Healthcare support
Medical equipment preparer
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
Median pay
$47,700
Growth to 2035
+11%
faster than average
Openings a year
10,700
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Medical equipment preparer
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Medical equipment preparer: 21% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core 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- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.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.
Also called: 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)
Outlook and AI
Medical equipment preparers held 79,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 88,600 by 2035 (+11%, faster than average; all jobs: +3.5%).
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