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Career

Medical Equipment Repairers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipLower pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Test, adjust, or repair biomedical or electromedical 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.

Lower 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 $61,660 Median per year · $29.64/hr Most earn $38,490–$98,280

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Fabricate, dress down, or substitute parts or major new items to modify equipment to meet unique operational or research needs, working from job orders, sketches, modification orders, samples, or discussions with operating officials.
  • Inspect, test, or troubleshoot malfunctioning medical or related equipment, following manufacturers' specifications and using test and analysis instruments.
  • Repair shop equipment, metal furniture, or hospital equipment, including welding broken parts or replacing missing parts, or bring item into local shop for major repairs.
  • Test, evaluate, and classify excess or in-use medical equipment and determine serviceability, condition, and disposition, in accordance with regulations.
  • Solder loose connections, using soldering iron.
  • Study technical manuals or attend training sessions provided by equipment manufacturers to maintain current knowledge.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
13% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 8,200 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

  • Professional and commercial equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers32.8%
  • Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance13.2%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals10.8%
  • Rental and leasing services10.3%
  • Self-employed (their own business)8.5%

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 repair is usually entered through a certificate or apprenticeship after high school, not a four-year degree. Most people spend roughly 1 to 2 years in a related repair job before they work on medical equipment on their own.

  1. High school diploma with math, science, and electronics classes

    4 years

    Strong math and physics skills, plus any electronics or shop classes, give you the foundation you'll need for training programs.

  2. Electronics repair certificate or apprenticeship

    6 months to 2 years

    Training in circuits, test equipment, and basic electronics teaches you how to diagnose and fix devices, which leads to your first repair job.

  3. Electrical and Electronics Repairer, Commercial and Industrial Equipment

    1-2 years

    Working on industrial electronics builds hands-on troubleshooting experience and the habit of reading manuals and schematics, which is what medical equipment work demands.

  4. Medical Equipment Repairer

    Ongoing

    You test, calibrate, and repair medical devices like monitors and infusion pumps, often with added manufacturer training and attention to safety rules.

Where it can lead

  1. Senior Biomedical Equipment Technician

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on harder repairs, train newer technicians, and handle more complex equipment, often after earning extra manufacturer certifications.

  2. Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologist

    2-4 years of experience first

    This role applies engineering principles to design, testing, and improving electronic systems, and it usually requires more formal technical education.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take physics and any electronics or electricity courseThese classes teach how circuits and devices work, which is the core of medical equipment repair.
  • Take algebra and build strong math skillsMeasuring, calibrating, and reading technical specs all depend on comfort with math.
  • Join a robotics, electronics, or STEM clubBuilding and fixing devices with a team gives you practical troubleshooting experience and something to talk about in applications.
  • Volunteer at a hospital or clinicSeeing medical settings up close helps you decide if this work fits you and shows future employers your interest.
  • Look for a starter job in a repair shop or electronics storeAny job where you fix or set up devices builds customer and hands-on skills early.

In college

  • Enroll in an electronics or biomedical equipment certificate programThis is the most direct route into the field, and many programs include hands-on lab work with real equipment.
  • Take courses in circuits, digital electronics, and medical device safetyThese topics show up in job postings and help you pass technical interviews.
  • Apply for an apprenticeship or co-op placementPaid on-the-job training lets you learn from experienced technicians while you build your résumé.
  • Join a student technical or engineering clubClubs offer project experience, networking, and chances to learn from professionals.
  • Work a campus job in IT, lab support, or equipment maintenanceMaintaining lab or campus equipment gives you practical troubleshooting experience that employers value.

Tips for getting started

  • Build a basic electronics toolkit and practice with a multimeter at home. Hands-on comfort with tools helps a lot in certificate programs and interviews.
  • Ask a local hospital, clinic, or community college if they offer tours, job shadowing, or information sessions for biomedical technicians.
  • Look at job postings for medical equipment repair in your area to see which certifications and skills employers ask for, then plan your training around them.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

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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