Sterile Processing Tech Salary in the United States
How much does a Sterile Processing Tech make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Sterile Processing Tech in the United States is $39,281 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.
However, a Sterile Processing Tech's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $44,771
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36,207 to $42,155
Key Factors That Influence Sterile Processing Tech Salaries
A Sterile Processing Tech's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Sterile Processing Tech Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Sterile Processing Teches. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Salaries can also vary between different cities.
Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay.
Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:
San Jose: $49,545
San Francisco: $49,003
Oakland: $47,970
San Jose, CA$49,545
San Francisco, CA$49,003
Oakland, CA$47,970
New York, NY$45,228
Paramus, NJ$44,678
Queens Village, NY$44,676
Passaic, NJ$44,639
Bergenfield, NJ$44,635
Stamford, CT$44,549
Huntington, NY$44,533
Newark, NJ$44,242
Bridgeport, CT$44,160
Vallejo, CA$44,081
New Brunswick, NJ$44,066
Petaluma, CA$44,042
Middlesex, NJ$43,967
Somerset, NJ$43,940
Santa Cruz, CA$43,889
Boston, MA$43,649
Monterey, CA$43,511
Seattle, WA$43,421
Santa Rosa, CA$43,414
Los Angeles, CA$43,402
Juneau, AK$43,300
Washington, DC$43,256
Orange, CA$43,117
Santa Ana, CA$43,013
Long Beach, CA$42,974
Anaheim, CA$42,966
Anchorage, AK$42,946
Santa Maria, CA$42,828
Everett, WA$42,820
Danbury, CT$42,682
Bremerton, WA$42,628
Tacoma, WA$42,487
New Suffolk, NY$42,486
Sacramento, CA$42,475
Santa Barbara, CA$42,432
Trenton, NJ$42,388
San Diego, CA$42,388
Brockton, MA$42,345
Fairbanks, AK$42,249
Lompoc, CA$42,149
Lowell, MA$42,117
Ventura, CA$42,109
Nashua, NH$42,102
Stockton, CA$42,098
Modesto, CA$41,811
Poughkeepsie, NY$41,724
Olympia, WA$41,650
Kennewick, WA$41,650
New Haven, CT$41,634
Lawrence, MA$41,493
Hartford, CT$41,453
Riverside, CA$41,446
New Bedford, MA$41,406
Richland, WA$41,406
Bakersfield, CA$41,351
San Bernardino, CA$41,336
New Britain, CT$41,332
Atlantic City, NJ$41,332
New London, CT$41,316
Norwich, CT$41,304
Portsmouth, NH$41,296
Boulder, CO$41,213
Portland, OR$41,159
Worcester, MA$41,155
Minneapolis, MN$41,033
Philadelphia, PA$40,978
Honolulu, HI$40,849
Saint Paul, MN$40,830
Vineland, NJ$40,821
Providence, RI$40,707
Chicago, IL$40,593
Bellingham, WA$40,546
Springfield, MA$40,515
Baltimore, MD$40,503
Chico, CA$40,405
Pittsfield, MA$40,299
Manchester, NH$40,224
Spokane, WA$40,051
Denver, CO$40,047
Albany, NY$39,863
Troy, NY$39,847
Nassau, NY$39,805
Schenectady, NY$39,764
Wilmington, DE$39,733
Burlington, VT$39,678
Salem, OR$39,662
Portland, ME$39,540
Yakima, WA$39,501
Rochester, MN$39,379
Reno, NV$39,360
Fresno, CA$39,360
Milwaukee, WI$39,324
Detroit, MI$39,285
Ann Arbor, MI$39,278
Allentown, PA$39,273
Colorado Springs, CO$39,207
Syracuse, NY$39,187
Carson City, NV$39,187
Houston, TX$39,132
Eugene, OR$39,112
Gary, IN$39,065
Springfield, OR$39,034
Bismarck, ND$39,026
Galveston, TX$38,998
Medford, OR$38,939
Fort Collins, CO$38,924
Concord, NH$38,904
Austin, TX$38,892
Mesa, AZ$38,810
Reading, PA$38,806
Phoenix, AZ$38,802
Dallas, TX$38,790
Saint Cloud, MN$38,752
Madison, WI$38,700
Utica, NY$38,594
Rochester, NY$38,531
Des Moines, IA$38,527
Raleigh, NC$38,523
Atlanta, GA$38,464
Battle Creek, MI$38,452
Salt Lake City, UT$38,441
Lancaster, PA$38,382
Harrisburg, PA$38,327
Kansas City, MO$38,287
Champaign, IL$38,280
Kansas City, KS$38,280
Fort Worth, TX$38,276
Columbus, OH$38,269
Boca Raton, FL$38,260
Pittsburgh, PA$38,244
Richmond, VA$38,228
Indianapolis, IN$38,221
Cleveland, OH$38,217
Las Vegas, NV$38,170
Cincinnati, OH$38,170
Petersburg, VA$38,111
Huntsville, AL$38,052
Lansing, MI$38,025
Lebanon, PA$38,020
Pueblo, CO$38,016
Appleton, WI$38,005
Buffalo, NY$37,989
Dayton, OH$37,977
Racine, WI$37,969
Charlotte, NC$37,965
Saint Louis, MO$37,953
York, PA$37,930
Elkhart, IN$37,930
Gastonia, NC$37,922
Billings, MT$37,913
Beaumont, TX$37,902
Lorain, OH$37,895
Benton Harbor, MI$37,887
Toledo, OH$37,879
Binghamton, NY$37,859
Rock Hill, SC$37,855
Rockford, IL$37,836
Springfield, IL$37,820
Elyria, OH$37,816
Fargo, ND$37,816
Flagstaff, AZ$37,789
Fort Lauderdale, FL$37,765
Duluth, MN$37,741
Miami, FL$37,741
Cheyenne, WY$37,714
Grand Forks, ND$37,714
Bangor, ME$37,627
Cedar Rapids, IA$37,584
Durham, NC$37,568
Louisville, KY$37,565
Grand Rapids, MI$37,557
Hialeah, FL$37,553
Casper, WY$37,498
Scranton, PA$37,451
New Orleans, LA$37,439
Virginia Beach, VA$37,435
Akron, OH$37,415
Peoria, IL$37,364
Sarasota, FL$37,356
Nashville, TN$37,329
Omaha, NE$37,329
Green Bay, WI$37,329
Baton Rouge, LA$37,309
Charleston, SC$37,301
Jamestown, NY$37,282
Davenport, IA$37,282
Tucson, AZ$37,262
Saint Petersburg, FL$37,239
Tampa, FL$37,231
Evansville, IN$37,207
Port Arthur, TX$37,207
Bradenton, FL$37,191
Santa Fe, NM$37,121
Orlando, FL$37,050
Clearwater, FL$37,038
Canton, OH$36,956
La Crosse, WI$36,956
Albuquerque, NM$36,932
Newport News, VA$36,928
High Point, NC$36,916
Ogden, UT$36,901
Corpus Christi, TX$36,869
Norfolk, VA$36,846
Laramie, WY$36,846
Rock Island, IL$36,822
Saginaw, MI$36,814
Jacksonville, FL$36,810
Salisbury, NC$36,803
Boise, ID$36,795
Moline, IL$36,775
Fort Myers, FL$36,763
Memphis, TN$36,755
Tulsa, OK$36,736
Waterloo, IA$36,712
Spartanburg, SC$36,673
Lincoln, NE$36,653
Fort Wayne, IN$36,645
Provo, UT$36,642
Cedar Falls, IA$36,594
San Antonio, TX$36,579
Greensboro, NC$36,563
South Bend, IN$36,559
Savannah, GA$36,516
Muskegon, MI$36,500
Birmingham, AL$36,496
Winston Salem, NC$36,477
Lake Charles, LA$36,382
Anderson, IN$36,374
Lexington, KY$36,363
Augusta, GA$36,351
Greenville, SC$36,351
Lima, OH$36,319
Wichita, KS$36,315
Tuscaloosa, AL$36,315
Columbia, SC$36,280
Springfield, OH$36,272
Asheville, NC$36,209
Bloomington, IN$36,182
Knoxville, TN$36,041
Shreveport, LA$36,037
Wilmington, NC$35,986
Roanoke, VA$35,986
Topeka, KS$35,915
Frankfort, KY$35,910
Oklahoma City, OK$35,883
Chillicothe, OH$35,868
Longview, TX$35,864
Melbourne, FL$35,860
Sioux Falls, SD$35,797
Mobile, AL$35,793
Terre Haute, IN$35,777
Altoona, PA$35,754
Amarillo, TX$35,726
Killeen, TX$35,714
Fayetteville, AR$35,683
Chattanooga, TN$35,671
Sioux City, IA$35,636
Idaho Falls, ID$35,628
Lynchburg, VA$35,597
Gainesville, FL$35,546
Portsmouth, OH$35,526
Little Rock, AR$35,518
Lafayette, LA$35,502
Youngstown, OH$35,502
Daytona Beach, FL$35,479
Clarksville, TN$35,475
Pensacola, FL$35,471
Temple, TX$35,468
Hopkinsville, KY$35,353
Erie, PA$35,345
Florence, SC$35,330
Charleston, WV$35,267
Great Falls, MT$35,247
Macon, GA$35,192
Tallahassee, FL$35,188
Fayetteville, NC$35,180
Waco, TX$35,172
Helena, MT$35,145
Pine Bluff, AR$35,130
Vincennes, IN$35,082
Lubbock, TX$35,066
Alamogordo, NM$35,043
Twin Falls, ID$35,007
Rapid City, SD$34,996
Jackson, MS$34,925
Huntington, WV$34,922
Greenville, MS$34,921
Parkersburg, WV$34,881
Montgomery, AL$34,874
Wichita Falls, TX$34,835
Springfield, MO$34,835
Biloxi, MS$34,815
