How much does a Sterile Technician make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Sterile Technician in the United States is $39,591 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $19.
However, a Sterile Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $45,125
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $36,492 to $42,487
Key Factors That Influence Sterile Technician Salaries
A Sterile Technician'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 Technician 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 Technicians. 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: $49,936
San Francisco: $49,389
Oakland: $48,348
San Jose, CA$49,936
San Francisco, CA$49,389
Oakland, CA$48,348
New York, NY$45,584
Paramus, NJ$45,030
Queens Village, NY$45,028
Passaic, NJ$44,991
Bergenfield, NJ$44,987
Stamford, CT$44,900
Huntington, NY$44,884
Newark, NJ$44,591
Bridgeport, CT$44,508
Vallejo, CA$44,429
New Brunswick, NJ$44,413
Petaluma, CA$44,389
Middlesex, NJ$44,314
Somerset, NJ$44,286
Santa Cruz, CA$44,235
Boston, MA$43,993
Monterey, CA$43,854
Seattle, WA$43,764
Santa Rosa, CA$43,756
Los Angeles, CA$43,744
Juneau, AK$43,641
Washington, DC$43,597
Orange, CA$43,456
Santa Ana, CA$43,352
Long Beach, CA$43,312
Anaheim, CA$43,304
Anchorage, AK$43,285
Santa Maria, CA$43,166
Everett, WA$43,158
Danbury, CT$43,019
Bremerton, WA$42,964
Tacoma, WA$42,821
New Suffolk, NY$42,821
Sacramento, CA$42,810
Santa Barbara, CA$42,766
Trenton, NJ$42,722
San Diego, CA$42,722
Brockton, MA$42,679
Fairbanks, AK$42,582
Lompoc, CA$42,481
Lowell, MA$42,449
Ventura, CA$42,441
Nashua, NH$42,433
Stockton, CA$42,429
Modesto, CA$42,140
Poughkeepsie, NY$42,053
Olympia, WA$41,978
Kennewick, WA$41,978
New Haven, CT$41,962
Lawrence, MA$41,820
Hartford, CT$41,780
Riverside, CA$41,772
New Bedford, MA$41,733
Richland, WA$41,733
Bakersfield, CA$41,677
San Bernardino, CA$41,661
New Britain, CT$41,657
Atlantic City, NJ$41,657
New London, CT$41,642
Norwich, CT$41,630
Portsmouth, NH$41,622
Boulder, CO$41,538
Portland, OR$41,483
Worcester, MA$41,479
Minneapolis, MN$41,357
Philadelphia, PA$41,301
Honolulu, HI$41,170
Saint Paul, MN$41,151
Vineland, NJ$41,143
Providence, RI$41,028
Chicago, IL$40,913
Bellingham, WA$40,866
Springfield, MA$40,834
Baltimore, MD$40,822
Chico, CA$40,723
Pittsfield, MA$40,616
Manchester, NH$40,541
Spokane, WA$40,367
Denver, CO$40,363
Albany, NY$40,177
Troy, NY$40,161
Nassau, NY$40,119
Schenectady, NY$40,078
Wilmington, DE$40,046
Burlington, VT$39,991
Salem, OR$39,975
Portland, ME$39,852
Yakima, WA$39,813
Rochester, MN$39,690
Reno, NV$39,670
Fresno, CA$39,670
Milwaukee, WI$39,634
Detroit, MI$39,595
Ann Arbor, MI$39,588
Allentown, PA$39,583
Colorado Springs, CO$39,516
Syracuse, NY$39,496
Carson City, NV$39,496
Houston, TX$39,440
Eugene, OR$39,421
Gary, IN$39,373
Springfield, OR$39,341
Bismarck, ND$39,333
Galveston, TX$39,306
Medford, OR$39,246
Fort Collins, CO$39,231
Concord, NH$39,211
Austin, TX$39,199
Mesa, AZ$39,116
Reading, PA$39,112
Phoenix, AZ$39,108
Dallas, TX$39,096
Saint Cloud, MN$39,058
Madison, WI$39,005
Utica, NY$38,898
Rochester, NY$38,835
Des Moines, IA$38,831
Raleigh, NC$38,827
Atlanta, GA$38,767
Battle Creek, MI$38,755
Salt Lake City, UT$38,744
Lancaster, PA$38,684
Harrisburg, PA$38,629
Kansas City, MO$38,589
Champaign, IL$38,581
Kansas City, KS$38,581
Fort Worth, TX$38,577
Columbus, OH$38,571
Boca Raton, FL$38,561
Pittsburgh, PA$38,546
Richmond, VA$38,530
Indianapolis, IN$38,522
Cleveland, OH$38,518
Las Vegas, NV$38,470
Cincinnati, OH$38,470
Petersburg, VA$38,411
Huntsville, AL$38,352
Lansing, MI$38,325
Lebanon, PA$38,320
Pueblo, CO$38,316
Appleton, WI$38,304
Buffalo, NY$38,288
Dayton, OH$38,276
Racine, WI$38,268
Charlotte, NC$38,265
Saint Louis, MO$38,253
York, PA$38,229
Elkhart, IN$38,229
Gastonia, NC$38,221
Billings, MT$38,212
Beaumont, TX$38,201
Lorain, OH$38,193
Benton Harbor, MI$38,185
Toledo, OH$38,177
Binghamton, NY$38,158
Rock Hill, SC$38,154
Rockford, IL$38,134
Springfield, IL$38,118
Elyria, OH$38,114
Fargo, ND$38,114
Flagstaff, AZ$38,086
Fort Lauderdale, FL$38,063
Duluth, MN$38,039
Miami, FL$38,039
Cheyenne, WY$38,011
Grand Forks, ND$38,011
Bangor, ME$37,924
Cedar Rapids, IA$37,880
Durham, NC$37,864
Louisville, KY$37,861
Grand Rapids, MI$37,853
Hialeah, FL$37,849
Casper, WY$37,793
Scranton, PA$37,746
New Orleans, LA$37,734
Virginia Beach, VA$37,730
Akron, OH$37,710
Peoria, IL$37,659
Sarasota, FL$37,651
Nashville, TN$37,623
Omaha, NE$37,623
Green Bay, WI$37,623
Baton Rouge, LA$37,603
Charleston, SC$37,595
Jamestown, NY$37,576
Davenport, IA$37,576
Tucson, AZ$37,556
Saint Petersburg, FL$37,532
Tampa, FL$37,524
