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The average salary for a Central Sterilization Technician in the United States is approximately $38,089 per year, translating to about $18 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on geographic location, years of experience, and the specific healthcare facility. Some states, such as California and New York, offer higher pay rates due to increased demand and cost of living.
To maximize earnings, consider employment in metropolitan areas such as New York City or Los Angeles, where job opportunities abound. Additionally, working in specialized healthcare settings can yield higher compensation compared to general facilities. It's essential to research local job markets and understand the salary trends in your area.
As a Central Sterilization Technician, pursuing further certifications or focusing on specialized areas can enhance career prospects and salary potential. Continuous professional development in this field not only boosts job satisfaction but also contributes to improved patient outcomes in healthcare settings.
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The average central sterilization technician salary in California, Nevada, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average central sterilization technician salary states are Nebraska, Maryland, and Louisiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $42,787 | $20.57 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $44,431 | $21.36 |
| 3 | Nevada | $45,696 | $21.97 |
| 4 | Vermont | $41,371 | $19.89 |
| 5 | Maine | $40,186 | $19.32 |
| 6 | Michigan | $42,135 | $20.26 |
| 7 | Georgia | $40,995 | $19.71 |
| 8 | New York | $42,966 | $20.66 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $43,797 | $21.06 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $41,623 | $20.01 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $42,485 | $20.43 |
| 12 | California | $52,062 | $25.03 |
| 13 | Indiana | $39,735 | $19.10 |
| 14 | Alaska | $39,224 | $18.86 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $36,309 | $17.46 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $38,570 | $18.54 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $38,011 | $18.27 |
| 18 | Idaho | $40,362 | $19.40 |
| 19 | Washington | $40,841 | $19.64 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $43,141 | $20.74 |
| 21 | Oregon | $40,169 | $19.31 |
| 22 | Virginia | $40,548 | $19.49 |
| 23 | Colorado | $37,166 | $17.87 |
| 24 | Arizona | $37,491 | $18.02 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $34,774 | $16.72 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $35,541 | $17.09 |
| 27 | Ohio | $35,477 | $17.06 |
| 28 | Missouri | $34,056 | $16.37 |
| 29 | Rhode Island | $37,130 | $17.85 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $37,087 | $17.83 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $33,517 | $16.11 |
| 32 | Montana | $36,849 | $17.72 |
| 33 | Illinois | $34,418 | $16.55 |
| 34 | Kansas | $35,025 | $16.84 |
| 35 | Delaware | $34,678 | $16.67 |
| 36 | Utah | $32,990 | $15.86 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $33,416 | $16.07 |
| 38 | Iowa | $31,564 | $15.18 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $31,838 | $15.31 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $31,584 | $15.18 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $34,291 | $16.49 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $31,355 | $15.07 |
| 43 | Florida | $28,639 | $13.77 |
| 44 | Alabama | $31,798 | $15.29 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $28,597 | $13.75 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $31,606 | $15.20 |
| 47 | Texas | $32,075 | $15.42 |
| 48 | Maryland | $31,302 | $15.05 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $32,840 | $15.79 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $30,249 | $14.54 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $29,738 | $14.30 |
The highest-paying cities for central sterilization technicians are Turlock, CA, Meriden, CT, and Worcester, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turlock, CA | $52,699 | $25.34 |
| 2 | Meriden, CT | $44,541 | $21.41 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $43,918 | $21.11 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $43,060 | $20.70 |
| 5 | Newark, NJ | $42,694 | $20.53 |
| 6 | Vancouver, WA | $41,579 | $19.99 |
| 7 | Columbus, GA | $41,156 | $19.79 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $39,911 | $19.19 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $37,586 | $18.07 |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $37,138 | $17.85 |
| 11 | Bristol, PA | $36,382 | $17.49 |
