Medical Equipment Repairer Career Assessment
Fixing the equipment hospitals depend on
Welcome
Medical equipment repairers (often called biomedical equipment technicians, or "biomed techs") keep hospital equipment safe and working.
You will explore what this tech-meets-healthcare career is really like and whether it fits you.
This takes about 15 minutes.
What is a Medical Equipment Repairer?
A biomedical equipment technician inspects, tests, calibrates, and repairs medical equipment like patient monitors, IV pumps, defibrillators, hospital beds, and imaging machines.
The Reality: If a machine fails, it can affect a patient. You must be careful, accurate, and follow strict safety and infection-control rules. You work in a hospital, around sick people.
Your Responsibilities:
- Inspect and test medical equipment on a schedule
- Repair monitors, pumps, and defibrillators
- Calibrate equipment so readings are accurate
- Follow infection-control rules
- Train nurses on equipment
- Keep detailed records for inspections
- Work with equipment makers
- Respond to urgent repair calls
You keep the machines that care for patients working safely.
A Day in the Life
7:30 AM — Check the work order list at the hospital biomed shop.
8:00 AM — Scheduled safety checks on IV pumps.
10:00 AM — Urgent call: a patient monitor in the ICU shows an error. You swap it and repair the bad one.
12:00 PM — Lunch.
1:00 PM — Calibrate a defibrillator.
2:30 PM — Show nurses how to use a new bed.
4:00 PM — Update records.
Technical work in a healthcare setting.
Training in North Dakota
No ND license is required. Most biomed techs complete a 2-year biomedical equipment technology or electronics program. The military is another common path.
Training Pathways:
- Biomedical Equipment Technology AAS (2 years): The most direct path.
- Electronics program + on-the-job training: Another way in.
- Military: Military biomed training is highly valued.
Where to Train in North Dakota:
- No biomedical equipment program was found in North Dakota
- Dakota County Technical College (Minnesota) — Biomedical Equipment Technology, AAS or certificate
- Bismarck State College — Electronics Technology certificate (related)
- ND State College of Science — Electrical Technology AAS (related)
Before You Start: High school diploma or GED. Strong interest in electronics. Comfort in a hospital setting. Background check and immunizations are common.
Tip: Start with financial aid, scholarships, and any help an employer offers — that is where the money starts. After that, ask a career counselor or Job Service North Dakota whether WIOA or other programs can help with what is left over, like training, tools, work boots, or exam fees. What can be paid for depends on the program and on your own situation, so ask before you sign up rather than after. Registered apprenticeships let you earn a paycheck while you learn — see jobsnd.com/job-seeker/apprenticeships for ND programs.
Certification & Licensing
No license. Certification is valued. The CBET (Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician) from AAMI is the main credential.
Certifications Employers Look For:
- CBET — after a biomed degree plus 2 years of experience, or 4 years of experience
The Exams: Computer-based exam on medical equipment, safety, and electronics.
Cost: About $410–$460. Prices change, so check before you pay.
Keeping It Current: Renew every 3 years with 30 continuing education credits.
Salary & Job Outlook
North Dakota Medical Equipment Repairer Pay (May 2025):
- Starting out (bottom 10–25%): $23.38–$27.57/hour ($48,630–$57,340/year)
- Middle (median — half earn more, half earn less): $35.39/hour ($73,610/year)
- Experienced (top 25–10%): $38.72–$47.29/hour ($80,540–$98,370/year)
What that means: ND pay is well above the national median.
Jobs in North Dakota: About 210 people do this work in ND today. By 2034, that should be about 250 (about 18% growth). Expect about 20 job openings every year in ND from growth and people retiring or changing jobs. Across the U.S., the change is about 13% growth — much faster than average.
Outlook: Very good growth, with about 20 openings a year in ND as hospitals use more equipment.
Who Hires in ND: Hospitals and health systems, equipment service companies, and medical equipment makers.
Work Setting: Hospitals and clinics. Mostly daytime hours, with some on-call.
Physical Demands: Light to moderate. Walking the hospital, lifting some equipment, and fine hand work.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, North Dakota, May 2025 (SOC 49-9062); North Dakota and U.S. long-term employment projections 2024–2034, via O*NET OnLine. Numbers are rounded.
Where This Leads
Path 1: Imaging Equipment Specialist — Work on X-ray and MRI machines (higher pay).
Path 2: Senior Biomed Tech — Lead complex repairs.
Path 3: Clinical Engineering Manager — Lead the department.
Path 4: Field Service Engineer — Travel for an equipment maker.
Path 5: Health IT — Connected medical devices.
The Real Talk
What's Great:
- Healthcare job without patient care
- Strong ND pay
- Growing field
- Technical problem solving
- Mostly regular hours
What's Hard:
- No ND training program
- High responsibility for patient safety
- Infection-control rules
- Detailed record keeping
- Small number of openings
Be Honest: Do you like electronics and healthcare? Can you be careful and accurate? Are you willing to train outside ND or through the military?