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Medical Equipment Preparers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

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

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $47,700 Median per year · $22.93/hr Most earn $36,410–$69,950

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards.
  • Assist hospital staff with patient care duties, such as providing transportation or setting up traction.
  • Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.
  • Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
  • Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.
  • Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
11% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 10,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • General medical and surgical hospitals67.1%
  • Offices of dentists8.8%
  • Offices of physicians5.8%
  • Self-employed (their own business)2.3%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Medical Equipment Preparers usually need a certificate or apprenticeship and about 1 to 2 years of related hands-on work before they land this job, so it's a good first career step rather than something you'd usually start straight out of school. It's a practical job that suits people who like careful, detail-focused work with tools and equipment.

  1. High school diploma or GED

    4 years (high school)

    A diploma is the usual starting point for sterile processing and equipment prep training, and it shows employers you can follow procedures and handle routine tasks.

  2. Certificate in sterile processing or medical equipment preparation

    6 months to 1 year

    Short training teaches cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and packaging of instruments, plus infection-control rules, which is the core of this work.

  3. Sterile Processing Technician

    1 to 2 years

    Working in a hospital or clinic sterile processing department builds the hands-on experience and speed that employers look for before promoting you to preparer-level duties.

  4. Medical Equipment Preparer

    Career goal

    You prepare, sterilize, install, and inspect healthcare and lab equipment, and you keep records to make sure every tool is ready for use.

Where it can lead

  1. Surgical Technologist

    1-2 years of experience first

    You move closer to the operating room, setting up instruments and equipment for surgeons, which usually requires a formal surgical technology certificate or program.

  2. Medical Equipment Repairer

    1-2 years of experience first

    You shift from preparing equipment to diagnosing and fixing it, which usually requires additional technical training and hands-on repair experience.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology and chemistryThese classes teach how microorganisms, cleaning agents, and sterilization work, which is the science behind this job.
  • Take health or medical career courses if your school offers themA health science class gives you early exposure to hospital settings, safety rules, and medical vocabulary.
  • Get a starter job that involves careful, clean, step-by-step workJobs like restaurant prep, stock work, or cleaning crews build reliability and attention to detail that employers look for.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, clinic, or nursing homeVolunteering shows you how healthcare facilities run and lets you see equipment and sterile areas up close, if the facility allows it.
  • Build strong hands-on skills in shop, lab, or tech classesPracticing with tools, cleaning procedures, and following detailed instructions prepares you for equipment work.

In college

  • Take courses in microbiology, anatomy, or healthcare basicsThese courses explain infection control and the medical settings where prepared equipment is used, which helps you work safely and confidently.
  • Enroll in a sterile processing or medical equipment prep certificate programA certificate is the typical entry credential for this career and gives you the hands-on training employers ask for.
  • Apply for a part-time job or internship in a hospital central supply or labReal experience in a clinical setting counts toward the 1 to 2 years employers usually want and helps you learn the workflow.
  • Join a health-related student club or volunteer groupClubs connect you with healthcare professionals and can lead to job referrals or shadowing opportunities.
  • Keep records of your training, hours, and certificationsA clear record of what you've learned and done makes your résumé stronger when you apply for your first sterile processing or prep role.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local hospital, clinic, or dental office whether they hire sterile processing or central supply staff; many train new people on the job, and that experience counts toward this career.
  • Learn the basics of infection control and medical terminology now, since employers value people who understand why sterile technique matters, not just how to follow steps.
  • Keep a simple log of any hands-on work, volunteer hours, or training certificates; it helps show the 1 to 2 years of related experience that employers often expect.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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