Salaries for a Certified Sterile Processing Tech
A certified sterile processing tech is a surgical technologist who assembles and sterilizes all of the surgical equipment necessary for medical procedures. They are sometimes referred to as scrubs or operating room technicians. They typically work in general medical hospitals or surgical hospitals, but they may also work in private doctors' offices, health clinics and other facilities where sterile medical equipment is required. A sterile processing tech's income may be affected by her geographic location and type of employer.
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National Wages
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The national mean annual income for certified sterile processing techs was $41,310 as of May 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bottom 10 percent of techs earned less than $28,100 per year, while the top 10 percent earned annual wages in excess of $57,330. The middle 50 percent earned between $33,400 and $47,570 per year.
Regional Wages
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A certified sterile processing tech's wages may be significantly impacted by the part of the country where she practices. Those who worked in New York state earned mean annual wages of $45,160, while their counterparts in Florida earned mean wages of $37,050 per year as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Techs who worked in Mississippi earned among the lowest wages in the country for this occupation at $32,340 per year, while those who worked in Nevada were among the most highly compensated, with mean annual wages of $50,690.
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Employer Type
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General medical hospitals and surgical hospitals provided employment opportunities for approximately 66 percent of the nation's 92,260 scrubs. Certified sterile processing techs who worked in hospital environments earned mean annual wages of $40,780 as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Those who worked in private doctors' offices earned mean wages of $42,690 per year, while those who worked for colleges, universities and other professional schools earned mean annual wages of $47,590.
Employment Considerations
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates significant growth of approximately 25 percent in new employment opportunities for all surgical technologists between 2008 and 2018. Hospitals should continue to provide the bulk of job opportunities, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the greatest growth in jobs to come from private doctors' offices. Sterile processing techs who are certified and able to relocate should have the greatest employment opportunities.
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