Howard College, San Angelo surgical technology program costs $395. Here is how its graduates do.
An AAS program in San Angelo, Two years. 92.0% of its graduates passed the CST exam over Class of 2026.
The short version
- Its CST exam rate (92.0%) is close to the Texas program median of 92.5%.
- Its published cost is at or below the median for Texas surgical technology programs that publish one ($2,315).
- At 10% of the local median wage for surgical technologists, the program cost is paid back in about 0.1 years.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How graduates do
ARC/STSA requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 4
Graduates who passed the CST certification exam, divided by graduates who took it, as the program reports it to ARC/STSA. Every graduate of an accredited program must sit for the exam. Job placement: graduates employed in surgical technology or a related field, as the program reports it to ARC/STSA.
Where the money goes
About half of every dollar goes to textbooks. Physical, immunizations, drug test, health insurance, TB test and flu shot are variable and not priced. Tuition and fees are in the catalog.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Background check | $35 |
| BLS (CPR) class | $60 |
| Black scrubs | $60 |
| White lab coat | $40 |
| Textbooks | $200 |
| Total 1 | $395 |
* How we calculated this: Added up by us from the page's approximate fixed items; tuition and fees not included.
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. Approximate expenses in addition to tuition and fees (undated, live page).
What surgical technologists earn in Texas
The median yearly wage for surgical technologists in Texas is $65,220. The federal survey does not publish a figure for the San Angelo area, so we use the statewide number. 3 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
After you graduate: getting to work in Texas
Texas has no state license or registration for surgical technologists. Under Health and Safety Code Chapter 259, a licensed or state-run health care facility may only employ someone to practice surgical technology who completed an accredited program and holds current certification from the NBSTSA, the National Center for Competency Testing, or another approved program (with exceptions for military training, pre-Sept 2009 employment, federal service, and documented hiring shortages).
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Graduate from a CAAHEP- or ABHES-accredited surgical technology program to be eligible for the CST exam.5 | Not published |
| Apply to NBSTSA and pass the Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam.6 | $340 |
| Start work: a new graduate may be employed for up to 180 days after graduation, then must show the employer proof of certification.7 | Not published |
| Keep certification current; certified technologists must complete the CE their certifying body requires, and others practicing under an exception need 30 hours every two years.8 | Not published |
Typical fees to start working: $340. Counts the CST exam at the non-member price ($340); members of the Association of Surgical Technologists pay $230. There is no state fee. NBSTSA CST certification runs on a two-year cycle requiring 30 CE credits (4 live) and a $40 renewal fee; Texas law requires certified technologists to keep that certification current. Full guide: how to become a surgical technologist in Texas
With Howard College's published cost, the total to finish school and get credentialed is about $735, before prerequisites and living costs.
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS
- Length
- Two years
- Starts
- Fall (applications Apr 1 to Jun 5)
- Before you apply
- A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology and HPRS 1206 Medical Terminology with a C or better.
- Entrance exam
- Manual dexterity test
- Accreditation
- ARC/STSA, Accredited (CAAHEP, on ARC/STSA recommendation)
- Leads to
- NBSTSA Certified Surgical Technologist (CST) exam
Sources and dates
- Howard College San Angelo Surgical Technology page, Approximate expenses in addition to tuition and fees (undated, live page).
- Howard College, San Angelo program outcomes page, Program page lists Classes 2024 to 2026; 2026 job placement pending (2025: 100% pass, 100% retention, 89% placement).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Surgical Technologists (29-2055), May 2025 estimates.
- Accreditation Review Council on Education in Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (programs accredited by CAAHEP) (ARC/STSA), checked Nov. 2026.
- NBSTSA CST Eligibility, checked Nov 2026.
- NBSTSA 2025 CST Examination Application, 2025 application form, still the posted version when checked Nov 2026.
- Texas Legislature, HB 643 (81R) enrolled text adding Health and Safety Code Chapter 259, Enacted 2009; current statute page could not be loaded.
- Texas Legislature, SB 1239 (86R) enrolled text amending Sec. 259.002, Effective Sept 1, 2019.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or ARC/STSA. Our independence policy