Biomedical technicians, also referred to as biomedical equipment technicians or medical equipment repairers, test, repair, inspect and instruct medical professionals and workers on the use of medical devices and equipment. These workers may have to perform maintenance and repairs in the presence of patients and at times under stressful or time-sensitive conditions. The mean biomedical technician salary in the United States is $52,260, while those in Canada fetch on a mean basis C$57,325 ($44,465 USD). In the United Kingdom, the average salary stands at £36,625 ($51,484 USD). Biomedical technicians collect mean earnings of AU$62,400 ($47,923 USD) in Australia and NZD$74,552 ($57,259 USD) in New Zealand.
How Much Does a Biomedical Technician Make?
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Biomedical Technician Salary Determinant Factors
The types of employers of biomedical technicians include healthcare providers, manufacturers and suppliers of the medicines and devices that treat patients and government entities. As a result, pay can vary significantly by the size, location and industry of the employer.
Still, biomedical technicians in the private sector make on the whole more than those in nonprofit or government settings. More experience also generally leads to higher pay.
1. How Much Does a Biomedical Technician Make by Country?
Biomedical Technician Salary in US
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical equipment repairers — another name for biomedical technicians — enjoy a mean pay of $52,260. PayScale declares the mean pay for biomedical technicians in the United States to be $45,000. Salaries go from $32,555 to $70,513, says PayScale.
Biomedical Technician Salary in Canada
Biomedical equipment technicians in Canada can expect a mean salary of C$57,325, says PayScale. Pay as stated by PayScale starts at C$42,165 and ascends to C$79,787.
Biomedical Technician Salary in UK
According to SalaryExpert, the mean registers at £36,625 for biomedical equipment technicians in the United Kingdom. Salaries start at £26,491 and ascend to £45,047.
Biomedical Technician Salary in Australia
In Australia, biomedical technicians earn on a mean basis AU$62,400. Salaries start around AU$43,370 and peak at AU$83,745, as reflected by PayScale.
Biomedical Technician Salary in New Zealand
For biomedical equipment technicians in New Zealand, the mean rests at NZD$74,552. As declared by SalaryExpert, the range of salaries goes from NZD$53,947 to NZD$91,734. The New Zealand Government states that salaries run from NZD$36,000 to NZD$85,000.
2. How Much Does a Biomedical Technician Make According to Experience?
For entry-level biomedical technicians in the United States, pay averages at $41,000. With five to ten years of experience, these technicians earn on a mean basis $47,000. The mean increases to $54,000 for biomedical technicians accumulated ten to 20 years of experience and to $56,000 for those with over 20 years in the field.
With up to three years of experience, a biomedical equipment technician in the United Kingdom enjoys a mean salary of £26,491. Technicians can reach an average of £45,047 with eight or more years in the job.
According to PayScale, entry-level salaries for biomedical technicians in Australia fall 20 percent below the national mean, whereas technicians with five to ten years of experience can rise to six percent above average.
In New Zealand, biomedical technicians at the trainee stage earn minimum wage. For biomedical technicians with one to six years in the field, pay runs between NZD$36,000 and NZD$48,000. Those who log more than six years make from NZD$48,000 and NZD$85,000.
3. How Much Does a Biomedical Technician Make According to Work Environment?
In New Zealand, two out of every three biomedical technicians in a district board of health. Other employers of biomedical technicians include privately-run medical centers and medical equipment suppliers. Much of the employment in the medical engineering and equipment technician field in the United Kingdom occurs by drug companies and device makers.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks biomedical technicians in the “Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing” sector as the highest paid, at $69,970. In academic settings, the mean rests at $60,630, while technicians in hospitals reap mean pay of $56,820. In “Outpatient Care Centers,” the mean salary is $49,090.
As an suggestion of the difference between private-sector and public sector employers in Canada, Indeed reports an hourly wage range of C$30 to C$42 per hour for a “Biomedical Technologist/Technician” in Cambridge, Ontario (Canada). The mean hourly wage stands at C$23.82 for biomedical technicians in the Government of Saskatchewan.
Some government agencies in Australia offer salaries for on-the-job trainees in the biomedical technician field. For instance, Queensland Health’s Biomedical Technology Services provides a “Cadetship Program” for future biomedical technicians, paying these trainees AU$44,960 to AU$53,186.
Working Hours
For biomedical technicians, work is generally full-time.
To repair, test and otherwise maintain medical equipment, biomedical technicians may travel extensively to many locations. While weekend or night-time work is not frequent, it remains possible due to the twenty-four hour operations of medical facilities. As a result, biomedical technicians may have on-call duty and may be called to respond to malfunctioning equipment beyond normal hours, especially where equipment is needed for surgeries or to urgent, emergency or imminently-needed care.
Bonuses and Benefits
In the United States, biomedical technicians collect reported bonuses up to $4,989 and profit-sharing benefits as much as $15,101. For biomedical technicians in Canada, the average amounts to C$2,035. The figure for those in Australia registers at AU$500. According to SalaryExpert, bonuses run at NZD$1,453 on a mean basis for biomedical technicians in New Zealand. In the United Kingdom, the figure for these workers is £714.
Approximately 82 percent of biomedical technicians in the United States have medical coverage, according to PayScale. For these workers, the dental coverage rate registers at 72 percent, while 64 percent have vision benefits. In Canada, medical coverage and dental coverage are extended to 88 percent of biomedical equipment technicians. Three out of four received vision benefits.
Career Prospects
The ageing population, shortage of biomedical technicians, reliance on medical equipment to treat patients and the need for repairs due to refurbished equipment and overall decreased spending on new equipment may spur employment growth in New Zealand and other locations.
The U.S .Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a rise of four percent in the hiring of biomedical technicians through 2026. This means a rise from 47,100 medical equipment repairers in 2016 to 49,100 by 2026.
Job Bank Canada categorizes biomedical equipment technicians and repairers in the category of “Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians.” In this group, Job Bank Canada predicts 9,100 openings and 9,100 seekers by 2024. The overall field could have contraction by 300, with most openings coming from retirements. However, biomedical technician jobs could grow some with the demand for medical services and equipment for diagnosis and treatment.
According to the New Zealand Government, employment opportunities should prove “Good” for biomedical technicians, due in part to present shortages of skilled workers in this field.
Conclusion
Biomedical technicians will remain in demand as healthcare providers such as hospitals and physicians’ offices rely on the technology and automation to serve patients more efficiently and diagnose them accurately. However, the specialized nature of many medical devices and machines will require commensurate training, skill and knowledge. This has led in some areas to shortages of biomedical technicians and some difficulty filling positions. Salaries for these workers will depend on experience and the priorities and resources of the employer.
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