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The differences between sterile 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 technician and a medical supply technician. Additionally, a medical supply technician has an average salary of $38,049, which is higher than the $35,347 average annual salary of a sterile technician.
The top three skills for a sterile technician include patients, aseptic technique and patient care. The most important skills for a medical supply technician are sterile processing, veterans, and patients.
| Sterile Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,347 | $38,049 |
| Hourly rate | $16.99 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 30,250 | 79,321 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In the medical industry, a sterile technician is in charge of cleaning and sterilizing surgical and medical tools and devices. They must also operate and organize equipment, monitor the inventory of supplies, maintain official records, coordinate with staff, transport supplies, and keep the cleanliness of different operating areas, decontaminating them to maintain a safe and healthy workflow. Furthermore, a sterile technician must set-up and prepare equipment for procedures, all while adhering to the facility's safety policies and regulations.
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 technicians and medical supply technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sterile Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,347 | $38,049 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $44,000 | Between $28,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Daly City, CA | West Haven, CT |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | General Dynamics |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a sterile technician and a medical supply technician in terms of educational background:
| Sterile Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 27% | Bachelor's Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | SUNY Stony Brook |
Here are the differences between sterile technicians' and medical supply technicians' demographics:
| Sterile Technician | Medical Supply Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% | Male, 62.4% Female, 37.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 9.3% White, 55.8% 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% |