitted online and takes just a few minutes to complete. There is no fee to apply.

Apply Now

Then, submit one of the following

Documentation can be sent via email to admissions@ntc.edu, via mail, addressed to: Northcentral Technical College, ATTN: Admissions, 1000 W. Campus Drive, Wausau, WI 54401, or delivered in person to any NTC campus.

  • High school transcript indicating a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above. Contact the high school you attended if you do not have a copy of your transcript.
  • ACT composite score of 16 or above. Request an ACT College Report from ACT or contact the high school you graduated from if you do not have a copy on hand.
  • Accuplacer scores of 38 or above in math, 66 or above in reading, and 65 or above in sentence skills. If you did not take the Accuplacer at NTC, contact the college at which you took it to obtain a copy of your scores.
  • College transcript indicating a cumulative GPA of 2.5 over a minimum of 12 credits, earned at a single college.

If you do not meet any one of the above criteria, don’t worry, complete the application anyway and we will contact you to discuss your options.

What’s Next?

We’ll review your application and let you know if we need anything else. If you’re all set, your acceptance letter will be emailed to you.