Sterile Processing Technician Salary in Florida: $45,171 (2026)

Quick Answer:Across Florida's 84 metropolitan areas, the average median sterile processing technician pay sits at $45,171/year heading into 2026 — a figure projected from 2025 BLS OEWS wage data for SOC 31-9093. Because Florida sits at BEA RPP 100.8 (1% above the U.S. baseline), that statewide median translates to roughly $44,813 in nationally-comparable purchasing power. Highest-paying metros: Sarasota ($49,210), North Port ($48,490), Bradenton ($47,468).

Sterile Processing Technician Salary in Florida - 2025 BLS Data Infographic — Florida sterile processing technician salary overview (2026)

$45,171

Avg Median Salary

$21.72

Avg Hourly Rate

5,848

Metro Employed

Cities

The average median salary for sterile processing technicians in Florida is projected to be $45,171 in 2026, which falls short of the national median of $47,724, representing a gap of 5.3%. The highest paying city for this role is Sarasota, with an average salary of $51,287, while the lowest is Tallahassee at $36,269, resulting in a salary gap of $15,018. This disparity can be attributed to factors such as the cost of living, healthcare facility competition, and local demand for skilled technicians. In Florida, state licensing requirements and specific scope of practice laws shape the job landscape for sterile processing technicians. Demand is driven by the ongoing expansion of healthcare facilities and an increasing emphasis on infection control, underscored by a projected annual growth rate of 4.22% in employment opportunities within this field. Total employment is projected at 5,848 technicians across 84 metro areas, signaling a steady increase in job availability. Key cities projected for growth include North Port at $50,536, Bradenton at $49,471, Clearwater at $47,520, and Fort Myers at $47,513. These figures highlight the varied salary landscape while indicating a positive job market outlook for those entering the field in Florida.

Florida Sterile Processing Technician Salary Range

Entry Level (10th %ile)

$35,270

avg across 84 cities

Median

$45,171

state average

Top Earners (90th %ile)

$63,483

avg across 84 cities

Overall salary range in Florida: $29,976 (lowest entry-level) to $75,959 (highest top earner)

Florida vs National Average

Florida

$45,171

National Median

$47,724

Florida sterile processing technicians earn 5.35% less than the national median ($-2,553/year difference).

Florida Sterile Processing Technician Salary Distribution (2026)

Sterile Processing Technician salaries in Florida range from $35,270 (entry-level, 10th percentile) to $63,483 (top earners, 90th percentile), with a median of $45,171. The Florida median is $2,553 below the US national median of $47,724. The average hourly rate is $21.72/hr. Approximately 5,848 sterile processing technicians are employed across 84 cities.

2019 BLS Actual

$33,407

2025 BLS Actual

$43,342

2026 Current Est.

$45,171

2019–2027 Growth

+40.9%

Salary Trajectory for Sterile Processing Technicians in Florida (2019–2027)

2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 4.22% projection.

BLS Actual Estimated Projected

Year	Annual Salary	Status
2019	$33,407	Actual
2020	$33,510	Actual
2021	$36,380	Actual
2022	$36,875	Actual
2023	$40,826	Actual
2024	$42,935	Actual
2025	$43,342	Actual
2026(current)	$45,171	Estimated
2027	$47,077	Projected

Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Florida metropolitan area, the median sterile processing technician salary grew 29.7% from $33,407 (2019) to $43,342 (2025). At a 4.22% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $47,077 by 2027 — a total increase of $13,670 (40.92%) from 2019.

Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Florida metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 4.22% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.

Top 5 Highest Paying Cities in Florida

Sarasota

10 employed · $24.66/hr

$51,287

+13.54% vs avg

North Port

210 employed · $24.30/hr

$50,536

+11.88% vs avg

Bradenton

13 employed · $23.78/hr

$49,471

+9.52% vs avg

Clearwater

19 employed · $22.85/hr

$47,520

+5.20% vs avg

Fort Myers

23 employed · $22.85/hr

$47,513

+5.18% vs avg

Lowest Paying Cities in Florida

City	Median Salary	vs State Avg	Hourly
Tallahassee	$36,269	-19.71%	$17.44
Wildwood	$37,900	-16.10%	$18.22
Port St. Lucie	$39,510	-12.53%	$18.99
Daytona Beach	$40,085	-11.26%	$19.27
Lakeland	$40,121	-11.18%	$19.29

Best Value Cities for Sterile Processing Technicians in Florida

When adjusted for local cost of living, these Florida cities offer the most purchasing power for sterile processing technicians.

City	Nominal Salary	CoL Index	Adjusted Salary
Sarasota	$51,287	100.8	$50,880
North Port	$50,536	102.417	$49,343
Bradenton	$49,471	100.8	$49,078
Pensacola	$46,804	97.717	$47,897
Clearwater	$47,520	100.8	$47,143

Adjusted salary = nominal salary × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average. Lower index = lower cost of living.

Salary by Experience Level in Florida

Experience Level	Estimated Annual	Est. Hourly	Description
Entry Level (0-2 years)	$35,270	$16.96	10th percentile, new graduates
Mid Career (3-7 years)	$45,171	$21.72	50th percentile, median salary
Experienced (7+ years)	$63,483	$30.52	90th percentile, top earners

Estimates based on BLS percentile data averaged across Florida metro areas. Individual pay varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.

