Medical Equipment Preparers
Machines can already do 23% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 62%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Medical Equipment Preparers in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 23% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 62% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 77,420 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $47,700 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 76% for contact with people.
- Also called: Central Sterile Technician (Central Sterile Tech), Central Supply Processing Department Technician (CSPDT), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), CRCST (Certified Registered Central Supply Technician).
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed | 25% | 20% to 60% | |
| Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization | 25% | 20% to 60% | |
| Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed | 15% | 20% to 60% | |
| Disinfect and sterilize equipment, such as respirators, hospital beds, or oxygen or dialysis equipment, using sterilizers, aerators, or washers | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Maintain records of inventory or equipment usage and order medical instruments or supplies when inventory is low | 4% | 50% to 85% | |
| Start equipment and observe gauges and equipment operation to detect malfunctions and to ensure equipment is operating to prescribed standards | 4% | 20% to 60% | |
| Deliver equipment to specified hospital locations or to patients' residences | 4% | 30% to 75% | |
| Install and set up medical equipment, using hand tools | 3% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills medical equipment preparers use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Butchers and Meat Cutters60% of tasks by 2035 · US median $40,140
- Histotechnologists54% of tasks by 2035
- Bakers58% of tasks by 2035 · US median $37,160
- Electromechanical Equipment Assemblers61% of tasks by 2035
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Medical Equipment Preparers?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of medical equipment preparers?
Machines can do 23% of the tasks of medical equipment preparers today and 62% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 31-9093.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Medical Equipment Preparers: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/medical-equipment-preparers/