Sterile technician demographics and statistics in the US
Sterile technician demographics research summary. Zippia estimates sterile technician demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our sterile technician estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about sterile technicians after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 42,369 sterile technicians currently employed in the United States.
- 67.1% of all sterile technicians are women, while 32.9% are men.
- The average sterile technician age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of sterile technicians is White (55.8%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (19.5%), Asian (9.3%) and Black or African American (9.2%).
- In 2022, women earned 96% of what men earned.
- 9% of all sterile technicians are LGBT.
- Sterile technicians are 72% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Sterile technician demographics by:
Sterile technician gender statistics
67.1% of sterile technicians are women and 32.9% of sterile technicians are men.
- Female, 67.1%
- Male, 32.9%
Sterile technician gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 67.1% |
| Male | 32.9% |
Sterile technician gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,691
Female income
$36,093
Sterile technician gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in sterile technician positions over time. Currently, 67.1% of sterile technicians are female.
Sterile technician gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 26.00% | 74.00% |
| 2011 | 27.91% | 72.09% |
| 2012 | 29.07% | 70.93% |
| 2013 | 27.64% | 72.36% |
| 2014 | 27.24% | 72.76% |
| 2015 | 31.04% | 68.96% |
| 2016 | 31.88% | 68.12% |
| 2017 | 36.35% | 63.65% |
| 2018 | 30.63% | 69.37% |
| 2019 | 34.69% | 65.31% |
| 2020 | 34.87% | 65.13% |
| 2021 | 32.87% | 67.13% |
Sterile technician related jobs gender ratio
We compared sterile technicians with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, delivery technician and donations attendant have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Pathology Transcriptionist | 3% | 97% |
| Radiology Transcriptionist | 5% | 95% |
| Certified Registered Dental Assistant | 5% | 95% |
| Sterile Technician | 33% | 67% |
| Dental Officer | 79% | 21% |
| Donations Attendant | 81% | 19% |
| Delivery Technician | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Sterile technician demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among sterile technicians is White, which makes up 55.8% of all sterile technicians. Comparatively, 19.5% of sterile technicians are Hispanic or Latino and 9.3% of sterile technicians are Asian.
- White, 55.8%
- Hispanic or Latino, 19.5%
- Asian, 9.3%
- Black or African American, 9.2%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
Sterile technician race
| Sterile technician race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 55.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.5% |
| Asian | 9.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.2% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.5% |
Sterile technician race and ethnicity over time
See how sterile technician racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Sterile technician race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 64.61% | 11.28% | 6.19% | 15.43% |
| 2011 | 64.58% | 11.80% | 5.58% | 15.20% |
| 2012 | 63.28% | 12.59% | 5.91% | 15.21% |
| 2013 | 62.11% | 12.31% | 7.43% | 14.78% |
| 2014 | 61.46% | 12.07% | 6.25% | 17.67% |
| 2015 | 63.66% | 8.88% | 7.32% | 16.41% |
| 2016 | 60.28% | 11.15% | 8.50% | 16.95% |
| 2017 | 60.53% | 11.66% | 6.43% | 18.63% |
| 2018 | 62.81% | 9.29% | 6.21% | 18.59% |
| 2019 | 60.62% | 8.92% | 7.85% | 18.96% |
| 2020 | 62.67% | 8.50% | 6.57% | 17.76% |
| 2021 | 55.75% | 9.17% | 9.33% | 19.54% |
Sterile technician wage gap by race
According to our data, asian sterile technicians have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american sterile technicians have the lowest average salary at $36,589.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,015 |
| White | $37,679 |
| Black or African American | $36,589 |
| Asian | $39,329 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,899 |
Average sterile technician age
See how the average age of sterile technicians varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Sterile technician age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 41.5 |
| Unknown | 34 | 36 |
| Asian | 48 | 50 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 33.5 | 40 |
| White | 41.5 | 43.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 37 |
Sterile technician age breakdown
The average age of sterile technicians is 40+ years years old, representing 55% of the sterile technician population.
Sterile technician age breakdown
| Sterile Technician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 55% |
| 30-40 years | 24% |
| 20-30 years | 19% |
Sterile technician educational attainment
The most common degree for sterile technicians is high school diploma, with 27% of sterile technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 22%.
- High School Diploma, 27%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 10%
- Other Degrees, 14%
Sterile technicians by degree level
| Sterile technician degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 27% |
| Bachelor's | 27% |
| Associate | 22% |
| Diploma | 10% |
| Other Degrees | 14% |
Sterile technician jobs you might like
Sterile technician wage gap by degree level
According to the data, sterile technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $42,102 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sterile technicians earn a median annual income of $38,745 compared to $36,775 for sterile technicians with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $42,102 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,381 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,745 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $36,775 |
Sterile technician employment statistics
Most sterile technicians work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where sterile technicians work
Below, you can see the size of companies where sterile technicians work.
Sterile technician jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 13% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 18% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 6% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 34% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
Sterile technician jobs by company type
Employees with the sterile technician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most sterile technicians prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Sterile technician jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 18% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 2% |
Sterile technician jobs by industry
The most common industries for sterile technicians are health care, pharmaceutical and education.
Sterile technician industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 66% |
| Fortune 500 | 7% |
| Pharmaceutical | 6% |
| Education | 5% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
Sterile technician turnover and employment statistics
Sterile technician unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for sterile technicians between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sterile technician unemployment rate by year
| Year | Sterile technician unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.86% |
| 2011 | 7.25% |
| 2012 | 6.51% |
| 2013 | 5.74% |
| 2014 | 5.74% |
| 2015 | 4.27% |
| 2016 | 4.79% |
| 2017 | 2.96% |
| 2018 | 2.56% |
| 2019 | 3.74% |
| 2020 | 3.67% |
| 2021 | 4.13% |
Average sterile technician tenure
The average sterile technician stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,316 sterile technicians resumes in Zippia's database.
Sterile technician tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 35% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 5% |
Sterile technician LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of sterile technicians that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Officer | 4.40% | 77,189 |
| Visual Training Aide | 5.81% | 64,895 |
| Outpatient Phlebotomist | 7.76% | 15,371 |
| Sterile Technician | 8.56% | - |
| Medical Transcription | 8.65% | 72,428 |
| Ancillary | 9.41% | 3,569 |
| Orthopedic Neuromuscular Therapist | 13.02% | 27,689 |
Similar sterile technician jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Dental Officer | 4.40% | 77,189 |
| Visual Training Aide | 5.81% | 64,895 |
| Outpatient Phlebotomist | 7.76% | 15,371 |
| Medical Transcription | 8.65% | 72,428 |
| Ancillary | 9.41% | 3,569 |
| Orthopedic Neuromuscular Therapist | 13.02% | 27,689 |
Foreign languages spoken by sterile technicians
The most common foreign language among sterile technicians is Spanish at 65.8%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 5.1% and Arabic is the third-most popular at 5.1%.
- Spanish, 65.8%
- French, 5.1%
- Arabic, 5.1%
- Chinese, 2.5%
- Vietnamese, 2.5%
- Other, 19.0%
Sterile technician languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 65.8% |
| French | 5.1% |
| Arabic | 5.1% |
| Chinese | 2.5% |
| Vietnamese | 2.5% |
| Other | 19.0% |
