Florida · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Florida
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Florida?
H W Brewster Technical College in Tampa ranks first among 13 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Florida, with a score of 79 of 100. 15 sterile processing technician programs in Florida run at 15 schools, with the most in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami. 9 include clinical hours, and 2 state the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. The lowest published price is $1,898 at Lively Technical College. Sterile processing technicians in Florida earn a median of $45,890 a year (BLS, May 2025, medical equipment preparers).
- schools in Florida
- 15
- programs
- 15
- include clinical hours
- 9
- median published cost
- $2,683
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $45,890
Top Picks in Florida
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | H W Brewster Technical CollegeTampa · Certificate · 30 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 79 |
| Best for the CRCST's 400 hours | Indian River State CollegeFort Pierce · Certificate · 26 weeks · 410 clinical hours | 58 |
| Lowest published cost | Lively Technical CollegeTallahassee · Certificate · $1,898 | 35 |
| Fastest | Tom P. Haney Technical CollegePanama City · Certificate · 20 weeks · $2,683 | 29 |
| Best online or hybrid | Santa Fe CollegeGainesville · Certificate · 32 weeks · $3,203.10 | 45 |
The 10 Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Florida, 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.
H W Brewster Technical College: Central Sterile Processing TechnologyCentral Sterile Processing Technology
79scoreBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Tampa
H W Brewster Technical College (Tampa, FL, public) runs this on campus certificate (7 months). Clinical: 400 hours of hands-on experience (cleaning, wrapping and packaging, tray assembly, sterilization, storage, patient care equipment, case carts, distribution); clinical hours vary. The school reported 11 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 307 months
- Clinical
- 400 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forH W Brewster Technical College certificate on the school's site
Indian River State College: Central Service TechnologyCentral Service Technology
58scoreBest for finishing with full CRCST clinical hours done near Fort Pierce
Indian River State College (Fort Pierce, FL, public) runs this on campus certificate (6 months). Clinical: STS 0013L Central Sterile Processing Clinical, 410 hours.
- Weeks
- 266 months
- Instruction
- 650 hr
- Clinical
- 410 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Official page for the Indian River State College certificate
Atlantic Technical College: Central Sterile Processing TechnologyCentral Sterile Processing Technology
53scoreBest for a published, all-in price near Coconut Creek
Atlantic Technical College (Coconut Creek, FL, public) runs this on campus certificate (About 6 months full-time). The school publishes a price of $2,236 for the program. Clinical: Clinical externship at local hospital and outpatient facilities; externship hours may vary. The school reported 18 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 26About 6 months full-time
- Instruction
- 650 hr
- Clinical
- Included
- Cost
- $2,236published total
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the Atlantic Technical College certificate
Concorde Career Institute-Tampa: Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)
50scoreBest for hands-on training near Tampa
Concorde Career Institute-Tampa (Tampa, FL, private for-profit) runs this diploma (16 instructional weeks; average 5 months full-time). Clinical: CRST1244 Sterile Processing Externship, 80 hours.
- Weeks
- 22
- Instruction
- 216 hr
- Clinical
- 80 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forFlorida State College at Jacksonville: Central Sterile Processing Technologist (T.C.)Central Sterile Processing Technologist (T.C.)
50scoreBest for hands-on training near Jacksonville
Florida State College at Jacksonville (Jacksonville, FL, public) runs this on campus certificate. Clinical: Program outcomes include logging a minimum of 180/400 hours of Central Service Technician clinical hands-on experience.
- Credits
- 30
- Clinical
- Included
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forAdmission details for the Florida State College at Jacksonville certificate
Santa Fe College: Sterile Processing Technology, C.C.C.Sterile Processing Technology, C.C.C.
45scoreBest for hybrid study near Gainesville
Santa Fe College (Gainesville, FL, public) runs this hybrid certificate (Two semesters). The school publishes a price of $3,203.10 for the program. Clinical: Clinical internships at local hospitals (STS 2947, 6 credits); students must be available 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday. The school reported 8 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 32Two semesters
- Credits
- 30
- Clinical
- Included
- Cost
- $3,203.10published total
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forLively Technical College: Central Sterile Processing TechnologyCentral Sterile Processing Technology
35scoreBest for a published, all-in price near Tallahassee
Lively Technical College (Tallahassee, FL, public) runs this on campus certificate (650 clock hours). The school publishes a price of $1,898 for the program (2025-26).
