2027 Rankings · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs?
McHenry County College (Crystal Lake, IL) ranks first, with a score of 87 of 100. 212 sterile processing programs at 204 schools in 38 states fit this ranking, each checked on the school's own site in November 2026. 69 are non-credit courses and 143 are credit certificates, diplomas or degrees. 164 include clinical hours, and 43 state 400 or more, the hands-on total full CRCST certification requires. Where the school publishes a price for the whole program, it runs from $180 to $23,000, with a median of $2,095. 14 programs include the certification exam fee or a voucher.
- programs
- 212
- schools
- 204
- include clinical hours
- 164
- states
- 38
- 400+ clinical hours
- 43
- median length
- 26 wk
- median published cost (85 priced)
- $2,095
Top Picks for Your Situation
| Pick | Program | Score | Published cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | McHenry County College, Crystal Lake: Sterile Processing Technician TrainingNon-credit course · 400 clinical hours | 87 | $1,999 |
| Best for the CRCST's 400 hours | Contra Costa Medical Career College, Antioch: Sterile Processing TechnicianCertificate · 28 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 87 | |
| Lowest published cost | Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville: Central Sterile Processing TechnicianNon-credit course | 47 | $180 |
| Fastest | Massachusetts Bay Community College, Wellesley Hills: Central Processing Technology (CPT) CertificateCertificate · 6 weeks · 100 clinical hours | 60 | |
| Best online or hybrid | Central Coast College, Salinas: Sterile Processing TechnicianCertificate · 32 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 83 |
Each pick links to the program's entry on its state ranking. Score: out of 100, as explained under How Each Program Is Scored.
The 10 Best Sterile Processing Technician 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 sterile processing (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.
McHenry County College: Sterile Processing Technician TrainingSterile Processing Technician Training
87score of 100Best for the CRCST's 400 hours with the exam fee paid near Crystal Lake
McHenry County College (Crystal Lake, IL, public) runs this on campus non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $1,999 for the program. Clinical: Classroom lessons and hands-on clinical labs; after passing the CRCST exam, students complete a 400-hour clinical internship with a preceptor-set schedule.
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $1,999published total
Includes- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
- Textbook
Prepares forMcHenry County College course on the school's site · McHenry County College among Illinois programs
Contra Costa Medical Career College: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
87score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Antioch
Contra Costa Medical Career College (Antioch, CA, private for-profit) runs this certificate (28 weeks). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship. The school reported 104 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 2828 weeks
- Hours
- 744instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the Contra Costa Medical Career College certificate · How Contra Costa Medical Career College ranks in California
Community College of Baltimore County: Central Service Technician, Continuing Education Workforce CertificateCentral Service Technician, Continuing Education Workforce Certificate
86score of 100Best for the CRCST's 400 hours with the exam fee paid near Essex
Community College of Baltimore County (Essex, MD) runs this on campus non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $2,063 for the program. Clinical: Optional Central Service Technician Clinical I-IV (AHL 046-049), 100 hours each, 400 hours in total; not required to complete the program.
- Hours
- 72instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $2,063published total
Includes- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
Prepares forApply or ask about the Community College of Baltimore County course · Maryland ranking: Community College of Baltimore County
Central Coast College: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
83score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Salinas
Central Coast College (Salinas, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid certificate (32 weeks). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship.
- Weeks
- 3232 weeks
- Hours
- 830instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forCentral Coast College's own page for this certificate · Central Coast College among California programs
High Desert Medical College-Bakersfield: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
83score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Bakersfield
High Desert Medical College-Bakersfield (Bakersfield, CA) runs this hybrid certificate (32 weeks). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship. Evening classes are offered.
- Weeks
- 3232 weeks
- Hours
- 830instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forAdmission details for the High Desert Medical College-Bakersfield certificate · How High Desert Medical College-Bakersfield ranks in California
High Desert Medical College-Lancaster: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
83score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Lancaster
High Desert Medical College-Lancaster (Lancaster, CA) runs this hybrid certificate (32 weeks). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship. Evening classes are offered.
- Weeks
- 3232 weeks
- Hours
- 830instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forHigh Desert Medical College-Lancaster certificate on the school's site · California ranking: High Desert Medical College-Lancaster
High Desert Medical College-Temecula: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
83score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Temecula
High Desert Medical College-Temecula (Temecula, CA) runs this hybrid certificate (32 weeks). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship. Evening classes are offered.
- Weeks
- 3232 weeks
- Hours
- 830instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the High Desert Medical College-Temecula certificate · High Desert Medical College-Temecula among California programs
Integrity College of Health: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
83score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Pasadena
Integrity College of Health (Pasadena, CA, private for-profit) runs this hybrid certificate (32 weeks). Clinical: 400-hour clinical externship.
- Weeks
- 3232 weeks
- Hours
- 830instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the Integrity College of Health certificate · How Integrity College of Health ranks in California
JVS Boston: Central Sterile Processing Technician Training ProgramCentral Sterile Processing Technician Training Program
83score of 100Best 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
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forJVS Boston's own page for this course · Massachusetts ranking: JVS Boston
Pikes Peak State College: Sterile Processing Technology CertificateSterile Processing Technology Certificate
83score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Colorado Springs
Pikes Peak State College (Colorado Springs, CO, public) runs this certificate. Clinical: 400 clinical hours through SPI 1081 internship (unpaid) at sites in Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Canon City, Woodland Park or Denver.
- Weeks
- 15
- Credits
- 18
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forAdmission details for the Pikes Peak State College certificate · Pikes Peak State College among Colorado programs
More of the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs: Ranks 11 to 25
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 sterile processing (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.
Lowest-Cost Programs
How this list is ranked: lowest published cost first. Cost is the program total or the single course fee each school publishes for the whole program, read on the school's own site in November 2026; per-credit rates are never multiplied out. Published costs often leave out the certification exam fee, books, uniforms and background checks. One program per school.
Coastal Carolina Community College: Central Sterile Processing TechnicianCentral Sterile Processing Technician
$180published total, 2026-27Best for a low-cost course near Jacksonville
Coastal Carolina Community College (Jacksonville, NC, public) runs this non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $180 for the program (2026-27).
- Cost
- $180published total, 2026-27
Prepares forCoastal Carolina Community College course on the school's site · Coastal Carolina Community College among North Carolina programs
Wake Technical Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (PHM-3002A3)Central Sterile Processing Technician (PHM-3002A3)
$200published total, 2026-27Best for a low-cost course near Raleigh
Wake Technical Community College (Raleigh, NC, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (3 months or less). The school publishes a price of $200 for the program (2026-27).
- Weeks
- 133 months or less
- Hours
- 112instruction
- Cost
- $200published total, 2026-27
Prepares forOfficial page for the Wake Technical Community College course · How Wake Technical Community College ranks in North Carolina
Beaufort County Community College: Central Sterile Preparation Technician-HybridCentral Sterile Preparation Technician-Hybrid
$205.25published total, 2026-27Best for a low-cost course near Washington
Beaufort County Community College (Washington, NC, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (February 2 to April 27, 2027). The school publishes a price of $205.25 for the program (2026-27). Evening classes are offered.
- Hours
- 240instruction
- Cost
- $205.25published total, 2026-27
Prepares forApply or ask about the Beaufort County Community College course · North Carolina ranking: Beaufort County Community College
Durham Technical Community College: Central Sterile Processing (PHM-3002A)Central Sterile Processing (PHM-3002A)
$257.25published totalBest for a low-cost course near Durham
Durham Technical Community College (Durham, NC, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (About 4.5 months (late January or February to June)). The school publishes a price of $257.25 for the program. Clinical: 30 hours of clinical application at an offsite hospital, one day a week (8:30 am-3:30 pm), plus a 4-hour BLS course. Evening classes are offered.
- Weeks
- 19
- Hours
- 216instruction
- Clinical
- 30hours
- Cost
- $257.25published total
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forDurham Technical Community College's own page for this course · Durham Technical Community College among North Carolina programs
Davidson-Davie Community College: Central Sterile ProcessingCentral Sterile Processing
$286.50published total, 2026-27Best for a low-cost course near Thomasville
Davidson-Davie Community College (Thomasville, NC, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (12 weeks). The school publishes a price of $286.50 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: No clinical hours; in-person labs at the Davie Campus, with employer orientation or training after hire. Evening classes are offered. The school reported 6 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 1212 weeks
- Hours
- 180instruction
- Cost
- $286.50published total, 2026-27
Admission details for the Davidson-Davie Community College course · How Davidson-Davie Community College ranks in North Carolina
Vance-Granville Community College: Central Sterile ProcessingCentral Sterile Processing
$322.60published total, 2026Best for a low-cost course near Henderson
Vance-Granville Community College (Henderson, NC, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $322.60 for the program (2026). Evening classes are offered.
- Weeks
- 11
- Cost
- $322.60published total, 2026
Prepares forVance-Granville Community College course on the school's site · North Carolina ranking: Vance-Granville Community College
Guilford Technical Community College: Central Sterile Processing TechnicianCentral Sterile Processing Technician
$328published total, 2026-27Best for a low-cost course near Jamestown
Guilford Technical Community College (Jamestown, NC, public) runs this non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $328 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Clinical or clinical simulation portion; these hours do not count toward the 400 hours required for full CRCST.
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $328published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
- Textbook
Prepares forOfficial page for the Guilford Technical Community College course · Guilford Technical Community College among North Carolina programs
Wilson Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (CSPT)Central Sterile Processing Technician (CSPT)
$348published total, 2026-27Best for a low-cost course near Wilson
Wilson Community College (Wilson, NC, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $348 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: 100 hours of clinical experience in a healthcare setting.
- Clinical
- 100hours
- Cost
- $348published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the Wilson Community College course · How Wilson Community College ranks in North Carolina
Most Clinical Hours: All Programs
How this list is ranked: most hands-on clinical hours first, as each program's own page states them (November 2026). HSPA's CRCST certification requires 400 hours of hands-on experience; programs at 400 or more cover it. Ties go to the lower published cost; one program per school.
Indian River State College: Central Service TechnologyCentral Service Technology
410 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program 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
- Hours
- 650instruction
- Clinical
- 410hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Indian River State College certificate on the school's site · Indian River State College among Florida programs
SOWELA Technical Community College: Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)
405 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program 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).
- Hours
- 660instruction
- Clinical
- 405hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the SOWELA Technical Community College certificate · How SOWELA Technical Community College ranks in Louisiana
Delaware County Community College: Sterile Processing Technician (CAR 2950)Sterile Processing Technician (CAR 2950)
400 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program near Media
Delaware County Community College (Media, PA, public) runs this on campus non-credit course (Wednesdays, January 27 to May 19, 2027). The school publishes a price of $1,295 for the program (Spring 2027). Clinical: 400-hour externship. Evening classes are offered.
- Hours
- 60instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $1,295published total, Spring 2027
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forApply or ask about the Delaware County Community College course · Pennsylvania ranking: Delaware County Community College
McHenry County College: Sterile Processing Technician TrainingSterile Processing Technician Training
400 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program near Crystal Lake
McHenry County College (Crystal Lake, IL, public) runs this on campus non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $1,999 for the program. Clinical: Classroom lessons and hands-on clinical labs; after passing the CRCST exam, students complete a 400-hour clinical internship with a preceptor-set schedule.
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $1,999published total
Includes- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
- Textbook
Prepares forMcHenry County College's own page for this course · McHenry County College among Illinois programs
Community College of Baltimore County: Central Service Technician, Continuing Education Workforce CertificateCentral Service Technician, Continuing Education Workforce Certificate
400 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program near Essex
Community College of Baltimore County (Essex, MD) runs this on campus non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $2,063 for the program. Clinical: Optional Central Service Technician Clinical I-IV (AHL 046-049), 100 hours each, 400 hours in total; not required to complete the program.
- Hours
- 72instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $2,063published total
Includes- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
Prepares forAdmission details for the Community College of Baltimore County course · How Community College of Baltimore County ranks in Maryland
Queensborough Community College (CUNY): Sterile Processing Technician - Hybrid ClassSterile Processing Technician - Hybrid Class
400 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program near Bayside
Queensborough Community College (CUNY) (Bayside, NY, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (Jan; 25 - Feb; 24 online, Mar; 01 - Mar; 10 in-person labs). The school publishes a price of $2,295 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Eligible students may complete a 400-hour externship with Northwell Health. Evening classes are offered.
- Hours
- 80instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $2,295published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forQueensborough Community College course on the school's site · New York ranking: Queensborough Community College
Montgomery County Community College: Sterile Processing Technician (BICEC 1614)Sterile Processing Technician (BICEC 1614)
400 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program near Pottstown
Montgomery County Community College (Pottstown, PA) runs this on campus non-credit course. The school publishes a price of $2,650 for the program. Clinical: 400-hour externship at Pottstown Hospital after the lecture component, scheduled by the instructor.
- Hours
- 432instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $2,650published total
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the Montgomery County Community College course · Montgomery County Community College among Pennsylvania programs
Rowan College at Burlington County: Central Services TechnicianCentral Services Technician
400 hrclinical hours statedBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours inside the program near Mount Laurel
Rowan College at Burlington County (Mount Laurel, NJ, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (March 1 to July 9 class session, plus clinical externship). The school publishes a price of $2,750 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: 400-hour in-person clinical externship at a clinical site, typically 7:30 AM-3:30 PM Monday through Friday, subject to hospital availability. Evening classes are offered.
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $2,750published course fee, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
- Textbook
Prepares forApply or ask about the Rowan College at Burlington County course · How Rowan College at Burlington County ranks in New Jersey
How Each Program Is Scored
Each program gets a score 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 and nothing is guessed. Each ranking lists one program per school and leaves out programs not admitting students.
| 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 | Sterile processing awards 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. |
How Sterile Processing Technician Programs Compare by Type
Every program on this list leads to the same entry-level job, but the three main types get you there differently. Here is how they compare across the 212 programs checked:
| Non-credit course | Credit certificate | Diploma | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programs | 69 | 122 | 20 |
| Median length | 13 weeks | 32 weeks | 22 weeks |
| State 400+ clinical hours | 13 | 28 | 2 |
| Include exam fee or voucher | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Evening classes | 25 | 12 | 1 |
| Published cost range | $180 to $4,850 | $692 to $23,000 | $1,078 to $18,063 |
| Median published cost | $1,810 | $3,739 | $2,891 |
A few patterns stand out. Non-credit courses are where you’ll find evening sections, bundled exam fees and the lowest prices, and they make up most of the 14 programs that include the exam. Credit certificates take longer but are the most likely to build in the full 400 hours. Diplomas come mostly from private career schools and often include some clinical time without reaching 400. One school in the set offers an associate degree.
Credit programs also report to the federal government: IPEDS counted 1,249 sterile processing awards across 71 schools in 2022-23. Non-credit courses don’t appear in those counts, so a low award number at a workforce course says nothing about its size.
Programs That Cover All 400 CRCST Hours
If you’ve never worked in a hospital, the most useful feature a program can have is a placement for HSPA’s 400 hands-on hours. These programs state 400 or more and publish a price:
| Program | Format | Length or hours | Published cost | What the price includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County Community College, PA | Evening classes | 60 class and lab hours plus 400-hour placement | $1,295 | Books and course materials; exam voucher extra |
| McHenry County College, IL | On campus | Classes, then a 400-hour internship after the exam | $1,999 | Textbooks, materials and the CRCST exam fee |
| Montgomery County Community College, PA | On campus | 432 hours, with 400 at Pottstown Hospital | $2,650 | Course cost |
| Rowan College at Burlington County, NJ | Hybrid, evening classes | Class session plus 400-hour placement | $2,750 | Textbook and one exam attempt |
| Bergen Community College, NJ | On campus | 460 hours, 400 of them clinical | $2,950 | Course only; books and exam extra |
| Yakima Valley College, WA | Hybrid | About 6 months, 19 credits | $3,074.45 | Tuition, fees, $140 exam, books and background check |
| Delaware Technical Community College, DE | Hybrid or in person | 200 class hours plus 400 internship hours | $3,595 | Textbooks, screenings, exam fees and the internship |
| Premiere Career College, CA | On campus or hybrid | 800 clock hours, 30 weeks | $12,000 | Tuition, books, uniforms, kit and the test fee |
Two things to notice. First, a community college course that includes 400 hours can cost less than one that includes none. Second, the clinical portion is almost always unpaid and scheduled by the hospital: Bergen’s internship shifts run 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., 3 to 11 p.m. or overnight, and Rowan’s placement typically runs 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. Budget the time, not just the tuition.
Filter All 212 Sterile Processing Programs
Filter by credential, format, clinical hours, exam fee included, certification, schedule and state; tick up to three programs to compare them side by side.
212 programs
- CertificateCRCST prep
Pre-Allied Health Sterile Processing at Aiken Technical College: Cost, Length and Clinical Hours
Aiken Technical College school profile and campuses · Graniteville, SC
- Weeks
- 401 year full time
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $8,000published total, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- Certificate
Sterile Instrument Processing Certificate at Aims Community College: Schedule, Cost and What It Includes
Aims Community College school facts and programs · Greeley, CO
- Credits
- 17
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $2,702published total
- Clinicals
- Non-credit course
Certified Sterile Processing Technician (CSPDT) at Alamo Colleges District: Length, Clinicals and Exam Prep
Alamo Colleges District (Alamo Technical Institute) school profile and campuses · San Antonio, TX
- Weeks
- 225 months
- Hours
- 264instruction
- Clinical
- 112hours
- Cost
- $3,855published total
- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
- CertificateCRCST prep
- CertificateCRCST prep
Sterile Processing Technician at American Institute of Medical Sciences &Amp; Education: Schedule, Cost and What It Includes
American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education (AIMS Education) school facts and programs · Piscataway, NJ
- Weeks
- 4310 months
- Credits
- 26
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Clinicals
- Non-credit courseCRCST prep
Central Sterile Processing Technician at Anne Arundel Community College: Tuition, Hours and Certification
Anne Arundel Community College school facts and programs · Arnold, MD
- Hours
- 84instruction
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $2,050published total
- Clinicals
- Certificate
Sterile Processing Certificate at Anoka Technical College: Tuition, Hours and Certification
Anoka Technical College school facts and programs · Anoka, MN
- Credits
- 28
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $6,442published total, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- Certificate
Central Sterile Supply Processing Technician Advanced TCC (CS91) at Atlanta Technical College: Length, Clinicals and Exam Prep
Atlanta Technical College school profile and campuses · Atlanta, GA
- Credits
- 20
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $4,098published total, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- CertificateCRCST prep
Central Sterile Processing Technology at Atlantic Technical College: Admission, Cost and Length
Atlantic Technical College school facts and programs · Coconut Creek, FL
- Weeks
- 26About 6 months full-time
- Hours
- 650instruction
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $2,236published total
- Clinicals
- CertificateCRCST prep
Central Sterile Supply Processing Tech Basic, Technical Certificate of Credit at Augusta Technical College: Tuition, Hours and Certification
Augusta Technical College school facts and programs · Augusta, GA
- Credits
- 16
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Clinicals
- Non-credit course
Sterile Processing (Certified Sterile Processing Technician) at Austin Community College: Cost, Length and Clinical Hours
Austin Community College sterile processing profile · Austin, TX
- Weeks
- 133 months, about 9 hours per week
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $1,140published total, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- Certificate
Sterile Processing Career and Technical Certificate (CTC) at Baton Rouge Community College: Schedule, Cost and What It Includes
Baton Rouge Community College school facts and programs · Baton Rouge, LA
- Weeks
- 16One semester
- Hours
- 180instruction
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Clinicals
- Non-credit course
Central Sterile Preparation Technician-Hybrid at Beaufort County Community College: Cost, Length and Clinical Hours
Beaufort County Community College school profile and campuses · Washington, NC
- Hours
- 240instruction
- Cost
- $205.25published total, 2026-27
- Non-credit courseCRCST prep
Central Sterile Processing Technician (HH-008) at Bergen Community College: Admission, Cost and Length
Bergen Community College school profile and campuses · Paramus, NJ
- Weeks
- 10
- Hours
- 460instruction
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Cost
- $2,950published course fee, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- CertificateCRCST prep
Sterile Processing Technician Certificate at Berkeley College: Admission, Cost and Length
Berkeley College school facts and programs · Woodland Park, NJ
- Weeks
- 30
- Credits
- 27
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $17,900published total, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
- Textbook
- Certificate
Sterile Processing Technology (Short Term Certificate) at Bevill State Community College: Tuition, Hours and Certification
Bevill State Community College school facts and programs · Sumiton, AL
- Credits
- 22
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Clinicals
- Diploma
Sterile Processing Technician, Technical Diploma at Blackhawk Technical College: Admission, Cost and Length
Blackhawk Technical College school profile and campuses · Janesville, WI
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $1,387published total
- Clinicals
- Certificate
Sterile Processing Technician Program at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College: Tuition, Hours and Certification
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College school profile and campuses · Martinsburg, WV
- Weeks
- 174 months
- Hours
- 80instruction
- Non-credit courseCRCST prep
Central Sterile Processing Program at Borough of Manhattan Community College: Cost, Length and Clinical Hours
Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY) school facts and programs · New York, NY
- Weeks
- 10
- Clinical
- Yesincluded
- Cost
- $1,995published total
- Clinicals
- Non-credit courseCRCST prep
Sterile Processing Technician at Broome-Tioga BOCES: Cost, Length and Clinical Hours
Broome-Tioga BOCES school profile and campuses · Johnson City, NY
- Hours
- 123instruction
- Clinical
- 30hours
- Cost
- $1,810published total, 2026-27
- Clinicals
- Textbook
No programs match these filters.
Program facts come from each school's own pages, reviewed November 2026. Cost is the price the school publishes for the whole program (a total or a single course fee); per-credit rates show as rates. Published prices often leave out the exam fee, books and background checks. Clinical hours, the exam fee and the textbook show as included only where the program's page says so; certification tags show the exams the page names.
Non-Credit Course or Credit Certificate
Choose a non-credit course when you want to start soon, keep costs down, or already have a hospital job where you can log hours. North Carolina’s community colleges show the extreme: Wake Technical Community College charges $200 per section for a 112-hour hybrid course, and Durham Technical Community College charges $257.25 for a 216-contact-hour course with 30 hours of clinical application at an offsite hospital. Neither reaches 400 hours.
Choose a credit certificate when you want college credit that can count later, or when you need financial aid. Pikes Peak State College packs 18 credits and 400 internship hours into one semester. Indian River State College builds 410 clinical hours into a 650-hour, six-month certificate, the most clinical time of any program here. The trade-off is time: the median certificate runs 32 weeks against 13 for a non-credit course.
Coursework Only or Built-in Clinical Hours
Of the 212 programs, 164 include some clinical time, but only 43 state 400 hours or more. The rest fall into three groups.
- Partial hours. Concorde Career College in North Hollywood includes 80 hours toward HSPA’s 400 and says graduates complete the remaining 320 on their own. Alamo Colleges’ course includes 112.
- Optional hours. The Community College of Baltimore County offers four optional 100-hour clinical classes, 400 hours in all, for $752 on top of the $2,063 program series. Queensborough Community College lets eligible students complete 400 hours with Northwell Health after an 80-hour hybrid course.
- No placement. LaGuardia Community College states that the student secures the facility for the 400-hour internship.
A coursework-only program still gets you to certification two ways. You can pass the CRCST and hold provisional status while you log the 400 hours within six months, which suits someone already working in a hospital. Or you can take the CSPDT, which CBSPD opens to anyone who passes a training course with a grade of 70 or higher. The CRCST hours planner shows how long the hours take at your weekly schedule, and the certification guide compares both credentials.
Evening, Weekend and Online Sterile Processing Classes
38 programs run evening classes and 8 run weekend classes. SVSTI in Fremont, California teaches online coursework plus 9 weekends of hands-on lab, then a 240-hour, 6-week placement, for $5,250. Maria College in Albany runs a weekend hybrid certificate over 18 months part-time. Chesapeake College in Maryland runs its 3-month course on evenings and weekends for $2,095.
Online options are mostly hybrid: 68 programs mix online lectures with in-person labs and clinicals, and only 3 are fully online. Kishwaukee College runs a one-semester online course for $1,300 with textbooks and supplies included. Herzing University delivers 300 lecture hours online plus 120 lab hours, at $530 per credit. Whatever the format, the 400 hands-on hours still happen in a real sterile processing department. The online programs list covers every option.
Programs That Include the Certification Exam
Only 14 programs fold the exam fee or a voucher into the price, which saves you $140 for the CRCST or $135 for the CSPDT. Among them:
- Northeast Iowa Community College: about $2,399 for a 2.5-month hybrid course, textbook and CRCST voucher included.
- Temple College in Texas: $2,234 for a 5-month evening course, covering tuition, textbook, the certification exam and the drug test, with 80 clinical hours.
- Kilgore College: $900 for an 8-week session, exam included.
- Community College of Rhode Island: described as free for accepted students, including books and the HSPA CRCST exam fee.
Community College Fees vs Private Career School Totals
The same job can cost $180 or $23,000 to train for. The gap is mostly about what’s bundled and how long you’re enrolled. A community college course usually prices the class alone: Vance-Granville Community College charges $322.60 for an 11-week evening course, book bundle included. A private career school prices a full program: Fortis College in Houston lists $18,063 in tuition and $19,727 in total, including books, a laptop and the $140 exam, for 36 instructional weeks with a 180-hour clinical placement.
What the higher price buys varies. Premiere Career College’s $12,000 includes the full 400 hours; Fortis’s $19,727 includes 180. Compare the clinical hours and the inclusions before the sticker price. The affordable programs list ranks the lowest published prices, and the course cost guide breaks down what each kind of fee covers.
Schools That Publish Their Results
A handful of schools publish exam pass rates, completion or job placement for their own students. These are the schools’ own figures for their own cohorts, not a national comparison.
| Program | What the school reports | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Lorain County Community College, OH | 94.5% CRCST pass rate, 17 attempting; 58.6% completion | 2024-25 |
| Santa Fe College, FL | 22 of 24 graduated; 20 of 22 passed the certification exam | Class of 2025 |
| Nashville State Community College, TN | 100% exam pass rate, 86% retention, 67% placement | 2023 |
| Gwinnett Technical College, GA | 86% central sterile pass rate; 82% average since 2018 | 2018 to 2026 |
| Mountainland Technical College, UT | 73% completion, 100% placement | FY2025 |
| AIMS Education, NJ | 88% retention, 73% job placement among 15 graduates | 2024-25 |
How to Compare Programs Near You
Programs cluster in a few states: California has 20, Texas 17, New York and Florida 15 each, and North Carolina 14. Pay follows a similar map. BLS counts sterile processing technicians as medical equipment preparers, with a national median of $47,700 in May 2025; California’s median was $61,370, Washington’s $58,830 and New York’s $57,320. A program in a higher-paying state can earn back its cost faster, but only if it gets you certified.
Wherever you are, run each option through the same checks:
- Clinical hours stated: 400 or more, fewer, or none. This decides whether you need a hospital to take you on afterward.
- Who arranges the placement: the school, an employer partner, or you.
- The exam it names: CRCST, CSPDT or both, and whether the fee is in the price.
- Class schedule and clinical schedule: evening classes don’t mean evening clinicals.
- The full cost: add books, scrubs, screenings and the exam when they’re extra.
- Published results: pass rates or placement, if the school reports them.
If your state has a certification law, the requirements by state explain who must certify and by when, and the training length guide shows how long each path takes from start to certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Is a Sterile Processing Technician Program?
The median among programs that state a length is 26 weeks. Non-credit courses run shorter, with a median of 13 weeks, and credit certificates longer, with a median of 32. The range runs from 7 weeks at the Los Angeles County College of Nursing and Allied Health to 18 months part-time at Maria College in Albany.
Do Sterile Processing Programs Qualify for Financial Aid?
It depends on the program type. Credit certificates at community and technical colleges can qualify for federal aid, while many non-credit courses don't: the University of Central Missouri says its course is not eligible for federal financial aid. Workforce funding often fills the gap. Delaware Technical Community College's course is WIOA approved, and Chesapeake College points students to EARN Maryland grants.
Is There an Accreditor for Sterile Processing Programs?
No body accredits sterile processing programs the way some allied health fields are accredited. Compare programs on clinical hours, the certification they prepare you for, what the price includes and any results the school publishes.
What Do You Need to Get Into a Sterile Processing Program?
Most programs take beginners. Common requirements are being 18 or older, a background check and a drug screen, and sometimes BLS (CPR) certification: SoCal ROC requires students to be 18 and hold BLS before the clinical portion, and Wilson Community College's $348 in fees includes a $120 background check and drug test.
Can You Train for Endoscope Reprocessing at the Same Time?
At a few schools. Gwinnett Technical College combines central sterile supply processing with endoscope reprocessing and reports an 89% pass rate on the endoscope exam. Chattahoochee Technical College's advanced certificate includes a 5-credit endoscope reprocessing clinical. Two programs in this set prepare you for HSPA's Certified Endoscope Reprocessor exam.
Do Programs Help You Find a Job Afterward?
Some build it in. JVS Boston places students for 400 hours with an employer partner, Martinson College lists placement services through partner hospitals and healthcare facilities, and Central Sterilization Solutions adds career support at its $1,999 Standard level and internship placement at its $2,399 Premium level.
More Sterile Processing Rankings and Guides
- Best Online Sterile Processing Technician ProgramsOnline and hybrid programs, and how each one gets you hands-on hours; 71 programs
- Most Affordable Sterile Processing Technician ProgramsPrograms ranked by the whole-program price each school publishes; 85 programs
- Best Sterile Processing Certification ProgramsPrograms that prepare you for HSPA's CRCST or CBSPD's CSPDT exam; 149 programs
- Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs With ExternshipsPrograms with clinical hours in a hospital sterile processing department; 164 programs
- Best Accelerated Sterile Processing Technician ProgramsPrograms a school says take 16 weeks or less; 43 programs
- Best Sterile Processing Technician CoursesNon-credit workforce courses at colleges and training schools; 69 programs
- Best Community College Sterile Processing ProgramsPrograms at public community and technical colleges; 146 programs
- Best Evening and Weekend Sterile Processing ProgramsPrograms with evening or weekend classes for people who work; 41 programs
- Sterile Processing CertificationThe two national sterile processing certifications, HSPA's CRCST and CBSPD's CSPDT, who can sit each exam and which programs prepare you for them
- How Long Training TakesHow many weeks, instruction hours and clinical hours sterile processing programs take, by credential, from verified program pages
- Course Cost and Financial AidWhat sterile processing courses and certificates cost, from published program prices, what the price leaves out and how to pay for it
- Rankings by StateThe best programs in every state
- All Sterile Processing RankingsEvery ranking on one page
Sources
- Official program, tuition and admissions pages of each school listed, reviewed November 2026
- U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2022-23 completions: sterile processing awards (CIP 51.1012)
- Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA): CRCST certification
- Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD)
- HSPA: CRCST application, hours and exam fees
- CBSPD: SPD technician certification exam (CSPDT)
- BLS OEWS May 2025: Medical Equipment Preparers (31-9093)
- NCES IPEDS: sterile processing awards (CIP 51.1012), 2022-23