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Boston Career Explorer

Healthcare Support

Medical Equipment Preparers

Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.

Also called: Central Sterile Technician (Central Sterile Tech), Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), CRCST (Certified Registered Central Supply Technician), CSS Technician (Central Sterile Supply Technician), CST (Central Service Technician)

Compare with my current job (Occupational Therapy Aides)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$60,840
$29.25/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,310
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+8.8%
250 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
High school diploma or equivalent
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$47,160$50,240$60,840$64,740$77,130

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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  • Check sterile supplies to ensure that they are not outdated.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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Lower exposure20 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 25
  • Language-model AIOE 24
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 10

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is lower, and observed AI use is little or none. AI tools could help with record keeping, like sterilizer test results and load logs. Checking equipment by hand, assembling surgical trays, and running autoclaves still need a trained person.

Likely to change

  • Logging sterilizer test results and load records
  • Tracking supply dates and inventory

Still relies on people

  • Inspecting equipment for wear and leaks
  • Assembling instrument trays and running autoclaves

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Industrial Machinery Mechanics

    Inspecting equipment and keeping maintenance records carry over. This job has 17.1% expected growth and a Boston median pay of $75,200.

    Pay difference
    +$14,360 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +17.1%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

  • Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics

    Checking equipment against detailed checklists carries over. This job offers a Boston median pay of $63,060 and short-term on-the-job training.

    Pay difference
    +$2,220 median
    AI exposure
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    MA growth
    +5.7%
    To get started
    Postsecondary nondegree award

  • Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

    Spotting worn parts and testing equipment carry over. This job has lower AI exposure and a Boston median pay of $76,770.

    Pay difference
    +$15,930 median
    AI exposure
    Lower
    MA growth
    +4.9%
    To get started
    High school diploma or equivalent

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

1 program near Boston

Related occupations

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