Career comparison
Embalmer vs. Sterile Processing Technician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Embalmers earn more at the median ($58,780 vs. $47,700), while sterile processing technicians usually get to work faster (3–12 months of training). Embalmers prepare the deceased for viewing with skill, care and dignity. Sterile processing technicians clean, inspect, package and sterilize the instruments every surgery depends on.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Embalmer | Sterile Processing Technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $58,780 ($28.26/hr) | $47,700 ($22.93/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $38,310 – $77,570 | $36,410 – $69,950 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +0.7% (little or no change) | +10.8% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 700 | 10,700 |
| Typical entry education | Associate's degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 2–3 years including apprenticeship | 3–12 months |
| Key credential | State embalmer license | Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) |
| Work setting | Embalmers work in funeral home preparation rooms with chemicals, requiring PPE and ventilation.. | Technicians work in hospital sterile processing departments, surgery centers and dental and specialty clinics. |
What each job does
Embalmer
- Prepare bodies for embalming
- Perform arterial and cavity embalming
- Perform restorative art
- Dress and cosmetize the deceased
- Maintain the preparation room
Sterile Processing Technician
- Collect and decontaminate used instruments and devices
- Inspect instruments for cleanliness, function and damage
- Assemble instrument trays using count sheets
- Package and label items for sterilization
- Operate steam and low-temperature sterilizers
How they’re similar
Both careers involve hands-on work, indoor work, high responsibility, and steady routines. They sit in different fields, beauty, fitness & personal care and healthcare, but share transferable skills such as respect and dignity and attention to detail.
Which should you choose?
Choose embalmer if…
- I can handle this work calmly
- I’m detail-oriented
- I want to help grieving families
Choose sterile processing technician if…
- I like detailed, hands-on work
- I want to work in healthcare without direct patient care
- I follow procedures exactly
Still torn? Take the Embalmer fit quiz and the Sterile Processing Technician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, embalmer or sterile processing technician?
Embalmers earn more at the median: $58,780 versus $47,700 for sterile processing technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Sterile Processing Technicians typically train faster (3–12 months) than embalmers (2–3 years including apprenticeship).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects sterile processing technicians to grow +10.8% from 2025–35, compared with +0.7% for embalmers.