Minnesota Surgical Technologist Requirements

Overview

Minnesota does not require state licensure, registration, or state‑mandated certification for surgical technologists, and there is no Minnesota practice act that creates a personal state credential for this role.^[1][2][3] M State’s professional licensure disclosure notes that “the Certified Surgical Technology (CST) exam is not required in many states, including Minnesota,” and that Minnesota does not require formal education for surgical technologists, although employers may mandate education or certification.^[1]

In this non‑regulated environment, hospitals and surgical facilities in Minnesota set their own minimum qualifications and commonly expect completion of an accredited surgical technology program and eligibility for or attainment of national certification such as CST®.^[1][2][4] As a result, Minnesota functions as a non‑regulated state at the statute level but operates like a certification‑preferred state in day‑to‑day hiring and credentialing practices.^[1][2]

State Classification

Minnesota is classified as a non‑regulated state for surgical technologists because it does not issue a surgical technologist license, maintain a profession‑specific registry, or restrict the “surgical technologist” title through a dedicated practice statute.^[2][3] The Association of Surgical Technologists’ state‑law map and legislative overview identify states that have surgical technologist laws and indicate that Minnesota is not among the states with statutory education, certification, or registration requirements for this profession.^[3]

Statutory Requirements

As of 2026, Minnesota statutes and administrative rules do not establish licensure, registration, or title‑protection requirements specific to surgical technologists, and there is no Minnesota law that reserves the “surgical technologist” title for individuals with a particular state credential.^[2][3][5] M State’s licensure disclosure confirms that Minnesota does not require formal education for surgical technologists and explicitly notes that the CST exam is not required in Minnesota, though employers may choose to require education or certification.^[1]

State policy materials regarding health‑profession regulation focus on other licensed occupations and do not include surgical technologists in the list of professions regulated under Minnesota’s health‑related licensing statutes, which reinforces the view that Minnesota does not regulate surgical technologists as a separate licensed profession.^[5]

Employer Standards in Minnesota

Because Minnesota does not license surgical technologists, employers use accredited education, clinical experience, and national certification to set their own standards for hiring and privileging operating‑room staff.^[1][2] M State advises that students should ask potential employers about facility policies and employment requirements, emphasizing that employers may require formal education or certification even though the state does not mandate either.^[1]

Minnesota surgical technology programs accredited by CAAHEP upon the recommendation of ARC/STSA describe curricula that combine classroom instruction, skills laboratories, and supervised clinical experiences and that prepare graduates for entry‑level practice and national certification exams.^[1][4] Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers rely on these accredited programs and national standards when establishing job descriptions and competency expectations for surgical technologists in their operating rooms.^[2][4]

Certification Requirements

Minnesota law does not require surgical technologists to hold CST®, TS‑C, or other national credentials, and there is no Minnesota state examination or state certification board for surgical technologists.^[1][2][3] However, M State’s licensure disclosure and Minnesota program materials point out that employers may require certification and that the CST exam, while not required by the state, is a common expectation among Minnesota facilities seeking to align with national professional standards.^[1][4]

According to the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA), CST® certification requires graduation from a CAAHEP‑ or ABHES‑accredited surgical technology program or an approved military program, successful completion of the CST® exam, and ongoing continuing education or periodic examination to maintain certification.^[4] Minnesota surgical technologists who obtain CST® can strengthen their employment prospects within the state and improve mobility to states that regulate surgical technologists, even though Minnesota itself does not require certification.^[1][2][4]

Registration or Licensure Requirements

No Minnesota agency issues a surgical technologist license or maintains a profession‑specific registry of surgical technologists, and there is no Minnesota license application or renewal process tied to this title.^[1][2][3] Academic licensure‑disclosure documents from Minnesota and other institutions classify Minnesota as a non‑licensure state for surgical technology and advise students that they do not need a state license to work as a surgical technologist in Minnesota.^[1][2]

Surgical technologists in Minnesota who hold another Minnesota license—such as a registered nurse license—remain regulated by the appropriate licensing board for that profession, while their surgical technologist duties are governed by facility policy and national standards rather than a Minnesota ST license.^[2][5]

Renewal Requirements

Because Minnesota does not issue a surgical technologist license or maintain a registry, there are no Minnesota‑specific renewal deadlines, renewal fees, or continuing‑education requirements associated with a state ST credential.^[1][2] Renewal obligations instead come from national certifying organizations such as NBSTSA, which requires continuing education or re‑examination for CST®, and from employer policies that may require surgical technologists to maintain active certification and documented continuing education to retain their positions.^[2][4]

Background Checks

Minnesota does not operate a background‑check or fingerprinting process specific to surgical technologists since there is no state license for this occupation.^[2][5] Instead, Minnesota surgical technology programs and clinical facilities describe background‑study and criminal‑history requirements under state law and clinical affiliation agreements for students and employees in direct‑patient‑care roles, and hospitals typically apply these standard checks—along with drug screening and immunization verification—to surgical technologists as part of their hiring and credentialing processes.^[2][5]

