Louisiana · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana?
Southern University at Shreveport in Shreveport ranks first among 5 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Louisiana, with a score of 78 of 100. 5 sterile processing technician programs in Louisiana run at 5 schools, with the most in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Schriever. 4 include clinical hours, and 3 state the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. The lowest published price is $4,202.66 at Fletcher Technical Community College. Sterile processing technicians in Louisiana earn a median of $35,960 a year (BLS, May 2025, medical equipment preparers).
- schools in Louisiana
- 5
- programs
- 5
- include clinical hours
- 4
- median published cost
- $4,203
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $35,960
Top Picks in Louisiana
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Southern University at ShreveportShreveport · Certificate · 32 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 78 |
| Best for the CRCST's 400 hours | SOWELA Technical Community CollegeLake Charles · Certificate · 405 clinical hours | 75 |
| Lowest published cost | Fletcher Technical Community CollegeSchriever · Certificate · 32 weeks · $4,202.66 · 400 clinical hours | 62 |
The 5 Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana, 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.
Southern University at Shreveport: Sterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical StudiesSterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical Studies
78scoreBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Shreveport
Southern University at Shreveport (Shreveport, LA, public) runs this certificate (Two semesters (fall and spring plan of study)). Clinical: SPDT 210S Central Sterile Processing Department Practicum (10 credits); students log a minimum of 400 hours of central service clinical hands-on experience in hospital operating room suites, instrument rooms and central service departments. The school reported 8 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 32
- Credits
- 27
- Clinical
- 400 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forSouthern University at Shreveport certificate on the school's site
SOWELA Technical Community College: Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)
75scoreBest for finishing with full CRCST clinical hours done near Lake Charles
SOWELA Technical Community College (Lake Charles, LA, public) runs this on campus certificate. Clinical: STPR 2106 Sterile Processing Practicum, 9 credit hours / 405 contact hours at clinical sites throughout Southwest Louisiana. The school reported 4 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Instruction
- 660 hr
- Clinical
- 405 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the SOWELA Technical Community College certificate
Fletcher Technical Community College: Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies)Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies)
62scoreBest for hospital clinicals long enough for full certification near Schriever
Fletcher Technical Community College (Schriever, LA, public) runs this hybrid certificate (Two semesters). The school publishes a price of $4,202.66 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Hospital clinical rotations under a preceptor, beginning late October and continuing through the spring semester; completion of 400 hours of clinical experience is required to graduate. The school reported 6 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 32Two semesters
- Credits
- 21
- Clinical
- 400 hr
- Cost
- $4,202.66published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the Fletcher Technical Community College certificate
Baton Rouge Community College: Sterile Processing Career and Technical Certificate (CTC)Sterile Processing Career and Technical Certificate (CTC)
55scoreBest for hands-on training near Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge Community College (Baton Rouge, LA, public) runs this certificate (One semester). Clinical: Practicum portion within HLSC 1204 Sterile Processing Basics. The school reported 20 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 16One semester
- Instruction
- 180 hr
- Clinical
- Included
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forBaton Rouge Community College's own page for this certificate
Delgado Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Technical Studies)Central Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Technical Studies)
25scoreBest for classroom preparation near New Orleans
Delgado Community College (New Orleans, LA, public) runs this certificate (Two semesters).
- Weeks
- 32Two semesters
- Credits
- 22
Prepares forAdmission details for the Delgado Community College certificate
Sterile Processing Schools in Louisiana, Compared
All 5 sterile processing schools in Louisiana, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern University at Shreveport: official siteShreveport · Public | 78 | Certificate | 400 hr | 8 | |
| SOWELA Technical Community College: official siteLake Charles · Public | 75 | Certificate | 405 hr | 4 | |
| Fletcher Technical Community College: official siteSchriever · Public | 62 | Certificate | 400 hr | $4,202.66 | 6 |
| Baton Rouge Community College: official siteBaton Rouge · Public | 55 | Certificate | Included | 20 | |
| Delgado Community College: official siteNew Orleans · Public | 25 | 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 Louisiana: Every Program
Louisiana has 5 for-credit programs (certificate, diploma or degree), and 1 is hybrid. Each row links to the school's own program page.
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Clinical hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern University at Shreveport: Sterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical StudiesShreveport | Certificate | 32 weeks | 400 | ||
| SOWELA Technical Community College: Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)Lake Charles | Certificate | On campus | 660 hours | 405 | |
| Fletcher Technical Community College: Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies)Schriever | Certificate | Hybrid | 32 weeks | 400 | $4,202.66published total, 2026-27 |
| Baton Rouge Community College: Sterile Processing Career and Technical Certificate (CTC)Baton Rouge | Certificate | 16 weeks | Included | ||
| Delgado Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Technical Studies)New Orleans | Certificate | 32 weeks |
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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana.
| 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 | |
| Fletcher Technical Community College: hybrid program pageSchriever, LA | Hybrid | 32 weeks | 400 | $4,202.66published total, 2026-27 |
How the Louisiana Programs Are Scored
Every Louisiana 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 Louisiana
No Louisiana 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 Louisiana
- bottom tenth
- $27,880
- median
- $35,960
- top tenth
- $50,440
- employed
- 620
Louisiana's median of $35,960 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 Louisiana
Sterile Processing Classes Near Louisiana 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 Louisiana
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Louisiana?
Sterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical Studies at Southern University at Shreveport ranks first with a score of 78 of 100, ahead of SOWELA Technical Community College (75) and Fletcher Technical Community College (62). 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 Louisiana?
5 at 5 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Baton Rouge (1), New Orleans (1), Schriever (1) and Shreveport (1) have the most.
How Do You Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Louisiana?
Finish a training program (5 run in Louisiana), 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. Louisiana has no certification law in force, but many hospitals hire for the CRCST. Every step in order.
How Long Is Sterile Processing Training in Louisiana?
From 16 to 32 weeks among the 4 Louisiana programs that state a length, with a median of 32 weeks. Clinical hours can add time when they come after the classroom part.
Which Louisiana Programs Include Clinical Hours?
Baton Rouge Community College, Fletcher Technical Community College, Southern University at Shreveport and SOWELA Technical Community College 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 Louisiana?
Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies) at Fletcher Technical Community College publishes a price of $4,202.66.
Which Louisiana Programs Prepare You for the CRCST?
3 of the 5 name the CRCST on their own pages. The certification program ranking puts those first.
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Louisiana?
The median for medical equipment preparers in Louisiana is $35,960 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $27,880 and the top tenth $50,440, across 620 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can Louisiana Residents Train Online?
Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and 1 Louisiana program is 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 Texas15 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 5 Louisiana 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