Sterile Processing Technician Jobs in Hickory, NC: Pay and Who's Hiring

In Hickory, the May 2025 median for sterile processing technicians is about $42.3K, 11% under the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $36.8K to $47.1K.

Pay

The median is the middle of sterile processing technicians already employed, not a starting wage. The 25th is the lower quarter of that group. The 75th is what the upper quarter already earns.

Percentile	Metro	NC	U.S.
25th	$36,810	$39,250	$39,800
Median	$42,260	$45,130	$47,700
75th	$47,140	$48,770	$58,570

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages are the Medical Equipment Preparers series, SOC 31-9093.

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

4.5

Metro employment

National growth, 2025 to 2035

10.8%

National openings a year

10.7 thousand

This is the same score as the free check.

Who's hiring

Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, 3 campuses
Frye Regional Medical Center, 2 campuses
Prime Surgical Suites, 2 campuses
Alliance Imaging, 1 campuses
Blue Ridge Healthcare Medical Group, 1 campuses
Blueridge Healthcare Surgery Center, 1 campuses

Campuses on file in the provider extract, not live job ads.

License and training

Most states do not license this work, but a few, including New York and New Jersey, require certification for new hires. Employers often want CRCST from HSPA or CSPDT from CBSPD. Confirm the rule in your state.

Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, medical equipment preparers

The work

You decontaminate used instruments, inspect them, and build trays to a count sheet. Then you run the sterilizer and track each load.

The schedule drives the work. An add-on case or a missing instrument means a rush, and the tray still has to be right.

Nearby metros

Charlotte, NC · 46 miles
Winston-Salem, NC · 64 miles
Spartanburg, SC · 65 miles
Asheville, NC · 70 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Sterile Processing Technician in Hickory.

Medical Equipment Preparers hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires sterile processing technicians in Hickory?

Hospitals and surgery centers hire sterile processing technicians in Hickory. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Blue Ridge Healthcare Hospitals, Frye Regional Medical Center, Prime Surgical Suites.

Do I need certification for sterile processing in North Carolina?

A few states require it. Check the North Carolina rule before you start in Hickory.

What should a surgery center in Hickory weigh when hiring?

Ask about tray types and certification. Hickory has slightly fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 6% under the North Carolina median.