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Salary comparison

Medical Equipment Preparers vs. Nursing Assistants: Who Earns More?

Medical Equipment Preparerss out-earn Nursing Assistantss by $5K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Medical Equipment Preparerss land at $47,700 and Nursing Assistantss at $42,260. The education gap is real: medical equipment preparer programs typically require postsecondary nondegree award, while nursing assistant programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Medical Equipment Preparerss is California ($61,370); for Nursing Assistantss it's Oregon ($49,830).

Medical Equipment Preparers
Nursing Assistants
Median salary
$47,700
$42,260
Hourly rate
$22.93/hr
$20.32/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$36,410
$33,940
Senior level (90th %)
$69,950
$51,980
Education required
Postsecondary nondegree award
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
77,420
1,448,910
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare Support
Healthcare Support
Top-paying state
California
Oregon

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Medical Equipment Preparers median pay.

State
Medical Equipment Preparers
Nursing Assistants
California
$61,370
$47,630
Washington
$58,830
$49,180
Massachusetts
$58,580
$46,680
New York
$57,320
$48,590
Rhode Island
$51,460
$46,440
New Jersey
$50,280
$46,830
Minnesota
$50,070
$46,680
Alaska
$49,920
$46,370
Vermont
$48,990
$47,130
New Hampshire
$48,900
$47,870
Oregon
$48,890
$49,830
District of Columbia
$48,670
$47,700
Illinois
$48,050
$45,960
Colorado
$47,700
$47,380
Maine
$46,860
$47,070

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Medical Equipment Preparerss or Nursing Assistantss?

Medical Equipment Preparerss earn more nationally. The median is $47,700 for Medical Equipment Preparerss versus $42,260 for Nursing Assistantss, a difference of $5K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Medical Equipment Preparers or Nursing Assistants?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Medical Equipment Preparers or Nursing Assistants?

Medical Equipment Preparers typically requires postsecondary nondegree award. Nursing Assistants requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Medical Equipment Preparerss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Medical Equipment Preparerss at $61,370/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Medical Equipment Preparers vs. Nursing Assistants pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Medical Equipment Preparerss earn $61,370 vs. $47,630 for Nursing Assistantss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Medical Equipment Preparers salary breakdownView →Full Nursing Assistants salary breakdownView →Best cities for Medical Equipment Preparerss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Nursing Assistantss by take-home payExplore →How to become a medical equipment preparersGuide →How to become a nursing assistantsGuide →