How much do sterile processing technicians make in 2026?
Sterile processing technicians earn a national median of $47,700 a year ($22.93 an hour) per BLS OEWS May 2025. BLS does not publish a sterile-processing-only series: the figures here come from SOC 31-9093, Medical Equipment Preparers, which covers sterile processing along with related equipment-preparation roles. The bottom 10% earn about $36,410 and the top 10% reach $69,950. Certification through HSPA or CBSPD is the entry filter at most hospitals, and technicians who specialise in orthopaedic, robotic or endoscope reprocessing sit near the $58,570 P75. Employment is projected to grow 10% through 2034 with roughly 10,900 openings a year. → Full sterile processing technician career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $47,700 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Sterile Processing Technicians earn a national median $47,700/yr ($22.93/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 31-9093); the P10 to P90 range is $36,410 to $69,950.
- The figures come from the Medical Equipment Preparers series (SOC 31-9093), which covers sterile processing plus related equipment roles — not a sterile-processing-only survey.
- Certification (HSPA CRCST or CBSPD) is the hiring filter at hospitals, and endoscope, robotic and orthopaedic instrument specialisation is what moves pay toward the $58,570 P75.
- BLS projects 10% growth through 2034 with roughly 10,900 openings a year, and surgical volume growth means departments run around the clock, so night differentials are widely available.
US Sterile Processing Technician Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do sterile processing technicians earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 31-9093; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 31-9093, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a sterile processing technician earn at each career stage?
Sterile processing is a certification ladder rather than a licensed profession, so the stages below follow credential and instrument complexity. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 31-9093.
By State
Which states pay sterile processing technicians the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the BLS national median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Only a few states regulate sterile processing by statute, so what changes across state lines is the local hospital wage grid rather than the credential you need.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($54,850), the highest-paying state shown. See all 51 state salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay sterile processing technicians the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by the published metro index for that state. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a sterile processing technician’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does sterile processing technician pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Sterile Processing Technicians sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify sterile processing technician wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a sterile processing technician actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Sterile Processing Technician Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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