Healthcare
Medical Equipment Preparers
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
Median salary (BLS)
$47,700
10th–90th percentile (BLS)
$36k – $70k
Job outlook
+10% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Medical Equipment Preparers
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →How to qualify
EstimateLicense requiredCost to qualify
$200–$1,150
Time to qualify
8 mo
Renewal
$75/yr
- 1
High school diploma or GED
CourseExpected by most employers; if you need the GED, test fees run $0–$150 depending on the state.
$0–$150 · 3 months · varies by state source
- 2
On-the-job training
ExperienceEmployer-provided and typically paid — days to a few months for most no-degree roles.
Cost varies · 3 months source
- 3
National & state licensure
LicenseA national board/registry exam plus a state license application (the NCLEX pattern). Exact exam and fees depend on the role and state.
$200–$1,000 · 2 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source
Estimated typical U.S. route for "Medical Equipment Preparers" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.
Typical progression
Junior Medical Equipment Preparers
Entry / Junior
$36,410
~2 yrs to advance
Medical Equipment Preparers
Established
$47,700
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Medical Equipment Preparers
Senior
$58,825
Key skills
A typical day
- •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.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Healthcare
Explore all- Johns Hopkins University7% admit · $93,000 grad pay
- Harvard University4% admit · $119,000 grad pay
- University of Michigan18% admit · $87,000 grad pay
- Duke University6% admit · $105,000 grad pay
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill19% admit · $73,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.