Evansville, IN$37,500
Port Arthur, TX$37,500
Bradenton, FL$37,485
Santa Fe, NM$37,413
Orlando, FL$37,342
Clearwater, FL$37,330
Canton, OH$37,247
La Crosse, WI$37,247
Albuquerque, NM$37,223
Newport News, VA$37,219
High Point, NC$37,207
Ogden, UT$37,192
Corpus Christi, TX$37,160
Norfolk, VA$37,136
Laramie, WY$37,136
Rock Island, IL$37,112
Saginaw, MI$37,104
Jacksonville, FL$37,101
Salisbury, NC$37,093
Boise, ID$37,085
Moline, IL$37,065
Fort Myers, FL$37,053
Memphis, TN$37,045
Tulsa, OK$37,025
Waterloo, IA$37,002
Spartanburg, SC$36,962
Lincoln, NE$36,942
Fort Wayne, IN$36,934
Provo, UT$36,930
Cedar Falls, IA$36,883
San Antonio, TX$36,867
Greensboro, NC$36,851
South Bend, IN$36,847
Savannah, GA$36,804
Muskegon, MI$36,788
Birmingham, AL$36,784
Winston Salem, NC$36,764
Lake Charles, LA$36,669
Anderson, IN$36,661
Lexington, KY$36,649
Augusta, GA$36,637
Greenville, SC$36,637
Lima, OH$36,606
Wichita, KS$36,602
Tuscaloosa, AL$36,602
Columbia, SC$36,566
Springfield, OH$36,558
Asheville, NC$36,495
Bloomington, IN$36,467
Knoxville, TN$36,325
Shreveport, LA$36,321
Wilmington, NC$36,269
Roanoke, VA$36,269
Topeka, KS$36,198
Frankfort, KY$36,194
Oklahoma City, OK$36,166
Chillicothe, OH$36,150
Longview, TX$36,146
Melbourne, FL$36,142
Sioux Falls, SD$36,079
Mobile, AL$36,075
Terre Haute, IN$36,059
Altoona, PA$36,036
Amarillo, TX$36,008
Killeen, TX$35,996
Fayetteville, AR$35,964
Chattanooga, TN$35,952
Sioux City, IA$35,917
Idaho Falls, ID$35,909
Lynchburg, VA$35,877
Gainesville, FL$35,826
Portsmouth, OH$35,806
Little Rock, AR$35,798
Lafayette, LA$35,782
Youngstown, OH$35,782
Daytona Beach, FL$35,758
Clarksville, TN$35,754
Pensacola, FL$35,750
Temple, TX$35,748
Hopkinsville, KY$35,632
Erie, PA$35,624
Florence, SC$35,608
Charleston, WV$35,545
Great Falls, MT$35,525
Macon, GA$35,469
Tallahassee, FL$35,465
Fayetteville, NC$35,458
Waco, TX$35,450
Helena, MT$35,422
Pine Bluff, AR$35,407
Vincennes, IN$35,359
Lubbock, TX$35,343
Alamogordo, NM$35,319
Twin Falls, ID$35,283
Rapid City, SD$35,271
Jackson, MS$35,200
Huntington, WV$35,197
Greenville, MS$35,196
Parkersburg, WV$35,156
Montgomery, AL$35,149
Wichita Falls, TX$35,109
Springfield, MO$35,109
Biloxi, MS$35,089
Monroe, LA$35,050
Johnstown, PA$35,022
Sumter, SC$35,006
Columbus, GA$35,002
Pascagoula, MS$34,927
Abilene, TX$34,927
Kingsport, TN$34,824
Albany, GA$34,824
Gulfport, MS$34,812
Alexandria, LA$34,682
Fort Smith, AR$34,583
El Paso, TX$34,476
Las Cruces, NM$34,298
Harlingen, TX$34,197
Pocatello, ID$34,191
Florence, AL$34,139
Brownsville, TX$34,131
Mcallen, TX$34,048
Dothan, AL$33,993
Columbus, MS$33,757
Altus, OK$33,573
Lawton, OK$33,498
Pierre, SD$33,355
What Skills Can Increase a Sterile Technician'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 Technician'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 Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Sterile Technician 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 Technician positions in Pharmaceuticals or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Sterile Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Sterile Technician
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$59,386
$29.0
50%
Biotechnology
$47,509
$23.0
20%
How Education impacts a Sterile Technician's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Sterile Technicians 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 Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$38,041
and $40,483).
Sterile Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Sterile Technician'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.
Salaries for a Sterile Technician can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $39,230 in 2023
to around $39,197 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Sterile Technician salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Sterile Technician Over Time
$???
$39,230
$39,328
$39,197
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$39,230
2024
$39,328
2025
$39,197
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Sterile Technician
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Sterile Technician
Here are companies hiring for Sterile Technician 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 Technician Job
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Sterile Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
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FAQ about Sterile Technician
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Sterile Technician?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Sterile Technician 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.
