Medical equipment preparers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,410 | $17.50 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,700 | $22.93 |
| Mean (average) | $50,510 | $24.28 |
| 90th percentile | $69,950 | $33.63 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Medical equipment preparers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,800 | $30,180 | $45,670 | 1,000 | 0.95 |
| Alaska | $49,920 | $45,750 | $77,590 | 220 | 1.38 |
| Arizona | $46,790 | $35,290 | $60,760 | 2,320 | 1.44 |
| Arkansas | $38,100 | $32,490 | $48,530 | 320 | 0.5 |
| California | $61,370 | $43,680 | $85,240 | 8,720 | 0.96 |
| Colorado | $47,700 | $35,760 | $65,170 | 1,950 | 1.36 |
| Connecticut | $47,980 | $38,910 | $62,690 | 1,060 | 1.25 |
| Delaware | $53,300 | $47,120 | $63,450 | 190 | 0.8 |
| District of Columbia | $48,670 | $39,190 | $77,820 | 310 | 0.89 |
| Florida | $45,890 | $35,630 | $62,000 | 5,250 | 1.06 |
| Georgia | $47,850 | $36,660 | $62,960 | 1,860 | 0.76 |
| Hawaii | $51,630 | $42,830 | $61,170 | 220 | 0.71 |
| Idaho | $46,450 | $35,600 | $60,350 | 580 | 1.35 |
| Illinois | $48,050 | $38,280 | $66,390 | 2,800 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $45,210 | $35,400 | $60,530 | 1,750 | 1.1 |
| Iowa | $39,930 | $37,070 | $52,300 | 590 | 0.76 |
| Kansas | $45,280 | $34,320 | $59,750 | 740 | 1.04 |
| Kentucky | $46,880 | $35,340 | $60,410 | 1,120 | 1.13 |
| Louisiana | $35,960 | $27,880 | $50,440 | 620 | 0.64 |
| Maine | $46,860 | $38,010 | $59,780 | 510 | 1.59 |
| Maryland | $48,680 | $37,440 | $62,820 | 1,160 | 0.84 |
| Massachusetts | $58,580 | $40,980 | $77,130 | 1,900 | 1.05 |
| Michigan | $45,670 | $37,750 | $58,050 | 2,420 | 1.1 |
| Minnesota | $50,070 | $40,900 | $61,580 | 1,390 | 0.95 |
| Mississippi | $35,160 | $30,140 | $47,330 | 350 | 0.6 |
| Missouri | $43,480 | $34,510 | $58,420 | 1,970 | 1.35 |
| Montana | $44,670 | $36,810 | $56,770 | 330 | 1.28 |
| Nebraska | $41,480 | $36,250 | $57,260 | 550 | 1.08 |
| Nevada | $46,640 | $38,450 | $60,890 | 510 | 0.67 |
| New Hampshire | $48,900 | $40,180 | $62,170 | 380 | 1.11 |
| New Jersey | $50,280 | $38,050 | $69,570 | 2,440 | 1.14 |
| New Mexico | $36,720 | $31,040 | $56,530 | 300 | 0.7 |
| New York | $57,320 | $39,140 | $71,000 | 5,190 | 1.08 |
| North Carolina | $45,130 | $36,410 | $58,950 | 2,900 | 1.18 |
| North Dakota | $38,910 | $37,600 | $61,440 | 350 | 1.65 |
| Ohio | $45,540 | $36,620 | $57,870 | 3,210 | 1.16 |
| Oklahoma | $43,460 | $34,400 | $57,770 | 690 | 0.82 |
| Oregon | $48,890 | $35,810 | $63,770 | 1,570 | 1.6 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,820 | $37,500 | $57,070 | 3,450 | 1.14 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,310 | $21,840 | $42,010 | 140 | 0.29 |
| Rhode Island | $51,460 | $39,940 | $62,500 | 190 | 0.78 |
| South Carolina | $42,510 | $31,840 | $57,910 | 1,160 | 1.01 |
| South Dakota | $42,330 | $31,680 | $54,680 | 480 | 2.12 |
| Tennessee | $46,990 | $35,090 | $60,360 | 1,590 | 0.97 |
| Texas | $46,970 | $35,390 | $69,950 | 4,520 | 0.65 |
| Utah | $47,980 | $39,760 | $64,920 | 600 | 0.7 |
| Vermont | $48,990 | $39,560 | $73,330 | 140 | 0.93 |
| Virginia | $46,580 | $37,320 | $61,280 | 1,840 | 0.9 |
| Washington | $58,830 | $41,210 | $79,880 | 1,670 | 0.94 |
| West Virginia | $44,830 | $34,690 | $51,970 | 530 | 1.51 |
| Wisconsin | $47,570 | $38,170 | $59,180 | 1,380 | 0.94 |
| Wyoming | $48,210 | $37,590 | $60,220 | 120 | 0.83 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for medical equipment preparers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 10,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.3%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for medical equipment preparers
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician CIP 51.1012
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
- Record sterilizer test results.
- Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
- Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
- Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
- Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.
- Purge wastes from equipment by connecting equipment to water sources and flushing water through systems.
Technology skills
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft SharePoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Calendar software
- Database software
- Email software
- Inventory tracking software
- MEDITECH Supply Chain Management
- McKesson ANSOS One-Staff
- Microsoft SharePoint Server
Transferable skills for career changers: Quality Control Analysis, Operations Monitoring, Troubleshooting, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management.
Common job titles: Central Sterile Technician (Central Sterile Tech), Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), CRCST (Certified Registered Central Supply Technician), CSS Technician (Central Sterile Supply Technician), CST (Central Service Technician), Equipment Technician (Equipment Tech), Sterile Preparation Technician (Sterile Preparation Tech), Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (SPD Tech), Sterile Technician (Sterile Tech).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do medical equipment preparers make?
The national median annual wage for medical equipment preparers was $47,700 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,410 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $69,950. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do medical equipment preparers need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is medical equipment preparers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of medical equipment preparers to change +10.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 10,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay medical equipment preparers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were California ($61,370), Washington ($58,830), Massachusetts ($58,580). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.