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The differences between sterile processing 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 sterile processing technician and a central processing technician. Additionally, a sterile processing technician has an average salary of $38,299, which is higher than the $35,088 average annual salary of a central processing technician.
The top three skills for a sterile processing technician include patients, sterilizers and IAHCSMM. The most important skills for a central processing technician are patients, surgical instruments, and customer service.
| Sterile Processing Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,299 | $35,088 |
| Hourly rate | $18.41 | $16.87 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 21,592 | 38,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
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.
Sterile processing technicians and central processing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sterile Processing Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,299 | $35,088 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $27,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Burlingame, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Michigan |
| Best paying company | Blessing Hospital Emergency Room | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a sterile processing technician and a central processing technician in terms of educational background:
| Sterile Processing Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | SUNY Stony Brook |
Here are the differences between sterile processing technicians' and central processing technicians' demographics:
| Sterile Processing Technician | Central Processing Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% | Male, 34.7% Female, 65.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |