What Sort of Upward Mobility Exists for Sterile Processing Techs?

Whether you’re just entering the allied health world as a sterile processing tech (SPT)– or are considering attending a training course – there’s a lot to appreciate about this growing field. 

Like any career, the greater your training and expertise, the better your chances of landing the job of your dreams. As a sterile processing technician, you’ve got ample opportunity to move up the ladder – and into other awesome allied health careers, too! 

What Does a Sterile Processing Tech Do? 

SPTs tend to work in designated departments, and while they may not always interact with the public, their influence on the lives of patients is crucial. 

Before surgical tools and medical instruments can be used on patients, these professionals clean, sterilize, and repackage them. As SPTs manually clean tools, they’ll check for – and report – defects that could cause difficulties. Next, these tools are sanitized with an autoclave, packaged, recorded, and delivered to their corresponding rooms. 

Sterile processing technicians can be referred to using a variety of titles, including (but not limited to): 

• sterile processing and distribution technician
• certified registered central service technician
• sterilization technician
• medical instrument technician
• medical equipment preparer

Where Do Sterile Processing Techs Work? 

With one of the largest working populations in the United States – and one of the healthiest job growth rates – the allied health sector is showing no signs of slowing down. The same naturally applies to the field of medical equipment preparers. 

Where can you find work after completing your certification course? The answer is easy: Nearly everywhere that medical equipment is used. Obviously, hospitals are prime employers in this field, but so are outpatient care centers, dental offices, and ambulatory service centers. You may even discover a company in your area that focuses solely on equipment sanitization, packaging, and delivery. 

How Much Do Sterile Processing Techs Make? 

Obviously, before entering any career field, it’s important to understand what sort of salary you can expect to receive. According to Glassdoor.com, the average SPT earned over $36,000 in 2019 –  more than $17 per hour. That’s not too shabby for a career that requires a high school diploma and short certification. 

Is There Room for Advancement in This Field? 

If you’re working hard towards building a career, you want to be adequately rewarded for your time and effort. That’s why we’ve put together a list of possible, related roles that you can move into with the right training and dedication.

What other future careers are suitable for a medical instrument technician? 

Sterile Processing Supervisor

For experienced sterile processing techs, one of the most straightforward positions to enter is as a supervisor. Aside from training staff, these professionals oversee their departments with an eagle eye, ensuring that everything is processed using the correct regulations and documentation. 

When you’re offered this sort of position, you become responsible for acting as the liaison between your team and operating room staff. These departments rely on timely and accurate deliveries for well-run surgeries. 

The average salary for a supervisor in this field is well over $50,000 (or approximately $24 per hour). This is great, especially when you consider that such a promotion might come without any extra schooling requirements. 

Clinical Laboratory Technicians

For SPTs who are totally fascinated by the human body – but aren’t interested in a patient-facing position – becoming a clinical lab tech could be right up their alley. 

Physicians and surgeons rely upon clinical lab techs to handle scientific equipment and samples (e.g. blood, urine, tissue) and record their findings accurately. Working under the supervision of laboratory technologists, lab technicians tend to perform automated diagnostics using autoclaves, microscopes, and various computer-based tools. 

With a certificate/associate degree in medical lab technology, you could be eligible to earn an average salary of just under $39,000. It’s common for many technicians to earn their 4-year clinical lab technology diploma in order to find work in hospitals, doctors’ offices, laboratories (e.g. medical, biological), or even universities. 

Medical Laboratory Technologists

Medical laboratory technologists (also known as medical lab scientists) typically oversee the work of technicians (especially when it comes to ensuring that instruments are calibrated correctly), but there’s so much more to their jobs. At times, they’ll use samples to create microscope slides, run chemical tests, search for abnormalities, and grow cell cultures. 

Their training is more extensive than that of a technician (requiring a 4-year degree) and offers them the ability to perform more complex procedures and testing. The average income for a certified lab technologist is over $60,000 annually, or just under $29 per hour. 

While smaller labs may require a varied workload each day, technologists in larger labs may find that it’s better to specialize. Some specializations could include: 

Blood Bank Technologists 

Working with phlebotomists, these technologists take blood samples, classify it by blood type, and then prepare it for transfusions. 

Immunology Technologists

These experts review the immune system in order to develop better treatments, vaccines, or therapies. Their goal is to control and/or eradicate diseases and infections. 

Histotechnologists

When any tissue is removed during surgery (whether a breast biopsy or a skin tag), it’s transported to a histotechnologist. This health professional then reviews it microscopically to provide accurate results for the treating physician. 

Endoscopy Technician 

If you’re missing out on human interaction in your SPT role, why not consider getting your endoscopy tech certification? 

Also known as GI technicians and flexible endoscopy reprocessors, endoscopy techs are depended upon to ensure sterility and functionality of operating room tools (skills already taught in your sterile processing tech training course), take specimens, physically position patients, and much more. 

On average, an endoscopy tech salary averages around $33,000 per year. Many of these allied health workers discover that they love more hands-on work, going back to school to advance to other career routes like surgical technologists. 

Surgical Technologist