Medical Equipment Preparers
Medical Equipment Preparers (SOC 31-9093) earn a median $47,700 a year ($22.93 an hour) in the United States, with 77,420 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What medical equipment preparers do
Medical equipment preparers prepare, sterilize, install or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment, and the SOC adds that they may perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment. They clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization, operate and maintain steam autoclaves, and keep records of loads completed, the items in them and maintenance performed. They record sterilizer test results and organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays and other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed. They examine equipment for leaks, worn or loose parts or other signs of disrepair and report defective equipment to supervisors. They keep inventory and equipment usage records, order medical instruments or supplies when stock is low, and stock crash carts or other medical supplies. O*NET alternate titles include central sterile processing technician, central service technician, aseptic technician and bandage maker. Education is varied: 44 percent of respondents report a high school diploma, 31 percent a postsecondary certificate and 15 percent a bachelor's degree. Keeping items clean and sterile is the point of the job, as opposed to using them in an operation.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (44 percent).
Also called: Aseptic Technician (Aseptic Tech), Bandage Maker, Central Processing Technician (CPT), Central Service Technician (CST), Central Sterile Processing Technician (Central Sterile Processing Tech).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.50 | $19.13 | $22.93 | $28.16 | $33.63 | $24.28 | 77,420 |
| Annual | $36,410 | $39,800 | $47,700 | $58,570 | $69,950 | $50,510 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where medical equipment preparers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.00 | $23.87 | $29.50 | $37.34 | $40.98 | $31.30 | 8,720 | 0.48 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $49,650 | $61,370 | $77,660 | $85,240 | $65,100 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $19.81 | $22.81 | $28.28 | $30.63 | $38.41 | $27.97 | 1,670 | 0.47 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $41,210 | $47,440 | $58,830 | $63,700 | $79,880 | $58,170 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $19.70 | $23.39 | $28.16 | $30.63 | $37.08 | $27.79 | 1,900 | 0.52 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $40,980 | $48,650 | $58,580 | $63,710 | $77,130 | $57,800 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.82 | $22.54 | $27.56 | $29.93 | $34.13 | $26.75 | 5,190 | 0.54 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $39,140 | $46,890 | $57,320 | $62,250 | $71,000 | $55,630 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $22.65 | $23.98 | $25.63 | $28.10 | $30.50 | $26.07 | 190 | 0.40 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $47,120 | $49,870 | $53,300 | $58,460 | $63,450 | $54,220 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.00 | $23.87 | $29.50 | $37.34 | $40.98 | $31.30 | 8,720 | 0.48 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $49,650 | $61,370 | $77,660 | $85,240 | $65,100 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.13 | $18.52 | $22.06 | $24.12 | $29.81 | $22.57 | 5,250 | 0.53 | 1.06 |
| Annual | $35,630 | $38,520 | $45,890 | $50,180 | $62,000 | $46,940 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.82 | $22.54 | $27.56 | $29.93 | $34.13 | $26.75 | 5,190 | 0.54 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $39,140 | $46,890 | $57,320 | $62,250 | $71,000 | $55,630 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $17.01 | $18.33 | $22.58 | $28.08 | $33.63 | $23.74 | 4,520 | 0.32 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $35,390 | $38,120 | $46,970 | $58,400 | $69,950 | $49,380 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $18.03 | $19.09 | $22.03 | $24.06 | $27.44 | $22.24 | 3,450 | 0.57 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $37,500 | $39,710 | $45,820 | $50,040 | $57,070 | $46,260 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $20.91 | $38.02 | $39.71 | $41.05 | $41.05 | $36.90 | 140 | 0.97 | 1.95 |
| Annual | $43,480 | $79,070 | $82,610 | $85,380 | $85,380 | $76,760 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $27.71 | $30.13 | $39.49 | $41.06 | $46.00 | $37.23 | 1,070 | 0.45 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $57,630 | $62,660 | $82,140 | $85,390 | $95,670 | $77,440 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $18.29 | $27.01 | $39.12 | $39.60 | $41.26 | $34.00 | 50 | 0.56 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $38,050 | $56,170 | $81,370 | $82,360 | $85,820 | $70,730 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $28.20 | $37.34 | $38.98 | $43.80 | $47.38 | $40.77 | 540 | 0.48 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $58,650 | $77,660 | $81,090 | $91,110 | $98,540 | $84,800 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $23.39 | $32.25 | $38.22 | $40.72 | $41.08 | $35.91 | 680 | 0.63 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $48,650 | $67,090 | $79,490 | $84,690 | $85,440 | $74,690 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.87 | $23.84 | $28.30 | $30.09 | $34.81 | $27.71 | 5,270 | 0.56 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $41,340 | $49,590 | $58,870 | $62,590 | $72,400 | $57,640 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.00 | $22.54 | $28.61 | $32.73 | $36.44 | $28.17 | 3,010 | 0.48 | 0.96 |
| Annual | $43,680 | $46,880 | $59,520 | $68,080 | $75,800 | $58,600 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.97 | $22.53 | $23.38 | $27.58 | $34.25 | $25.35 | 2,140 | 0.48 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $39,460 | $46,850 | $48,630 | $57,370 | $71,240 | $52,720 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $16.96 | $17.77 | $22.75 | $25.74 | $29.44 | $22.73 | 1,800 | 0.76 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $35,280 | $36,960 | $47,320 | $53,540 | $61,240 | $47,280 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $19.98 | $22.46 | $24.22 | $27.44 | $28.97 | $24.70 | 1,660 | 0.57 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $41,560 | $46,720 | $50,370 | $57,070 | $60,260 | $51,380 | ||||
Top industries employing medical equipment preparers
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 68.8% of medical equipment preparers nationally (53,280 jobs) at a median $47,910 a year ($23.04 an hour), followed by Offices of Dentists (9.2%) and Offices of Physicians (5.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 53,280 | 68.8% | $47,910 | $23.04 |
| Offices of Dentists NAICS 621200 | 7,090 | 9.2% | $37,630 | $18.09 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 4,510 | 5.8% | $49,260 | $23.68 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 4,250 | 5.5% | $57,000 | $27.40 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 1,710 | 2.2% | $50,160 | $24.12 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (77,420). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $38,220 for medical equipment preparers in May 2021 and $47,700 in May 2025, with employment of 61,170 and 77,420.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $38,220 | $18.37 | 61,170 |
| May 2022 | $41,480 | $19.94 | 63,890 |
| May 2023 | $45,280 | $21.77 | 66,790 |
| May 2024 | $46,490 | $22.35 | 72,760 |
| May 2025 | $47,700 | $22.93 | 77,420 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $29.50 | $61,370 | $43,680 | $85,240 | 8,720 | 0.48 | 0.96 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $28.28 | $58,830 | $41,210 | $79,880 | 1,670 | 0.47 | 0.94 |
| 3 | Massachusetts profile | $28.16 | $58,580 | $40,980 | $77,130 | 1,900 | 0.52 | 1.05 |
| 4 | New York profile | $27.56 | $57,320 | $39,140 | $71,000 | 5,190 | 0.54 | 1.08 |
| 5 | Delaware profile | $25.63 | $53,300 | $47,120 | $63,450 | 190 | 0.40 | 0.80 |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | $24.82 | $51,630 | $42,830 | $61,170 | 220 | 0.35 | 0.71 |
| 7 | Rhode Island profile | $24.74 | $51,460 | $39,940 | $62,500 | 190 | 0.39 | 0.78 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $24.18 | $50,280 | $38,050 | $69,570 | 2,440 | 0.57 | 1.14 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | $24.07 | $50,070 | $40,900 | $61,580 | 1,390 | 0.47 | 0.95 |
| 10 | Alaska profile | $24.00 | $49,920 | $45,750 | $77,590 | 220 | 0.69 | 1.38 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $23.56 | $48,990 | $39,560 | $73,330 | 140 | 0.46 | 0.93 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | $23.51 | $48,900 | $40,180 | $62,170 | 380 | 0.55 | 1.11 |
| 13 | Oregon profile | $23.51 | $48,890 | $35,810 | $63,770 | 1,570 | 0.80 | 1.60 |
| 14 | Maryland profile | $23.40 | $48,680 | $37,440 | $62,820 | 1,160 | 0.42 | 0.84 |
| 15 | District of Columbia profile | $23.40 | $48,670 | $39,190 | $77,820 | 310 | 0.45 | 0.89 |
| 16 | Wyoming profile | $23.18 | $48,210 | $37,590 | $60,220 | 120 | 0.41 | 0.83 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $23.10 | $48,050 | $38,280 | $66,390 | 2,800 | 0.46 | 0.92 |
| 18 | Connecticut profile | $23.07 | $47,980 | $38,910 | $62,690 | 1,060 | 0.62 | 1.25 |
| 19 | Utah profile | $23.07 | $47,980 | $39,760 | $64,920 | 600 | 0.35 | 0.70 |
| 20 | Georgia profile | $23.00 | $47,850 | $36,660 | $62,960 | 1,860 | 0.38 | 0.76 |
| 21 | Colorado profile | $22.93 | $47,700 | $35,760 | $65,170 | 1,950 | 0.68 | 1.36 |
| 22 | Wisconsin profile | $22.87 | $47,570 | $38,170 | $59,180 | 1,380 | 0.47 | 0.94 |
| 23 | Tennessee profile | $22.59 | $46,990 | $35,090 | $60,360 | 1,590 | 0.48 | 0.97 |
| 24 | Texas profile | $22.58 | $46,970 | $35,390 | $69,950 | 4,520 | 0.32 | 0.65 |
| 25 | Kentucky profile | $22.54 | $46,880 | $35,340 | $60,410 | 1,120 | 0.56 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Maine profile | $22.53 | $46,860 | $38,010 | $59,780 | 510 | 0.79 | 1.59 |
| 27 | Arizona profile | $22.50 | $46,790 | $35,290 | $60,760 | 2,320 | 0.72 | 1.44 |
| 28 | Nevada profile | $22.43 | $46,640 | $38,450 | $60,890 | 510 | 0.33 | 0.67 |
| 29 | Virginia profile | $22.40 | $46,580 | $37,320 | $61,280 | 1,840 | 0.45 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Idaho profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $35,600 | $60,350 | 580 | 0.67 | 1.35 |
| 31 | Florida profile | $22.06 | $45,890 | $35,630 | $62,000 | 5,250 | 0.53 | 1.06 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $37,500 | $57,070 | 3,450 | 0.57 | 1.14 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $21.96 | $45,670 | $37,750 | $58,050 | 2,420 | 0.55 | 1.10 |
| 34 | Ohio profile | $21.90 | $45,540 | $36,620 | $57,870 | 3,210 | 0.58 | 1.16 |
| 35 | Kansas profile | $21.77 | $45,280 | $34,320 | $59,750 | 740 | 0.52 | 1.04 |
| 36 | Indiana profile | $21.74 | $45,210 | $35,400 | $60,530 | 1,750 | 0.55 | 1.10 |
| 37 | North Carolina profile | $21.70 | $45,130 | $36,410 | $58,950 | 2,900 | 0.59 | 1.18 |
| 38 | West Virginia profile | $21.55 | $44,830 | $34,690 | $51,970 | 530 | 0.75 | 1.51 |
| 39 | Montana profile | $21.47 | $44,670 | $36,810 | $56,770 | 330 | 0.64 | 1.28 |
| 40 | Missouri profile | $20.91 | $43,480 | $34,510 | $58,420 | 1,970 | 0.67 | 1.35 |
| 41 | Oklahoma profile | $20.89 | $43,460 | $34,400 | $57,770 | 690 | 0.41 | 0.82 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $20.44 | $42,510 | $31,840 | $57,910 | 1,160 | 0.50 | 1.01 |
| 43 | South Dakota profile | $20.35 | $42,330 | $31,680 | $54,680 | 480 | 1.05 | 2.12 |
| 44 | Nebraska profile | $19.94 | $41,480 | $36,250 | $57,260 | 550 | 0.54 | 1.08 |
| 45 | Iowa profile | $19.20 | $39,930 | $37,070 | $52,300 | 590 | 0.38 | 0.76 |
| 46 | North Dakota profile | $18.71 | $38,910 | $37,600 | $61,440 | 350 | 0.82 | 1.65 |
| 47 | Arkansas profile | $18.32 | $38,100 | $32,490 | $48,530 | 320 | 0.25 | 0.50 |
| 48 | New Mexico profile | $17.66 | $36,720 | $31,040 | $56,530 | 300 | 0.35 | 0.70 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $17.29 | $35,960 | $27,880 | $50,440 | 620 | 0.32 | 0.64 |
| 50 | Alabama profile | $17.21 | $35,800 | $30,180 | $45,670 | 1,000 | 0.48 | 0.95 |
| 51 | Mississippi profile | $16.90 | $35,160 | $30,140 | $47,330 | 350 | 0.30 | 0.60 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-9093 Medical Equipment Preparers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-9093, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-9093.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.