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Medical equipment preparer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,700median pay per year, or $22.93 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,410lowest 10% earn less
  2. $39,80025th percentile
  3. $47,700median
  4. $58,57075th percentile
  5. $69,950top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for a medical equipment preparer was $47,700 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to grow 10.8% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+10.8%[2]
Openings per year
10,700[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do medical equipment preparers make?

BLS uses the title Medical Equipment Preparers. In May 2025 the median pay was $47,700 a year, or $22.93 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean, or average, was $50,510 a year, or $24.28 an hour[7].

The median annual pay across all occupations in the US was $50,980[4]. The median here was a little lower than that figure.

Here is how annual pay was spread out:

Point in the range Annual pay Hourly pay
10th percentile[3][8] $36,410 $17.50
25th percentile[3][8] $39,800 $19.13
Median[1] $47,700 $22.93
75th percentile[3][8] $58,570 $28.16
90th percentile[3][8] $69,950 $33.63

A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $36,410[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers, about 77,420 of them[10]. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11]. BLS says 2.3% of workers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

California had the highest median at $61,370, followed by Washington at $58,830 and Massachusetts at $58,580[13]. Mississippi had the lowest median among the 50 states and DC with published data, at $35,160[13].

The most jobs were in California (8,720), Florida (5,250) and New York (5,190), followed by Texas (4,520) and Pennsylvania (3,450)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Vallejo, CA had the highest median at $82,610[15]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA followed at $82,140, then San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $81,090[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 5,270, with a median of $58,870[16].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
California[13]$61,3708,720
Washington$58,8301,670
Massachusetts$58,5801,900
New York$57,3205,190
Delaware$53,300190
Hawaii$51,630220
Rhode Island$51,460190
New Jersey$50,2802,440
Minnesota$50,0701,390
Alaska$49,920220
Vermont$48,990140
New Hampshire$48,900380
Oregon$48,8901,570
Maryland$48,6801,160
District of Columbia$48,670310
Wyoming$48,210120
Illinois$48,0502,800
Connecticut$47,9801,060
Utah$47,980600
Georgia$47,8501,860
Colorado$47,7001,950
Wisconsin$47,5701,380
Tennessee$46,9901,590
Texas$46,9704,520
Kentucky$46,8801,120
Maine$46,860510
Arizona$46,7902,320
Nevada$46,640510
Virginia$46,5801,840
Idaho$46,450580
Florida$45,8905,250
Pennsylvania$45,8203,450
Michigan$45,6702,420
Ohio$45,5403,210
Kansas$45,280740
Indiana$45,2101,750
North Carolina$45,1302,900
West Virginia$44,830530
Montana$44,670330
Missouri$43,4801,970
Oklahoma$43,460690
South Carolina$42,5101,160
South Dakota$42,330480
Nebraska$41,480550
Iowa$39,930590
North Dakota$38,910350
Arkansas$38,100320
New Mexico$36,720300
Louisiana$35,960620
Alabama$35,8001,000
Mississippi$35,160350

How to become a medical equipment preparer

BLS describes a typical path with three parts[6]:

In an ONET survey of 28 workers, 44% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, 31% said a post-secondary certificate and 15% said a bachelor's degree[17]. This is a small survey, so it gives only a rough picture. ONET places the job in a group that needs very little to some preparation. Some jobs in that group need little or no experience, and others need several months to a year[18].

O*NET workers report job titles such as central sterile technician, central service technician, equipment technician and sterile preparation technician[19].

What medical equipment preparers do

O*NET describes the work as preparing, sterilizing, installing or cleaning laboratory or healthcare equipment. It may also include routine laboratory tasks and operating or inspecting equipment[20]. Typical tasks include[21]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 10.8% from 2025 to 2035[2]. That is from about 79,900 to 88,600 jobs, a gain of 8,700[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[22]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2].

BLS expects about 10,700 openings a year on average[5]. Openings count new jobs and also jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations[5]. Each year about 5.1% of workers leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[23].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay was a little under the all-occupation median, and the 90th percentile was $69,950[1][3][4]. Entry asks for a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. Projected growth is well above the all-occupation rate[2][22]. The facts we have do not cover certification or program costs, so check those locally.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a medical equipment preparer make an hour?
The median was $22.93 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.50 and the 90th was $33.63[8].
What education do you need to be a medical equipment preparer?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
Is medical equipment preparer a growing job?
BLS projects 10.8% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 10,700 openings a year[2][22][5].
What is the highest paying state for medical equipment preparers?
California had the highest median pay at $61,370, ahead of Washington at $58,830 and Massachusetts at $58,580[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Medical Equipment Preparers in the US was $47,700 per year and $22.93 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Medical Equipment Preparers is projected to grow 10.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 79,900 to 88,600 jobs (a change of +8,700). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Medical Equipment Preparers: 10th percentile $36,410, 25th percentile $39,800, 75th percentile $58,570, 90th percentile $69,950. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 10,700 openings for Medical Equipment Preparers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Medical Equipment Preparers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Medical Equipment Preparers was $50,510 per year and $24.28 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Medical Equipment Preparers: 10th percentile $17.50, 25th percentile $19.13, 75th percentile $28.16, 90th percentile $33.63. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 77,420 people were employed as Medical Equipment Preparers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 2.3% of Medical Equipment Preparers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Medical Equipment Preparers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Medical Equipment Preparers jobs: California 8,720; Florida 5,250; New York 5,190; Texas 4,520; Pennsylvania 3,450. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Medical Equipment Preparers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Vallejo, CA $82,610; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $82,140; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $81,090; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $79,490; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $67,830; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $61,870; Stockton-Lodi, CA $61,060; Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $60,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Medical Equipment Preparers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 5,270 (median $58,870); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 3,010 (median $59,520); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 2,140 (median $48,630); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 1,800 (median $47,320); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,660 (median $50,370); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,350 (median $46,330). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 31-9093.00 survey of workers (28 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 44%, Post-Secondary Certificate 31%, Bachelor's Degree 15% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 31-9093.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET 31-9093.00 sample job titles reported by workers: 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). O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET description of Medical Equipment Preparers. O*NET OnLine
  21. O*NET task list for Medical Equipment Preparers. O*NET OnLine
  22. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Medical Equipment Preparers: 5.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  24. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.