A system and method for equilibrating and calibrating a pressure or force sensor is provided. The system includes a flexible bag arranged to receive the sensor, and a vacuum source, connectable with the flexible bag, adapted to reduce the pressure within the flexible bag. By reducing the pressure within the flexible bag, such that the pressure inside of the bag is less than the pressure outside of the bag, the resultant uniform pressure acting on the sensor is used to calibrate and equilibrate the sensor. The system may include a porous material in the flexible bag to facilitate the evacuation of air from within the flexible bag as the pressure is reduced. The system may also include an opening, such that when the sensor is placed in the bag, a portion of the sensor extends outside of the bag to communicate with a controller. The opening may be provided either on the flexible bag, or on a clamp attached to the flexible bag. The system and method for calibrating and equilibrating a sensor may be employed to correct for sensor variations and/or to correlate sensor output to force or pressure.