Nevada · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Nevada
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Nevada?
College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas ranks first among 2 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Nevada, with a score of 81 of 100. 2 sterile processing technician programs in Nevada run at 2 schools, with the most in Las Vegas and Reno. 2 include clinical hours, and 2 state the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. Medical equipment preparers in Nevada earn a median of $46,640 a year (BLS, May 2025).
- schools in Nevada
- 2
- programs
- 2
- include clinical hours
- 2
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $46,640
Top Picks in Nevada
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | College of Southern Nevada certificateLas Vegas · 400 clinical hours | 81 |
| Best for the CRCST's 400 hours | Truckee Meadows Community College certificateReno · 16 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 75 |
Nevada Sterile Processing 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.
College of Southern Nevada: Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Completion)Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Completion)
81score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Las Vegas
College of Southern Nevada (Las Vegas, NV, public) runs this hybrid certificate. Clinical: 400 hours in the clinical setting. The school reported 15 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Credits
- 9
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forTruckee Meadows Community College: Sterile Processing Technician, Skills CertificateSterile Processing Technician, Skills Certificate
75score of 100Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Reno
Truckee Meadows Community College (Reno, NV, public) runs this hybrid certificate (One semester of online coursework plus clinical practice). Clinical: 400 hours in the clinical setting. The school reported 4 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).
- Weeks
- 16
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forOfficial page for the Truckee Meadows Community College certificate
Sterile Processing Schools in Nevada, Compared
| School | Best score | Credentials | Clinical | Lowest published cost | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| College of Southern Nevada: official siteLas Vegas · Public | 81 | Certificate | 400 hr | 15 | |
| Truckee Meadows Community College: official siteReno · Public | 75 | Certificate | 400 hr | 4 |
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.
Every Program in Nevada
- CertificateCRCST prep
Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Completion) at College of Southern Nevada: Admission, Cost and Length
College of Southern Nevada school profile and campuses · Las Vegas
- Credits
- 9
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Clinicals
- CertificateCRCST prep
Sterile Processing Technician, Skills Certificate at Truckee Meadows Community College: Admission, Cost and Length
Truckee Meadows Community College school profile and campuses · Reno
- Weeks
- 16
- Clinical
- 400hours, meets 400
- Clinicals
Online and Hybrid Options for Nevada 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 Nevada.
| 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 | |
| College of Southern Nevada certificate: hybrid program pageLas Vegas, NV | Hybrid | 9 credits | 400 hours | |
| Truckee Meadows Community College certificate: hybrid program pageReno, NV | Hybrid | 16 weeks | 400 hours |
How We Rank Sterile Processing Programs in Nevada
Every Nevada 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 | 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. |
Sterile Processing Technician Certification in Nevada
No Nevada 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 Nevada
- bottom tenth
- $38,450
- median
- $46,640
- top tenth
- $60,890
- employed
- 510
Nevada's median of $46,640 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 Nevada
- East Valley Institute of TechnologyMesa, AZ · certificate
- GateWay Community CollegePhoenix, AZ · certificate
- Pima Medical Institute-PhoenixPhoenix, AZ · certificate
- Central Coast CollegeSalinas, CA · certificate
- Central Sterilization SolutionsCorona, CA · non-credit course
- Concorde Career College-Garden GroveGarden Grove, CA · diploma
- Concorde Career College-North HollywoodNorth Hollywood, CA · diploma
- College of Southern IdahoTwin Falls, ID · certificate
- Concorde Career College-PortlandPortland, OR · diploma
- Portland Community CollegePortland, OR · non-credit course
- Mountainland Technical CollegeLehi, UT · certificate
Programs Near Nevada Cities
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Nevada
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Nevada?
Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Completion) at College of Southern Nevada ranks first with a score of 81 of 100, ahead of Truckee Meadows Community College (75). The score weighs hands-on hours, certification prep, published cost and the school's federal track record. How the score works.
How Many Training Programs Does Nevada Have?
2 at 2 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Las Vegas (1) and Reno (1) have the most.
Which Nevada Programs Include Clinical Hours?
College of Southern Nevada and Truckee Meadows 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 Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Nevada?
The median for medical equipment preparers in Nevada is $46,640 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $38,450 and the top tenth $60,890, across 510 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can Nevada Residents Train Online?
Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and 2 Nevada 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 Arizona3 schools
- Best Programs in California20 schools
- Best Programs in Idaho1 school
- Best Programs in Oregon2 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 2 Nevada 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