How to become a sterilising technician
Official title: Sterilising technician
Also called: Sterile supply technician, Central sterile services technician, Hospital instrument sterilising technician, Sterilising technology worker, CSSD, Medical equipment preparer
Sterilising technicians prepare, sterilise, install and clean laboratory or health care equipment. They may do routine laboratory tasks and operate equipment.
Main tasks
- Maintain medical and laboratory equipment and instruments
- Clean medical and laboratory equipment
- Prepare medical and laboratory equipment for use
- Use medical and laboratory equipment
- Make sure equipment is working well
- Monitor and maintain stock levels
- Assemble and install equipment and instruments
How to become one
You need a qualification to become a sterilising technician. You usually need NCEA Level 2 to do the study of training for this job. Required: a New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 3); a New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 4). Other requirements: a New Zealand Diploma in Sterilising Technology (Level 5); to be a member of the New Zealand Sterile Sciences Association.
Ways in
- Certificates and diplomas: Advanced certificates and diplomas in māori health hauora. TEC links this job to study in public health studies. Qualifications: NZ Dip in Māori Public Health, Heke Rongoa, NZ Dip in Whanau Ora, Dip in Kaupapa Māori Public Health - Whānau Violence. Usually 1 year. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $53,000 a year one year after study; 71% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).; Intermediate certificates in human movement and sports science. TEC links this job to study in other health studies. Qualifications: NZ Cert in Exercise, NZ Cert in Freestyle Group Exercise. Usually 6 months. Graduates of these qualifications earn a median $44,000 a year one year after study and $61,000 five years after; 49% are employed one year after (TEC, from Stats NZ IDI data).
Pay · Past change
- Most common pay: $60,000 to $86,000 a year (median $72,000), a TEC estimate before tax.
- Upper: $108,000 a year
- TEC's pay figures are estimates only. TEC says they must not be used to set pay, in pay negotiations or in visa applications.
- Change in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses: Increase (TEC). This is past change, not a forecast.
Who does this work
- About 740 people did this job at the 2023 Census (TEC).
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Questions people ask
How do I become a sterilising technician?
You need a qualification to become a sterilising technician. You usually need NCEA Level 2 to do the study of training for this job. Required: a New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 3); a New Zealand Certificate in Sterilising Technology (Level 4). Other requirements: a New Zealand Diploma in Sterilising Technology (Level 5); to be a member of the New Zealand Sterile Sciences Association.
How much does a sterilising technician earn in New Zealand?
The Tertiary Education Commission estimates median pay at $72,000 a year, before tax. Most common pay is $60,000 to $86,000 a year.
Has the number of people working as a sterilising technician grown in New Zealand?
It has grown: TEC records an increase in the number of people doing this job between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. This is past change, not a forecast.
Sources
- Tertiary Education Commission (Tahatu Career Navigator): Tahatu career ideas: descriptions, tasks, pay estimates, people employed, employment change 2018 to 2023, entry requirements, registration, interest scores (Site scrape 2026-10 (816 career ideas, sitemap lastmod 2026-10-01)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 4 October 2026
This content is sourced from the Tertiary Education Commission through the Tahatū Career Navigator website (www.tahatu.govt.nz) and used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. All or some of the information has been modified by Peernovo. TEC has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. TEC will not be held accountable for any errors within this content.
Qualification information from NZQA, used under CC BY 3.0 NZ.
This work is based on/includes Stats NZ's data which are licensed by Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. Census data via Figure.NZ.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Sources: Tertiary Education Commission, Tahatū Career Navigator (career ideas, pay estimates, entry requirements and study options, CC BY 4.0, modified by Peernovo); Stats NZ, 2023 Census (via Figure.NZ) and the National Occupation List (CC BY 4.0); NZQA qualification information (CC BY 3.0 NZ); O*NET interest scores (CC BY 4.0); ILO global generative AI exposure index (CC BY 4.0). Links between career ideas and ANZSCO groups, degree fields and broad job groups are Peernovo's.
These results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Graduate outcomes: these results are not official statistics. They have been created for research purposes from the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), which is carefully managed by Stats NZ.
Updated 4 October 2026