Medical Equipment Preparers vs Psychiatric Aides: $48K vs $45K Median Pay

Medical Equipment Preparers vs Psychiatric Aides: what changes?

Consider Medical Equipment Preparers if you want to prepare, sterilize, install, or clean laboratory or healthcare equipment. Consider Psychiatric Aides if you would rather assist mentally impaired or emotionally disturbed patients, working under direction of nursing and medical staff. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Medical Equipment Preparers and Psychiatric Aides. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Medical Equipment Preparers

National median pay (2025): $47,700
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 10,700

Know before you choose

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

See the full Medical Equipment Preparers brief

Psychiatric Aides

National median pay (2025): $44,910
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Listen and provide emotional support and encouragement to psychiatric patients.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 4,900

Know before you choose

Exposure to illness or infection is a recurring part of the work context, even when safety procedures are followed.

See the full Psychiatric Aides brief

How the national numbers differ

Medical Equipment Preparers has the edge on projected growth

Medical Equipment Preparers is at 10.8% projected growth, compared with 1.9% projected growth for Psychiatric Aides.

Medical Equipment Preparers has the edge on annual openings

Medical Equipment Preparers is at 10,700 annual openings, compared with 4,900 annual openings for Psychiatric Aides.

Medical Equipment Preparers has the edge on median pay

Medical Equipment Preparers is at $47,700, compared with $44,910 for Psychiatric Aides.

62.6/ 100

Medical Equipment Preparers

42.9/ 100

Psychiatric Aides

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Medical Equipment Preparers vs Psychiatric Aides

Dimension	Medical Equipment Preparers	Psychiatric Aides
Median pay (2025)	$47,700	$44,910
Pay percentile	25.4 percentile	18 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	10.8%	1.9%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	10,700	4,900
2025 employment	79,900	36,900
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 2	Job Zone 2
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Medical Equipment Preparers brief Read Psychiatric Aides brief

Medical Equipment Preparers vs Psychiatric Aides: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Medical Equipment Preparers

Psychiatric Aides

How the national numbers differ

Medical Equipment Preparers has the edge on projected growth

Medical Equipment Preparers has the edge on annual openings

Medical Equipment Preparers has the edge on median pay

Medical Equipment Preparers vs Psychiatric Aides

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