Patient Care Technicians vs Sterile Processing Technicians
Median pay is about $1k higher for Patient Care Technicians. Both usually start with the same education: postsecondary cert.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Patient Care Technicians | Sterile Processing Technicians |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $48,430, higher | $47,700 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $39,470 | $39,800, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $59,710, higher | $58,570 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.8% Growing fast | +11% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 14,100 | 10,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary cert | Postsecondary cert |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.2 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 8th pct | 13th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Patient Care Technicians
- Writing
Only Sterile Processing Technicians
- Active Learning
Both lean on active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking, monitoring.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.