All 84 Cities in Florida

#	City	Median Salary	Hourly	Entry (P10)	Top (P90)	Employed
1	Sarasota	$51,287	$24.66	$38,291	$72,974	10
2	North Port	$50,536	$24.30	$38,050	$60,851	210
3	Bradenton	$49,471	$23.78	$38,253	$71,784	13
4	Clearwater	$47,520	$22.85	$34,367	$73,023	19
5	Fort Myers	$47,513	$22.85	$35,297	$71,892	23
6	West Palm Beach	$47,398	$22.78	$35,408	$71,142	29
7	Tampa	$47,204	$22.70	$36,969	$75,959	920
8	Cape Coral	$47,044	$22.63	$37,139	$59,220	220
9	St. Petersburg	$46,949	$22.57	$35,696	$72,771	42
10	Pensacola	$46,804	$22.50	$35,708	$59,080	130
11	Miami	$46,354	$22.28	$35,888	$64,253	1,350
12	Jacksonville	$46,054	$22.14	$37,159	$57,379	430
13	Hialeah	$45,977	$22.11	$33,152	$69,323	35
14	Fort Lauderdale	$45,681	$21.96	$35,099	$68,220	29
15	Sebastian	$45,434	$21.84	$34,087	$61,542	40
16	Coral Springs	$45,056	$21.66	$33,535	$65,817	34
17	Gainesville	$44,693	$21.49	$32,731	$64,652	22
18	Pembroke Pines	$44,647	$21.47	$32,624	$69,045	40
19	Sanford	$44,564	$21.43	$33,620	$63,844	16
20	Doral	$44,299	$21.30	$33,897	$63,718	16
21	Ocala	$44,142	$21.22	$36,849	$59,641	60
22	Largo	$44,091	$21.20	$33,399	$62,997	12
23	Davie	$44,029	$21.17	$34,615	$66,687	18
24	Hollywood	$43,940	$21.13	$34,452	$66,403	37
25	Delray Beach	$43,817	$21.06	$32,748	$66,433	15
26	Miramar	$43,735	$21.03	$33,929	$65,671	21
27	Palm Coast	$43,704	$21.01	$32,479	$66,142	12
28	Orlando	$43,703	$21.01	$34,268	$59,580	860
29	Boca Raton	$43,599	$20.96	$32,234	$65,774	17
30	Naples	$43,572	$20.95	$36,149	$65,723	50
31	Cutler Bay	$43,441	$20.89	$34,285	$62,221	10
32	Boynton Beach	$43,402	$20.86	$31,771	$62,325	12
33	Panama City	$43,346	$20.84	$34,096	$60,363	8
34	Winter Park	$43,340	$20.83	$34,080	$61,983	7
35	Leesburg	$43,333	$20.83	$32,576	$60,425	4
36	North Miami	$43,313	$20.82	$31,562	$62,016	11
37	Port Orange	$43,299	$20.81	$31,488	$64,605	10
38	Jupiter	$43,240	$20.79	$31,348	$64,402	14
39	Miami Gardens	$43,216	$20.78	$32,772	$65,584	21
40	Plantation	$43,136	$20.74	$34,558	$64,033	15
41	Aventura	$43,126	$20.73	$33,508	$59,595	8
42	Royal Palm Beach	$43,116	$20.73	$33,528	$61,220	6
43	Pompano Beach	$43,078	$20.71	$32,457	$64,987	28
44	Homestead	$43,070	$20.71	$34,401	$63,784	14
45	Key West	$43,062	$20.70	$33,213	$59,513	4
46	Kissimmee	$42,980	$20.67	$33,504	$62,620	20
47	Tamarac	$42,976	$20.67	$34,177	$63,487	11
48	Apopka	$42,966	$20.66	$34,197	$65,128	8
49	Oviedo	$42,926	$20.64	$33,063	$63,116	10
50	Pinellas Park	$42,894	$20.63	$33,849	$64,875	13
51	Deerfield Beach	$42,863	$20.60	$32,655	$63,085	12
52	Homosassa Springs	$42,752	$20.55	$30,576	$55,158	30
53	Estero	$42,732	$20.54	$32,548	$62,453	6
54	Wellington	$42,717	$20.54	$33,561	$64,149	10
55	St. Cloud	$42,717	$20.54	$33,561	$62,590	11
56	Coconut Creek	$42,620	$20.49	$33,375	$62,367	11
57	Altamonte Springs	$42,573	$20.47	$32,027	$59,392	9
58	Lauderhill	$42,568	$20.47	$33,252	$62,189	19
59	Melbourne	$42,531	$20.45	$32,490	$61,217	12
60	Sunrise	$42,468	$20.42	$32,843	$61,845	23
61	Palm Beach Gardens	$42,464	$20.42	$32,836	$61,834	9
62	Margate	$42,451	$20.41	$32,803	$61,787	13
63	North Lauderdale	$42,397	$20.39	$31,783	$58,699	7
64	Haines City	$42,397	$20.39	$31,783	$61,417	5
65	DeLand	$42,376	$20.38	$35,049	$61,347	7
66	Bonita Springs	$42,333	$20.35	$32,657	$62,795	13
67	Winter Garden	$42,153	$20.27	$34,676	$60,592	10
68	Clermont	$42,129	$20.25	$34,618	$60,512	11
69	Dunedin	$41,885	$20.14	$33,842	$59,694	6
70	Winter Springs	$41,864	$20.12	$33,968	$59,625	8
71	Ocoee	$41,854	$20.12	$33,943	$59,591	10
72	Oakland Park	$41,715	$20.05	$33,606	$59,024	6
73	Titusville	$41,580	$19.99	$31,132	$60,136	7
74	Palm Bay	$41,571	$19.98	$35,379	$56,719	120
75	North Miami Beach	$41,515	$19.96	$33,121	$59,933	11
76	Plant City	$41,366	$19.89	$32,588	$59,436	7
77	Winter Haven	$40,944	$19.69	$31,110	$60,216	10
78	Deltona	$40,781	$19.61	$31,216	$49,286	160
79	Ormond Beach	$40,153	$19.30	$32,384	$56,857	7
80	Lakeland	$40,121	$19.29	$34,468	$49,155	100
81	Daytona Beach	$40,085	$19.27	$31,211	$59,819	14
82	Port St. Lucie	$39,510	$18.99	$29,976	$61,662	120
83	Wildwood	$37,900	$18.22	$31,216	$46,463	30
84	Tallahassee	$36,269	$17.44	$30,255	$57,590	50

More Florida Salary Data

Hourly Rates

Explore sterile processing technician hourly pay in Florida cities.

