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Medical Equipment Preparer

💰 Earn $49K-$78K
📚 High School Diploma or GED
⏱️ 6–12 Month Training
📈 10% Job Growth
  • Ideal for those passionate about healthcare and precision in equipment handling.
  • Ensure patient safety by maintaining and sterilizing essential medical tools.
  • Unique role in healthcare, combining technical skills with meticulous attention to detail.
Medical Equipment Preparer
What Medical Equipment Preparers DoPrepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
  • Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
  • Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
  • Record sterilizer test results.
  • Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
  • Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
Medical Equipment Preparers Education, Salary, and Growth
Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED
Career ProspectsExcellent (Increasing by 5% or more)
Training Time6 months to 1 year
Job Openings10,900 Annually
Median Earnings
$62,710 in California
$46,490 Nationally

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Real Talk Reel

We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life of this career.

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Is This Career Right For You?
YOU Like
  • Thinking and problem solving
  • Using data or completing tasks
  • Working with my hands
you value
  • Having support
  • Job security
  • Personal relationships
you are skilled in
  • Active Listening
  • Complex Problem Solving
  • Critical Thinking
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
Go Deeper: Medical Equipment Preparers Explained
Medical Equipment PreparerExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.
How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years
Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years
Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
Workforce Development ProgramA workforce development program typically enhances participants' opportunities to succeed in the workforce through employment skill-building, career counseling, connections to employers, and pathways to high-demand and high-wage jobs.
🎓 Skills-Focused
⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years
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What Are Similar Careers?

Updated April 2026. Data sourced from O*NET and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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