Sterile Processing Technicians vs Veterinary Assistants
Median pay is about $10k higher for Sterile Processing Technicians. The usual entry education is postsecondary cert for Sterile Processing Technicians and high school for Veterinary Assistants.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Sterile Processing Technicians | Veterinary Assistants |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $47,700, higher | $38,150 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $39,800, higher | $35,660 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $58,570, higher | $45,710 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +11% Growing fast, higher | +9.1% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 10,700 | 23,200 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Postsecondary cert | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 2 / 5 | 1.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 13th pct | 13th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Sterile Processing Technicians
- Active Learning
Only Veterinary Assistants
- Writing
Both lean on critical thinking, monitoring, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking.
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.