Medical Equipment Preparers Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 31-9093 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$47,694
$22.93/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Medical Equipment Preparers is $47,694 per year ($22.93/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $39,790 and $58,573 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $69,950 per year. There are approximately 77,420 medical equipment preparers employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. May perform routine laboratory tasks and operate or inspect equipment.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+10.0%
Much faster than average
Annual openings
11K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
77K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
7% from new growth93% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
53K
$47,910
Offices of Dentists
NAICS 621200
7K
$37,630
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
5K
$49,260
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
4K
$57,000
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
2K
$50,160
Wage range across top 5 industries: $37,630 to $57,000 (51% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.50
$36,400
P25
$19.13
$39,790
P50MEDIAN
$22.93
$47,694
P75
$28.16
$58,573
P90
$33.63
$69,950
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average medical equipment preparers salary?
The national median salary for Medical Equipment Preparers is $47,694 per year ($22.93/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $39,790 and $58,573 annually.
How much do top-earning medical equipment preparers make?
The 90th percentile salary for Medical Equipment Preparers is $69,950 per year ($33.63/hr). The 75th percentile is $58,573 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for medical equipment preparers?
Entry-level Medical Equipment Preparers (10th percentile) earn approximately $36,400 per year ($17.50/hr). The 25th percentile is $39,790 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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