Scope of Practice

Minnesota statutes do not provide a detailed scope‑of‑practice definition for surgical technologists or reserve particular tasks exclusively for this title; responsibilities are instead set by employer job descriptions and guided by national professional standards.^[2][3] M State’s program materials and national occupational descriptions indicate that surgical technologists assist in operations under the supervision of surgeons and registered nurses by preparing operating rooms, arranging instruments and sterile supplies, assisting with gowning and gloving, maintaining the sterile field, passing instruments, handling specimens, and participating in sponge and instrument counts.^[1][4][6]

Surgical technologists in Minnesota do not independently diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, or determine treatment plans; those activities remain within the scope of licensed physicians, advanced‑practice providers, and other licensed health professionals under Minnesota law and facility policies.^[2][6]

Governing Agency

There is no Minnesota licensing board specifically for surgical technologists, and M State’s licensure disclosure lists no Minnesota licensing board or department with jurisdiction over surgical technology as a licensed profession.^[1] Instead, Minnesota agencies regulate health‑care facilities and other licensed professions, while hospital credentialing and medical‑staff offices decide what education, certification, and competencies they require for surgical technologists working in their operating rooms.^[2][5]

Statute Citations

• Current status: M State’s “Surgical Technology – Professional Licensure Disclosure” states that Minnesota does not require formal education for surgical technologists and does not require the CST exam, emphasizing that employers may mandate education or certification and that students should check facility requirements.^[1]
• Regulatory policy context: Minnesota health‑profession policy documents discuss the regulation of licensed occupations and recognize that some health‑care roles, including surgical technologists, are not regulated as licensed professions, leaving standards to employers and national certification bodies.^[5]

Minnesota Surgical Technologist Salary & Job Outlook

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for Surgical Technologists (SOC 29‑2055) report a national annual mean wage of approximately $60,900 for full‑time surgical technologists as of May 2023, based on employee wage and salary data across all industries.^[4] Minnesota‑specific OEWS tables show that health‑care wages in the state—including those for surgical technologists—tend to fall near or slightly above national averages in major metropolitan areas and somewhat lower in rural and nonmetropolitan regions, reflecting local cost‑of‑living and hospital budget differences for full‑time roles.^[4][7] BLS also notes that employment of surgical technologists is expected to grow in connection with surgical procedure volumes and aging populations, suggesting steady or increasing demand for graduates of accredited programs and nationally certified surgical technologists in Minnesota’s hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers.^[2][4]

Summary

Minnesota does not license or register surgical technologists, and there is no Minnesota statute that mandates specific education or national certification for this occupation.^[1][2][3] Even so, professional licensure disclosures, program materials, and national standards show that Minnesota employers typically rely on graduates of accredited surgical technology programs who are eligible for or hold national certification, so surgical technologists who wish to work in Minnesota should plan for accredited education and CST® or similar credentials to remain competitive in the job market.^[1][2][4][6]

References

• [1] Minnesota State (M State). “Surgical Technology – Professional Licensure Disclosure” – licensure disclosure stating that M State’s program is accredited by CAAHEP, that it meets state licensure requirements in all states, and that the CST exam is not required in many states including Minnesota, which does not require formal education for surgical technologists, though employers may mandate education or certification. Available at: http://www.minnesota.edu/academics/professional-licensure-disclosures/surgical-technology.^[web:1002]
• [2] Technical College licensure‑disclosure documents (e.g., DMACC, Southeastern College) – professional licensure disclosures prepared under federal regulations that list Minnesota as a state where programs “meet” educational requirements and note that Minnesota does not require a license for surgical technologists, with employers setting education and certification expectations. Example: DMACC “Professional Licensure Disclosure: Surgical Technology, AAS.”^{[web:1003][web:1004]}
• [3] Association of Surgical Technologists (AST). “Surgical Technologist and Surgical Assistant State Law Map / Legislative Overview” – national overview identifying which states have passed surgical technologist laws and indicating that Minnesota is not among the states with surgical technologist statutes, classifying it as a non‑regulated state. Available at: https://www.ast.org/Public_Policy/Legislative_Overview/.^[web:881]
• [4] National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA). “CST® Certification” – official certification information describing eligibility via CAAHEP‑ or ABHES‑accredited programs or military training, exam content, and continuing‑education or re‑examination requirements for maintaining CST® certification, which Minnesota programs and employers reference as the primary national credential. Available at: https://www.nbstsa.org/cst-certification.^[web:983]
• [5] Minnesota House of Representatives / health‑profession policy documents discussing state health‑related licensing and regulation, which focus on licensed professions and do not establish a separate surgical technologist license category, supporting the conclusion that surgical technologists are not a regulated profession in Minnesota. Example: Minnesota House document on health‑related licensing boards and regulation policy.^[web:1005]
• [6] O*NET OnLine. “29‑2055.00 – Surgical Technologists” – national occupational profile describing typical surgical technologist duties, supervision, and work context, which aligns with the perioperative responsibilities assigned to surgical technologists in Minnesota facilities. Available at: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2055.00.^[web:831]
• [7] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023 – 29‑2055 Surgical Technologists” and “May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates – Minnesota” – OEWS national and Minnesota state wage data for surgical technologists, including a national annual mean wage of about $60,900 for full‑time employees and Minnesota wage estimates used to contextualize earnings and job outlook. Available at: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes292055.htm; https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes_mn.htm.^{[web:408][web:1006]}