Medical Equipment Preparers earn a median of $47,700 per year ($22.93/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 10.8% through 2035, with about 10,700 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 31-9093
- Healthcare Support
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Medical Equipment Preparer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $47,700a year, or $22.93/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $36KTop 10% $70K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +10.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+10.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +10.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 10,70079,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202579.9K
- Projected 203588.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 79.9K Projected 2035 88.6K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school43.8%
- Certificate31.2%
- Some college4.4%
- Associate's3.5%
- Bachelor's15.3%
- Master's1.8%
Highest education held by medical equipment preparers Segment Value High school 43.8% Certificate 31.2% Some college 4.4% Associate's 3.5% Bachelor's 15.3% Master's 1.8%
Also advertised as: 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).
Pay
How much do Medical Equipment Preparers make?
Every medical equipment preparer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$47,700
Middle half earn $39,800 to $58,570
- 10th
- $36,410
- 25th
- $39,800
- 75th
- $58,570
- 90th
- $69,950
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $36,410 |
| 25th | $39,800 |
| Median | $47,700 |
| 75th | $58,570 |
| 90th | $69,950 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $47,700
- Median hourly wage
- $22.93/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $50,510
- People employed
- 77,420
Versus all US occupations
At $47,700, Medical Equipment Preparers earn 6% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $3,280 a year.
Versus healthcare support occupations
Inside the Healthcare Support group, where the middle occupation pays $42,260, this is 13% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $69,950 or more while the bottom 10% earn $36,410, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 17% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $61,370, and still leads at $55,428 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Medical Equipment Preparers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $61,370 | $55,428 | 8,720 |
| 2Washington | $58,830 | $54,975 | 1,670 |
| 3Massachusetts | $58,580 | $55,391 | 1,900 |
| 4New York | $57,320 | $53,113 | 5,190 |
| 5Delaware | $53,300 | $53,403 | 190 |
| 6Hawaii | $51,630 | $46,957 | 220 |
| 7Rhode Island | $51,460 | $50,313 | 190 |
| 8New Jersey | $50,280 | $46,211 | 2,440 |
| 9Minnesota | $50,070 | $50,770 | 1,390 |
| 10Alaska | $49,920 | $48,770 | 220 |
Job outlook
Is Medical Equipment Preparer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +10.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Medical Equipment Preparers | +10.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Medical Equipment Preparers to change 10.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.1× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 8,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 10,700 openings are projected each year, 13.4% of the 79,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Medical Equipment Preparer
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as medical equipment preparers.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)43.8%
- Post-Secondary Certificate31.2%
- Bachelor's Degree15.3%
- Some College Courses4.4%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree3.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 43.8% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 31.2% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 15.3% |
| Some College Courses | 4.4% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 3.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Medical Equipment Preparer do?
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
Day-to-day tasks
- Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
- Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
- Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
- Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
- Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
- Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
- Record sterilizer test results.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Active Listening3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Writing2.9
- Learning Strategies2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.4
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Operation and Control2.9
- Social Perceptiveness2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.4 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Operation and Control | 2.9 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Time accounting software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Inventory management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Medical Equipment Preparer?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Medical Equipment Preparer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic6.8
- Conventional5.5
- Investigative3.4
- Social2.4
- Artistic1.0
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Medical Equipment Preparer
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician
$62,930median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+2.7%Bachelor's - Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologist
$62,930median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+2.7%Bachelor's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician
$74,310median a year
Most earn $39K to $121K
+3.7%Associate's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare support careers
Median annual pay, with medical equipment preparers highlighted
- Occupational Therapy Assistant$72,300
- Physical Therapist Assistant$68,380
- Massage Therapist$58,450
- Dental Assistant$48,070
- Medical Equipment Preparer$47,700
- Medical Assistant$45,690
- Phlebotomist$45,230
- Nursing Assistant$42,260
- Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker$38,150
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 |
| Massage Therapist | $58,450 |
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 |
| Medical Equipment Preparer | $47,700 |
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,260 |
| Veterinary Assistant and Laboratory Animal Caretaker | $38,150 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Medical Equipment Preparer appears on
Questions
Medical Equipment Preparer: frequently asked questions
How much do Medical Equipment Preparers make?
Medical Equipment Preparers earn a median of $47,700 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 6% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $22.93/hr. The middle half earn between $39,800 and $58,570. The top 10% earn $69,950 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Medical Equipment Preparer?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Medical Equipment Preparers. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 43.8% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Medical Equipment Preparer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 10.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 10,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Medical Equipment Preparer do?
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. A core O*NET task: report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff. Employers most often ask for Document management software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Medical Equipment Preparers the most?
The highest state medians for Medical Equipment Preparers are California ($61,370), Washington ($58,830), Massachusetts ($58,580) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Medical Equipment Preparer?
O*NET scores Medical Equipment Preparers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.