Massachusetts · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Massachusetts
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Massachusetts?
JVS Boston in Boston ranks first among 4 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Massachusetts, with a score of 83 of 100. 4 sterile processing technician programs in Massachusetts run at 4 schools, with the most in Boston, Wellesley Hills and Danvers. 4 include clinical hours, and 1 states the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. The lowest published price is $2,499 at North Shore Community College. Sterile processing technicians in Massachusetts earn a median of $58,580 a year (BLS, May 2025, medical equipment preparers).
- schools in Massachusetts
- 4
- programs
- 4
- include clinical hours
- 4
- median published cost
- $2,499
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $58,580
Top Picks in Massachusetts
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | JVS BostonBoston · Non-credit course · 12 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 83 |
| Lowest published cost | North Shore Community CollegeDanvers · Non-credit course · $2,499 | 48 |
| Fastest | Massachusetts Bay Community CollegeWellesley Hills · Certificate · 6 weeks · 100 clinical hours | 60 |
The 4 Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Massachusetts, 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.
JVS Boston: Central Sterile Processing Technician Training ProgramCentral Sterile Processing Technician Training Program
83scoreBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Boston
JVS Boston (Boston, MA) runs this hybrid non-credit course (12 weeks, full-time). Clinical: Week 1 in person; weeks 2-12 remote over Zoom with 10 hours a week of hands-on training in a hospital CSP lab every Wednesday, then 400 externship hours with an employer partner.
- Weeks
- 1212 weeks, full-time
- Clinical
- 400 hr
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forMassachusetts Bay Community College: Central Processing Technology (CPT) CertificateCentral Processing Technology (CPT) Certificate
60scoreBest for training around a job near Wellesley Hills
Massachusetts Bay Community College (Wellesley Hills, MA, public) runs this on campus certificate. Clinical: 100-hour clinical practicum at Boston-area hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers, at least three sessions a week, day or evening. Evening classes are offered. The school reported 62 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 6
- Credits
- 4
- Clinical
- 100 hr
- Cost
- $256per credit, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the Massachusetts Bay Community College certificate
Bunker Hill Community College: Central Processing CertificateCentral Processing Certificate
50scoreBest for training around a job near Boston
Bunker Hill Community College (Boston, MA, public) runs this on campus certificate (Two semesters, part-time). Clinical: Clinical courses SGT-109A Central Processing I Clinical, SGT-110A Central Processing II Clinical and SGT-111 Central Processing Clinical (2 credits each). Evening classes are offered.
- Weeks
- 32Two semesters, part-time
- Credits
- 19
- Clinical
- Included
- Cost
- $289per credit, Spring 2027
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the Bunker Hill Community College certificate
North Shore Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (HEA104)Central Sterile Processing Technician (HEA104)
48scoreBest for hybrid study near Danvers
North Shore Community College (Danvers, MA, public) runs this on campus and hybrid non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $2,499 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Hands-on clinical experience in a sterile processing department; placements in the North Shore (MA) service area, scheduled by site availability. Evening classes are offered.
- Clinical
- Included
- Cost
- $2,499published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
- Textbook
Prepares for
Sterile Processing Schools in Massachusetts, Compared
All 4 sterile processing schools in Massachusetts, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JVS Boston: official siteBoston | 83 | Non-credit course | 400 hr | ||
| Massachusetts Bay Community College: official siteWellesley Hills · Public | 60 | Certificate | 100 hr | 62 | |
| Bunker Hill Community College: official siteBoston · Public | 50 | Certificate | Included | ||
| North Shore Community College: official siteDanvers · Public | 48 | Non-credit course | Included | $2,499 |
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 Massachusetts: Every Program
Massachusetts has 2 for-credit programs (certificate, diploma or degree) and 2 non-credit courses; 3 offer evening or weekend classes, and 2 are hybrid. Each row links to the school's own program page.
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Clinical hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JVS Boston: Central Sterile Processing Technician Training ProgramBoston | Non-credit course | Hybrid | 12 weeks | 400 | |
| Massachusetts Bay Community College: Central Processing Technology (CPT) CertificateWellesley Hills | Certificate | On campus, Evening | 6 weeks | 100 | $256per credit, 2026-27 |
| Bunker Hill Community College: Central Processing CertificateBoston | Certificate | On campus, Evening | 32 weeks | Included | $289per credit, Spring 2027 |
| North Shore Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (HEA104)Danvers | Non-credit course | On campus, Hybrid, Evening | Included | $2,499published total, 2026-27 |
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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts.
| 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 | |
| JVS Boston: hybrid program pageBoston, MA | Hybrid | 12 weeks | 400 | |
| North Shore Community College: hybrid program pageDanvers, MA | Hybrid | Included | $2,499published total, 2026-27 |
How the Massachusetts Programs Are Scored
Every Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
No Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
- bottom tenth
- $40,980
- median
- $58,580
- top tenth
- $77,130
- employed
- 1,900
Massachusetts's median of $58,580 is above 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 Massachusetts
- Connecticut State Community CollegeNew Britain, CT · non-credit course
- Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY)New York, NY · non-credit course
- Broome-Tioga BOCESJohnson City, NY · non-credit course
- Capital Region BOCESAlbany, NY · non-credit course
- Corning Community College (SUNY Corning)Corning, NY · non-credit course
- Community College of Rhode IslandWarwick, RI · non-credit course
Sterile Processing Classes Near Massachusetts 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.
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Massachusetts
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Massachusetts?
Central Sterile Processing Technician Training Program at JVS Boston ranks first with a score of 83 of 100, ahead of Massachusetts Bay Community College (60) and Bunker Hill 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 Massachusetts?
4 at 4 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Boston (2), Wellesley Hills (1) and Danvers (1) have the most.
How Do You Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Massachusetts?
Finish a training program (4 run in Massachusetts), 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. Massachusetts has no certification law in force, but many hospitals hire for the CRCST. Every step in order.
How Long Is Sterile Processing Training in Massachusetts?
From 6 to 32 weeks among the 3 Massachusetts programs that state a length, with a median of 12 weeks. Clinical hours can add time when they come after the classroom part.
Which Massachusetts Programs Include Clinical Hours?
Bunker Hill Community College, JVS Boston, Massachusetts Bay Community College and North Shore 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 Massachusetts?
Central Sterile Processing Technician (HEA104) at North Shore Community College publishes a price of $2,499.
Which Massachusetts Programs Prepare You for the CRCST?
3 of the 4 name the CRCST on their own pages. The certification program ranking puts those first.
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Massachusetts?
The median for medical equipment preparers in Massachusetts is $58,580 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $40,980 and the top tenth $77,130, across 1,900 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can Massachusetts Residents Train Online?
Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and 2 Massachusetts 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 Connecticut1 school
- Best Programs in New York14 schools
- Best Programs in Rhode Island1 school
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 4 Massachusetts 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