Monroe, LA$34,776
Johnstown, PA$34,748
Sumter, SC$34,732
Columbus, GA$34,729
Pascagoula, MS$34,654
Abilene, TX$34,654
Kingsport, TN$34,552
Albany, GA$34,552
Gulfport, MS$34,540
Alexandria, LA$34,410
Fort Smith, AR$34,312
El Paso, TX$34,206
Las Cruces, NM$34,029
Harlingen, TX$33,930
Pocatello, ID$33,923
Florence, AL$33,872
Brownsville, TX$33,864
Mcallen, TX$33,782
Dothan, AL$33,727
Columbus, MS$33,494
Altus, OK$33,310
Lawton, OK$33,236
Pierre, SD$33,094
What Skills Can Increase a Sterile Processing Tech's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 4.07% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Quality Assurance (Mentioned in 3.87% Job Postings): Verifying the adherence of product with required specifications and expectations to track and resolve deficiencies prior to product release.
Container (Mentioned in 2.53% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay.
Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Sterile Processing Tech's salary.
Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Oral Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Organizational Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Sterile Processing Tech Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Sterile Processing Tech roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and Biotechnology
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average.
In contrast, Sterile Processing Tech positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Sterile Processing Tech as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Sterile Processing Tech
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$58,922
$28.0
50%
Biotechnology
$47,137
$23.0
20%
How Education impacts a Sterile Processing Tech's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Sterile Processing Teches enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Sterile Processing Tech with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$38,041
and $40,483).
Understanding how a Sterile Processing Tech's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting.
Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role.
Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$36,207
Average$39,281/year
$42,155
$3,017
Average$3,273/month
$3,513
$696
Average$755/week
$811
$17
Average$19/hour
$20
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$42,155
$3,513
$811
$20
Average
$39,281
$3,273
$755
$19
25th Percentile
$36,207
$3,017
$696
$17
Salaries of Jobs related to Sterile Processing Tech
Salaries for a Sterile Processing Tech can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $38,922 in 2023
to around $38,889 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Sterile Processing Tech salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Sterile Processing Tech Over Time
$???
$38,922
$39,020
$38,889
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$38,922
2024
$39,020
2025
$38,889
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Sterile Processing Tech
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Sterile Processing Tech
Here are companies hiring for Sterile Processing Tech and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Sterile Processing Tech Job
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FAQ about Sterile Processing Tech
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Sterile Processing Tech?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Sterile Processing Tech roles,
with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.
