District of Columbia · Verified November 2026
Sterile Processing Technician Programs for District of Columbia Residents
Where Can District of Columbia Residents Get Sterile Processing Technician Training?
District of Columbia residents train through an online or hybrid program or at a campus in a nearby state. 3 fully online programs are listed below, and the closest campuses are in Maryland and Virginia. Medical equipment preparers in District of Columbia earn a median of $48,670 a year (BLS, May 2025).
Online and Hybrid Options for District of Columbia 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 | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishwaukee College course: online program pageMalta, IL | Online | 16 weeks | $1,300published total, 2026-27 | |
| Herzing University-Madison diploma: online program pageMadison, WI | Online | 43 weeks | Included | $530per credit, 2026-27 |
| Lehman College course: online program pageBronx, NY | Online | 80 hours | Included |
Closest Sterile Processing Schools to District of Columbia
- Anne Arundel Community CollegeArnold, Maryland · non-credit course
- Chesapeake CollegeWye Mills, Maryland · non-credit course
- Community College of Baltimore CountyEssex, Maryland · non-credit course
- Frederick Community CollegeFrederick, Maryland · non-credit course
- Montgomery CollegeTakoma Park, Maryland · non-credit course
- Prince George's Community CollegeLargo, Maryland · non-credit course
- J Sargeant Reynolds Community CollegeRichmond, Virginia · certificate
- Virginia Western Community CollegeRoanoke, Virginia · non-credit course
Sterile Processing Technician Certification in District of Columbia
No District of Columbia 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 sterile processing 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 District of Columbia
- bottom tenth
- $39,190
- median
- $48,670
- top tenth
- $77,820
- employed
- 310
District of Columbia's median of $48,670 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.
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in District of Columbia
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in District of Columbia?
The median for medical equipment preparers in District of Columbia is $48,670 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $39,190 and the top tenth $77,820, across 310 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can District of Columbia 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 sterile processing department. Online program rankings.
More Sterile Processing Rankings
- 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 Maryland6 schools
- Best Programs in Virginia2 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the schools listed, reviewed November 2026
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Equipment Preparers, state estimates