Sarasota →North Port →Bradenton →

Entry Level

Starting salaries for new sterile processing technicians.

Sarasota →North Port →Bradenton →

Senior / Experienced

Top earner salaries for experienced sterile processing technicians.

Sarasota →North Port →Bradenton →

Compare Cities in Florida

Miami, FLvsTampa, FL Miami, FLvsOrlando, FL Miami, FLvsJacksonville, FL Tampa, FLvsOrlando, FL Miami, FLvsCape Coral, FL Miami, FLvsNorth Port, FL

View all comparisons →

Explore More Sterile Processing Technician Salary Data

National OverviewMedian salary & full US data Entry-Level SalariesStarting pay & new grad earnings Hourly Pay RatesPer-hour rates & part-time income Highest Paying StatesTop states ranked by salary

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do sterile processing technicians make in Florida in 2026?

The average median sterile processing technician salary in Florida is $45,171/year across 84 metro areas, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Salaries range from $36,269 in Tallahassee to $51,287 in Sarasota. This makes Florida 5.35% below the national median of $47,724. The state employs approximately 5,848 sterile processing technicians.

What is the highest paying city for sterile processing technicians in Florida?

Sarasota offers the highest sterile processing technician salary in Florida at $51,287/year ($24.66/hr), based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). The top 3 highest-paying cities are Sarasota ($51,287), North Port ($50,536), Bradenton ($49,471). Higher pay in these metros is typically driven by cost of living, demand for sterile processing services, and competition among employers for licensed sterile processing technicians.

How does Florida sterile processing technician pay compare to the national average?

Florida's average sterile processing technician salary of $45,171 is 5.35% below the national median of $47,724 in 2026. The state employs approximately 5,848 sterile processing technicians across 84 metropolitan areas. When comparing salaries, consider cost-of-living differences — a lower nominal salary in an affordable area may provide better purchasing power than a higher salary in an expensive metro.

What is the entry-level sterile processing technician salary in Florida?

Entry-level sterile processing technicians (10th percentile) in Florida earn approximately $35,270/year on average, based on estimated 2026 (projected from 2025 BLS data). Starting salaries range from $29,976 in lower-paying areas to $38,291 in the highest-paying metros. New graduates should expect salaries at the lower end and can typically reach the area median within 3–5 years of clinical experience.

How many sterile processing technicians are employed in Florida?

Florida employs approximately 5,848 sterile processing technicians across 84 metropolitan areas, based on the latest BLS data. This makes Florida one of the larger employers of sterile processing technicians nationally. Demand continues to grow as the sterile processing field expands and the population ages.

Which Florida city offers the best value for sterile processing technicians?

When adjusted for cost of living, Sarasota offers the highest purchasing power for sterile processing technicians in Florida, with an adjusted salary of $50,880 (nominal: $51,287, CoL index: 100.8). This means your dollar goes 1% less far compared to the national average, making it important to negotiate higher base pay.

Written by Amina Patel, CCSVP

Career Analyst

Amina has 8 years of experience in sterile processing. She specialized in instrument sterilization techniques in a large hospital. Amina analyzes career trends for sterile processing technicians.

Clinically reviewed by David Kim, CSTData verified by Maya Lopez, CSPDT

Methodology & Data Source

Statewide salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. A 4.22% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), derived from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to each metro area's reported salary to estimate current 2026 sterile processing technician compensation across Florida. State averages are employment-weighted across 84 metro areas — larger metro areas with more sterile processing technicianscontribute proportionally more to the average, producing figures that better reflect typical compensation. Individual pay varies by city, employer, certifications, and experience.

Data Sources & Methodology

Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (2019–2025). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.

2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.22%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for sterile processing technicians (SOC 31-9093).

Compiled and verified by Amina Patel, CCSVP, a licensed sterile processing technician with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov

Last verified: June 10, 2026

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