Arizona · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Arizona
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Arizona?
Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix in Phoenix ranks first among 3 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Arizona, with a score of 83 of 100. 3 sterile processing technician programs in Arizona run at 3 schools, with the most in Phoenix and Mesa. 3 include clinical hours, and 1 states the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. Sterile processing technicians in Arizona earn a median of $46,790 a year (BLS, May 2025, medical equipment preparers).
- schools in Arizona
- 3
- programs
- 3
- include clinical hours
- 3
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $46,790
Top Picks in Arizona
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Pima Medical Institute-PhoenixPhoenix · Certificate · 39 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 83 |
Arizona Sterile Processing Programs, Ranked
How this list is ranked: highest score first. The score (out of 100) adds hands-on training (35), certification prep (25), published cost (25) and the school's federal track record in the field (15), each from the school's own pages or IPEDS; a part a program has no figure for is left out and the rest are rescaled. One program per school; programs not admitting students are left out.
Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix: Sterile Processing Technician Certificate ProgramSterile Processing Technician Certificate Program
83scoreBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Phoenix
Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ, private for-profit) runs this on campus certificate (~9 months). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship, completed fully in person. The school reported 26 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 39~9 months
- Clinical
- 400 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forPima Medical Institute-Phoenix certificate on the school's site
East Valley Institute of Technology: Sterile Processing Technician ProgramSterile Processing Technician Program
53scoreBest for hands-on training near Mesa
East Valley Institute of Technology (Mesa, AZ, public) runs this certificate (600 hours). Clinical: Clinical rotations. The school reported 11 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Instruction
- 600 hr
- Clinical
- Included
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the East Valley Institute of Technology certificate
GateWay Community College: Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Hospital Central Service TechnologyCertificate of Completion (CCL) in Hospital Central Service Technology
50scoreBest for hands-on training near Phoenix
GateWay Community College (Phoenix, AZ, public) runs this certificate (Two terms (suggested course sequence)). Clinical: HCS154 Hospital Central Service Preceptorship (7 credits) with clinical experience in hospital central service areas.
- Credits
- 18
- Clinical
- Included
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the GateWay Community College certificate
Sterile Processing Schools in Arizona, Compared
All 3 sterile processing schools in Arizona, side by side: each school's best score, the credentials it offers, its longest stated clinical placement, its lowest published price and its federal award count.
| School | Best score | Credentials | Clinical | Lowest published cost | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix: official sitePhoenix · Private for-profit | 83 | Certificate | 400 hr | 26 | |
| East Valley Institute of Technology: official siteMesa · Public | 53 | Certificate | Included | 11 | |
| GateWay Community College: official sitePhoenix · Public | 50 | Certificate | Included |
From each school's own pages, reviewed November 2026. Best score: the school's highest-scoring program. Awards from IPEDS 2022-23 (CIP 51.1012) count credit certificates conferred, not graduates; non-credit courses aren't counted. Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Sterile Processing Technician Training in Arizona: Every Program
Arizona has 3 for-credit programs (certificate, diploma or degree). Each row links to the school's own program page.
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Clinical hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix: Sterile Processing Technician Certificate ProgramPhoenix | Certificate | On campus | 39 weeks | 400 | |
| East Valley Institute of Technology: Sterile Processing Technician ProgramMesa | Certificate | 600 hours | Included | ||
| GateWay Community College: Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Hospital Central Service TechnologyPhoenix | Certificate | 18 credits | Included |
From each school's own program page, reviewed November 2026. Cost is the school's published price or its stated rate. Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Online Sterile Processing Technician Programs for Arizona Residents
Online coursework still leads to hands-on hours in a real department: the CRCST requires 400 of them. Check where each program places you for clinicals before you apply.
| Program | Format | Length | Clinical hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishwaukee College: online program pageMalta, IL | Online | 16 weeks | $1,300published total, 2026-27 | |
| Herzing University-Madison: online program pageMadison, WI | Online | 43 weeks | Included | $530per credit, 2026-27 |
| Lehman College: online program pageBronx, NY | Online | 80 hours | Included |
How the Arizona Programs Are Scored
Every Arizona program is scored out of 100 from figures on the school's own pages and federal data. A part a program has no figure for is left out and the others are rescaled, so a missing fact never counts against it.
