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The differences between medical supply technicians and central processing technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a medical supply technician and a central processing technician. Additionally, a medical supply technician has an average salary of $38,049, which is higher than the $35,088 average annual salary of a central processing technician.
The top three skills for a medical supply technician include sterile processing, veterans and patients. The most important skills for a central processing technician are patients, surgical instruments, and customer service.
| Medical Supply Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,049 | $35,088 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $16.87 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 79,321 | 38,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 29% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A medical supply technician works at medical facilities where they are primarily in charge of sterilizing instruments and equipment, delivering in a timely and efficient manner. Part of their job is to run sterile tests according to protocols and health standards, monitor and maintain inventory records, and place orders to ensure adequate stock of medical supplies. There are also instances when they must liaise with suppliers, oversee the shipment of orders, and resolve issues should any arise.
A central processing technician monitors the daily operations of a processing facility, ensuring equipment and machinery function smoothly and efficiently. They primarily conduct assessments and inspections to monitor and adjust machine parameters, perform quality tests on different products, and ensure that all procedures comply with industry standards and company regulations. Moreover, they also conduct regular maintenance checks on machines, troubleshoot issues, perform basic repairs, report to managers about faulty equipment and processes, maintain daily production records, and enforce safety standards and guidelines.
Medical supply technicians and central processing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Supply Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,049 | $35,088 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $27,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | West Haven, CT | Burlingame, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Michigan |
| Best paying company | General Dynamics | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a medical supply technician and a central processing technician in terms of educational background:
| Medical Supply Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 29% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | SUNY Stony Brook | SUNY Stony Brook |
Here are the differences between medical supply technicians' and central processing technicians' demographics:
| Medical Supply Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.4% Female, 37.6% | Male, 34.7% Female, 65.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |