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The differences between process technicians and sterile processing technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a process technician, becoming a sterile processing technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a process technician has an average salary of $39,462, which is higher than the $38,299 average annual salary of a sterile processing technician.
The top three skills for a process technician include basic math, patients and OSHA. The most important skills for a sterile processing technician are patients, sterilizers, and IAHCSMM.
| Process Technician | Sterile Processing Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,462 | $38,299 |
| Hourly rate | $18.97 | $18.41 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 74,367 | 21,592 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Associate Degree, 30% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A process technician is responsible for managing the equipment and machinery used for various industries, such as manufacturing and engineering. Process technicians must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on operating certain equipment types and making adjustments on its features as needed, depending on the needs of the operation. They also run diagnostic tests to check a machine's working condition to ensure that it's free of any inconsistencies. A process technician also helps develop structure methods by communicating with the technical team and escalating all defective findings to the supervisor.
A sterile processing technician is responsible for performing the sterilization process and decontamination for all laboratory equipment and medical equipment to avoid the spread of infections, especially on medical procedures and critical laboratory tests. Sterile processing technicians follow a strict process of sterilizing equipment, including replacing defective tools, and proper waste procedures of disposable items. They must also adhere to the safety and sanitary standards on duty. They monitor inventories, deliver sterilized equipment to appropriate medical personnel, and organize equipment for medical procedures.
Process technicians and sterile processing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Technician | Sterile Processing Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,462 | $38,299 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $51,000 | Between $29,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | California |
| Best paying company | HP | Blessing Hospital Emergency Room |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Government |
There are a few differences between a process technician and a sterile processing technician in terms of educational background:
| Process Technician | Sterile Processing Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Associate Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Purdue University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between process technicians' and sterile processing technicians' demographics:
| Process Technician | Sterile Processing Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 9.5% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |