What do they do?

Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.

Also known as:

Central Processing Technician (CPT), Central Service Technician (CST), Central Sterile Supply Technician (CSS Technician), Central Sterile Technician (Central Sterile Tech), Central Sterilization Technician, Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), Certified Registered Central Services Technician (CRCST), Equipment Technician, Instrument Technician, Material Reprocessing Associate (MRA), Medical Supply Technician, Sterile Preparation Technician, Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (SPD Tech), Sterile Processing Technician (Sterile Processing Tech), Sterile Technician, Sterilization Technician, Surgical Technician

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Medical Equipment Preparers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • 6.7%

    Change

    Ranks #39 in job growth rate
    320

    Job Openings

    Ranks #8 in net job growth

Best colleges for Medical Equipment Preparers

Search

Colleges with the most graduates that become Medical Equipment Preparers

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (2%)
  • Master's degree  (5%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (17%)
  • Associate's degree  (14%)
  • Some college, no degree  (29%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (28%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (5%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Medical Equipment Preparers

Select Type of Degree:

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Clean medical equipment.
  • Operate medical equipment.
  • Maintain medical equipment or instruments.
  • Record vital statistics or other health information.
  • Prepare medical instruments or equipment for use.
  • Monitor medical equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Inventory medical supplies or equipment.
  • Stock medical or patient care supplies.
  • Attend educational events to update medical knowledge.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 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

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.

College Raptor Loading Screen College Raptor Loading Screen