| 12 | Dayton, OH | $34,990 | $16.82 |
| 13 | Overland Park, KS | $34,929 | $16.79 |
| 14 | Elmhurst, IL | $34,457 | $16.57 |
| 15 | Cape Girardeau, MO | $33,844 | $16.27 |
| 16 | Chapel Hill, NC | $33,571 | $16.14 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $32,261 | $15.51 |
| 18 | Milwaukee, WI | $31,567 | $15.18 |
| 19 | New Orleans, LA | $30,304 | $14.57 |
| 20 | Boca Raton, FL | $28,890 | $13.89 |
A central sterilization technician's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $50,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $38,089 | $3,174 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
The highest paying types of central sterilization technicians are can sterilizer, sterilization specialist, and oxygen equipment preparer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technician | $38,045 | $3,170 | $18.29 | 596,842 |
| Delivery Technician | $38,006 | $3,167 | $18.27 | 33,738 |
| Medical Supply Technician | $38,049 | $3,171 | $18.29 | 79,321 |
| Sterile Processing Technician | $38,299 | $3,192 | $18.41 | 21,592 |
| Sterile Technician | $35,347 | $2,946 | $16.99 | 30,250 |
| Central Processing Technician | $35,088 | $2,924 | $16.87 | 38,033 |
Top companies hiring central sterilization technicians now:
Central sterilization technician salaries at Opelousas General Health System and Northern Louisiana Medical Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average central sterilization technician salary at companies like Carteret Health Care and Baptist Health South Florida are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Opelousas General Health System | $60,140 | $28.91 |
| 2 | Northern Louisiana Medical Center | $58,162 | $27.96 |
| 3 | Carteret Health Care | $57,852 | $27.81 |
| 4 | Baptist Health Home Care | $57,200 | $27.50 |
| 5 | Mohawk Valley Health System | $56,866 | $27.34 |
| 6 | Chesapeake Regional Healthcare | $55,279 | $26.58 |
| 7 | LCMC Health | $54,954 | $26.42 |
| 8 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $54,920 | $26.40 |
| 9 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $54,572 | $26.24 |
| 10 | Bayer | $53,926 | $25.93 |
| 11 | Catholic Health East | $52,767 | $25.37 |
| 12 | Appalachian Regional Healthcare | $52,647 | $25.31 |
| 13 | Lawrence General Hospital | $51,182 | $24.61 |
| 14 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $50,779 | $24.41 |
| 15 | UMass Memorial Health | $50,422 | $24.24 |
| 16 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $50,310 | $24.19 |
| 17 | Norman Regional Health System | $50,173 | $24.12 |
| 18 | Southern Ohio Medical Center | $50,036 | $24.06 |
| 19 | University of California-Berkeley | $49,574 | $23.83 |
| 20 | Health Alliance | $49,368 | $23.73 |
The average central sterilization technician salary has risen by $8,590 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average central sterilization technician earned $29,499 annually, but today, they earn $38,089 a year. That works out to a 13% change in pay for central sterilization technicians over the last decade.
Compare central sterilization technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare central sterilization technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,100 | $18.31 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $36,800 | $17.67 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $35,600 | $17.10 | +2.4% |
| 2022 | $34,700 | $16.69 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $33,800 | $16.24 | +3.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virtua | Central Sterile Supply Technician, 2Nd Shift Voorhees | Voorhees, NJ | 06/30/2025 | $41,719 |
| Southcoast Health System | Certified Central Sterile Service Tech | New Bedford, MA | 06/27/2025 | $35,583 |
| University of Maryland Medical Center Baltimore Washington | Central Sterile Technician II-PRN | Laurel, MD | 06/27/2025 | $42,721 |
| Bethesda Health | Pool Sterilization Tech, Central Sterile, Per Diem, Varies | Boca Raton, FL | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Baptist Health South Florida | Pool Sterilization Tech, Central Sterile, Per Diem, Varies | Boca Raton, FL | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| Baptisthlth | Pool Sterilization Tech, Central Sterile, Per Diem, Varies | Boca Raton, FL | 06/26/2025 | $43,827 |
| UNC Health Care Systems | Central Sterile Tech | Raleigh, NC | 06/25/2025 | $37,441 |
| Medstar Research Institute | Lead Central Sterile Tech | Clinton, MD | 06/25/2025 | $42,095 |
| Legacy Health | Central Sterile Technician I | Portland, OR | 06/21/2025 | $40,759 |
| Altru Health System | Central Sterile Technician | Grand Forks, ND | 06/20/2025 | $45,476 |
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