- Instruction
- 650 hr
- Cost
- $1,898published total, 2025-26
Prepares forTom P. Haney Technical College: Central Sterile Processing TechnologyCentral Sterile Processing Technology
29scoreBest for a published, all-in price near Panama City
Tom P. Haney Technical College (Panama City, FL, public) runs this on campus certificate (650 hours / 20 weeks). The school publishes a price of $2,683 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Required off-campus clinicals; the 410-hour Central Sterile Processing Technician course is listed in the catalog as a practicum.
- Weeks
- 20650 hours / 20 weeks
- Instruction
- 650 hr
- Clinical
- Included
- Cost
- $2,683published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Apply or ask about the Tom P. Haney Technical College certificate
Concorde Career Institute-Jacksonville: Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)
25scoreBest for classroom preparation near Jacksonville
Concorde Career Institute-Jacksonville (Jacksonville, FL, private for-profit) runs this diploma.
Prepares forConcorde Career Institute-Jacksonville's own page for this diploma
Concorde Career Institute-Miramar: Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)
25scoreBest for classroom preparation near Miramar
Concorde Career Institute-Miramar (Miramar, FL, private for-profit) runs this diploma.
Prepares forAdmission details for the Concorde Career Institute-Miramar diploma
More Florida Sterile Processing Schools: Ranks 11 to 13
How this list is ranked: the same score as the ranking above, continued.
| Rank | Program | Score | Length | Clinical | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Concorde Career Institute-Orlando: Sterile Processing Technician (Diploma)Orlando, FL | 25 | |||
| 12 | Miami Dade College: Central Sterile Processing Technician Career Technical CertificateMiami, FL | 25 | 35 weeks | Included | |
| 13 | Lindsey Hopkins Technical College: Central Sterile Processing TechnologyMiami, FL | 6 | 650 hours | $2.56 |
Sterile Processing Schools in Florida, Compared
All 15 sterile processing schools in Florida, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H W Brewster Technical College: official siteTampa · Public | 79 | Certificate | 400 hr | 11 | |
| Indian River State College: official siteFort Pierce · Public | 58 | Certificate | 410 hr | ||
| Atlantic Technical College: official siteCoconut Creek · Public | 53 | Certificate | Included | $2,236 | 18 |
| Concorde Career Institute-Tampa: official siteTampa · Private for-profit | 50 | Diploma | 80 hr | ||
| Florida State College at Jacksonville: official siteJacksonville · Public | 50 | Certificate | Included | ||
| Santa Fe College: official siteGainesville · Public | 45 | Certificate | Included | $3,203.10 | 8 |
| Lively Technical College: official siteTallahassee · Public | 35 | Certificate | $1,898 | ||
| Tom P. Haney Technical College: official sitePanama City · Public | 29 | Certificate | Included | $2,683 | |
| Eastern Florida State College: official siteMelbourne · Public | 28 | Certificate | Included | $6,656 | 15 |
| Concorde Career Institute-Jacksonville: official siteJacksonville · Private for-profit | 25 | Diploma | |||
| Concorde Career Institute-Miramar: official siteMiramar · Private for-profit | 25 | Diploma | |||
| Concorde Career Institute-Orlando: official siteOrlando · Private for-profit | 25 | Diploma | |||
| Miami Dade College: official siteMiami · Public | 25 | Certificate | Included | ||
| Lindsey Hopkins Technical College: official siteMiami · Public | 6 | Certificate | 2 | ||
| Pensacola State College: official sitePensacola · Public | 0 | Certificate |
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 Florida: Every Program
Florida has 15 for-credit programs (certificate, diploma or degree); 2 offer evening or weekend classes, and 2 are hybrid. Each row links to the school's own program page.
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 Florida Residents
Online coursework still leads to hands-on hours in a real department: the CRCST requires 400 of them. Hybrid programs here hold labs or clinicals in Florida.
| 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 | |
| Eastern Florida State College: hybrid program pageMelbourne, FL | Hybrid | 30 credits | Included | $6,656published total, 2025 |
| Santa Fe College: hybrid program pageGainesville, FL | Hybrid | 32 weeks | Included | $3,203.10published total |
How the Florida Programs Are Scored
Every Florida 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 Florida
No Florida 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 Florida
- bottom tenth
- $35,630
- median
- $45,890
- top tenth
- $62,000
- employed
- 5,250
Florida's median of $45,890 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 Florida
- Bevill State Community CollegeSumiton, AL · certificate
- Jefferson State Community CollegeBirmingham, AL · non-credit course
- Albany Technical CollegeAlbany, GA · certificate
- Atlanta Technical CollegeAtlanta, GA · certificate
- Augusta Technical CollegeAugusta, GA · certificate
- Chattahoochee Technical CollegeMarietta, GA · certificate
Sterile Processing Classes Near Florida 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.
- Auburndale 3
- Boca Raton 4
- Bradenton 2
- Brandon 2
- Cape Coral
- Clearwater 2
- Coconut Creek 4
- Crestview 1
- Crystal River
- Deerfield Beach 4
- DeLand 1
- Deltona 1
- Doral 4
- Fort Lauderdale 4
- Fort Myers
- Fort Pierce 1
- Fort Walton Beach 1
- Gainesville 1
- Heathrow 1
- Holiday 2
- Jacksonville 2
- Kendall 4
- Key West
- Kissimmee 2
- Lake Mary 1
- Lakeland 2
- Lehigh Acres
- Lutz 2
- Margate 4
- Melbourne 1
- Miami 4
- Milton 1
- Miramar 4
- Naples
- New Port Richey 2
- New Port Richey East 2
- Oakland Park 4
- Oldsmar 2
- Orange Park 2
- Orlando 2
- Orlovista 1
- Oviedo 2
- Palm Bay 2
- Panama City 1
- Pembroke Pines 4
- Pensacola 1
- Pine Hills 1
- Pompano Beach 4
- Port St. Lucie 1
- Riverview 2
- Sarasota 2
- Sebring
- South Miami Heights 4
- Spring Hill 2
- St. Augustine 2
- St. Cloud 2
- St. Petersburg 2
- Tallahassee 3
- Tampa 2
- Valrico 2
- Vero Beach 2
- Wesley Chapel 2
- West Palm Beach 2
- Yulee 2
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Florida
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Florida?
Central Sterile Processing Technology at H W Brewster Technical College ranks first with a score of 79 of 100, ahead of Indian River State College (58) and Atlantic Technical College (53). 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 Florida?
15 at 15 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Jacksonville (2), Tampa (2), Miami (2) and Coconut Creek (1) have the most.
How Do You Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Florida?
Finish a training program (15 run in Florida), 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. Florida has no certification law in force, but many hospitals hire for the CRCST. Every step in order.
How Long Is Sterile Processing Training in Florida?
From 20 to 35 weeks among the 8 Florida programs that state a length, with a median of 26 weeks. Clinical hours can add time when they come after the classroom part.
Which Florida Programs Include Clinical Hours?
Atlantic Technical College, Concorde Career Institute-Tampa, Eastern Florida State College, Florida State College at Jacksonville, H W Brewster Technical College and Indian River State College and others include clinical or practicum time. HSPA's CRCST requires 400 hands-on hours for full certification. How the 400-hour requirement works.
How Much Does Training Cost in Florida?
Among the 5 Florida programs that publish a price for the whole program, cost runs from $1,898 to $6,656, with a median of $2,683.
Which Florida Programs Prepare You for the CRCST?
9 of the 15 name the CRCST on their own pages. The certification program ranking puts those first.
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Florida?
The median for medical equipment preparers in Florida is $45,890 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $35,630 and the top tenth $62,000, across 5,250 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can Florida Residents Train Online?
Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and 2 Florida 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 Alabama2 schools
- Best Programs in Georgia10 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 15 Florida 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