| Part | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hands-on training | 35 | Clinical hours the program states, measured against the 400 hands-on hours HSPA's CRCST requires. A program at 400 hours or more scores full marks; clinical time without stated hours scores 15 of 35. |
| Certification prep | 25 | 15 points when the program's page names the CRCST or CSPDT exam, and 10 more when the exam fee or a voucher is included. |
| Cost | 25 | The whole-program price the school publishes, ranked against every priced program. Per-credit rates are never multiplied out. |
| Track record | 15 | Awards in the field the school reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2022-23 (IPEDS, CIP 51.1012), on a log scale that reaches full marks at 50. |
Sterile Processing Technician Certification in Arizona
No Arizona law in force requires sterile processing certification, so the requirement comes from employers. Many hospitals hire for, or ask new technicians to earn, HSPA's CRCST (the central service technician credential) or CBSPD's CSPDT. Full CRCST certification needs 400 hands-on hours in a hospital department; you can test first and hold provisional status while you log them.
How the CRCST and its 400 hours work · States that require certification by law
Sterile Processing Technician Salary in Arizona
- bottom tenth
- $35,290
- median
- $46,790
- top tenth
- $60,760
- employed
- 2,320
Arizona's median of $46,790 is below the national median of $47,700. Figures are annual wages for medical equipment preparers (SOC 31-9093), the BLS occupation for sterile processing technicians, OEWS May 2025.
Schools in States Near Arizona
- Central Coast CollegeSalinas, CA · certificate
- Central Sterilization SolutionsCorona, CA · non-credit course
- Concorde Career College-Garden GroveGarden Grove, CA · diploma
- Concorde Career College-North HollywoodNorth Hollywood, CA · diploma
- Aims Community CollegeGreeley, CO · certificate
- Community College of DenverDenver, CO · certificate
- Front Range Community CollegeWestminster, CO · certificate
- Pikes Peak State CollegeColorado Springs, CO · certificate
- College of Southern NevadaLas Vegas, NV · certificate
- Truckee Meadows Community CollegeReno, NV · certificate
- Central New Mexico Community CollegeAlbuquerque, NM · certificate
- Mountainland Technical CollegeLehi, UT · certificate
Sterile Processing Classes Near Arizona Cities
Each city page lists the classes you can attend in person within 50 miles, with the distance, plus online options. The number after a city is how many programs are that close; a city without one shows the closest schools instead.
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Arizona
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Arizona?
Sterile Processing Technician Certificate Program at Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix ranks first with a score of 83 of 100, ahead of East Valley Institute of Technology (53) and GateWay Community College (50). The score weighs hands-on hours, certification prep, published cost and the school's federal track record. How the score works.
How Many Sterile Processing Technician Programs Are in Arizona?
3 at 3 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Phoenix (2) and Mesa (1) have the most.
How Do You Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Arizona?
Finish a training program (3 run in Arizona), log hands-on hours in a hospital, and pass a certification exam: HSPA's CRCST, which needs 400 hands-on hours for full certification, or CBSPD's CSPDT. Arizona has no certification law in force, but many hospitals hire for the CRCST. Every step in order.
Which Arizona Programs Include Clinical Hours?
East Valley Institute of Technology, GateWay Community College and Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix include clinical or practicum time. HSPA's CRCST requires 400 hands-on hours for full certification. How the 400-hour requirement works.
Which Arizona Programs Prepare You for the CRCST?
3 of the 3 name the CRCST on their own pages. The certification program ranking puts those first.
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Arizona?
The median for medical equipment preparers in Arizona is $46,790 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $35,290 and the top tenth $60,760, across 2,320 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can Arizona Residents Train Online?
Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and many programs are hybrid, but the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours happen in a real hospital department. Online program rankings.
More Rankings and Certification Guides
- Best Programs NationwideEvery verified program, scored on hands-on hours, certification prep, cost and track record
- Online and Hybrid RankingsOnline and hybrid programs, and how each one gets you hands-on hours
- Most Affordable RankingsPrograms ranked by the whole-program price each school publishes
- With Externships RankingsPrograms with clinical hours in a hospital sterile processing department
- CRCST CertificationThe 400-hour requirement and the exam
- Certification Requirements by StateWhich states require it by law
- Best Programs in California20 schools
- Best Programs in Colorado5 schools
- Best Programs in Nevada2 schools
- Best Programs in New Mexico1 school
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 3 Arizona schools listed, reviewed November 2026
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23, CIP 51.1012
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Equipment Preparers, state estimates