Pharmacy Assistants vs Sterile Processing Technicians
Median pay is about $10k higher for Sterile Processing Technicians. The usual entry education is high school for Pharmacy Assistants and postsecondary cert for Sterile Processing Technicians.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Pharmacy Assistants | Sterile Processing Technicians |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $37,680 | $47,700, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $34,980 | $39,800, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $43,640 | $58,570, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | -0.7% Declining | +11% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 5,100 | 10,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | Postsecondary cert |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.2 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 13th pct | 13th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Pharmacy Assistants
- Writing
Only Sterile Processing Technicians
- Monitoring
Both lean on active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking, active learning.
More comparisons
Compare Pharmacy Assistants with
Compare Sterile Processing Technicians with
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.