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The differences between sterile processing technicians and medical supply 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 medical supply technician. Additionally, a sterile processing technician has an average salary of $38,299, which is higher than the $38,049 average annual salary of a medical supply technician.
The top three skills for a sterile processing technician include patients, sterilizers and IAHCSMM. The most important skills for a medical supply technician are sterile processing, veterans, and patients.
| Sterile Processing Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,299 | $38,049 |
| Hourly rate | $18.41 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 21,592 | 79,321 |
| 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 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.
Sterile processing technicians and medical supply technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sterile Processing Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,299 | $38,049 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $28,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | West Haven, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Blessing Hospital Emergency Room | General Dynamics |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a sterile processing technician and a medical supply technician in terms of educational background:
| Sterile Processing Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 30% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Business |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | SUNY Stony Brook |
Here are the differences between sterile processing technicians' and medical supply technicians' demographics:
| Sterile Processing Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.3% Female, 61.7% | Male, 62.4% Female, 37.6% |
| 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, 11.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 8.5% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |