Medical Equipment Preparers Career, Salary and Skills
Medical Equipment Preparers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $47,700 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 77,420. Wage data is published for 297 locations.
Occupation description
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
O*NET code
31-9093.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$47,700
Hourly median
$22.93
Employment
77,420
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 3.50 | 2.88 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | 3.38 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Active Listening | 3.25 | 3.00 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.12 | 2.88 |
| Speaking | 3.12 | 2.75 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.12 | 2.62 |
| Active Learning | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 2.88 |
Typical 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- Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.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.
Technology
- Calendar software
- Database software
- eClinicalWorks EHR software
- Email software
- Inventory tracking software
- Kronos Workforce Timekeeper
- McKesson ANSOS One-Staff
- MEDITECH software
- MEDITECH Supply Chain Management
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
Medical Equipment Preparers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in CAMedian $61,370 · Employment 8,720
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in New York, NYMedian $58,870 · Employment 5,270
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in FLMedian $45,890 · Employment 5,250
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in NYMedian $57,320 · Employment 5,190
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in TXMedian $46,970 · Employment 4,520
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in PAMedian $45,820 · Employment 3,450
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in OHMedian $45,540 · Employment 3,210
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $59,520 · Employment 3,010
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in NCMedian $45,130 · Employment 2,900
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in ILMedian $48,050 · Employment 2,800
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in NJMedian $50,280 · Employment 2,440
- Medical Equipment Preparers Salary in MIMedian $45,670 · Employment 2,420
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.