Rhode Island · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Rhode Island
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Rhode Island?
Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick ranks first among 1 school offering sterile processing technician programs in Rhode Island, with a score of 42 of 100. One sterile processing technician program in Rhode Island runs at 1 school in Warwick. Medical equipment preparers in Rhode Island earn a median of $51,460 a year (BLS, May 2025).
- schools in Rhode Island
- 1
- programs
- 1
- include clinical hours
- 0
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $51,460
Top Picks in Rhode Island
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Community College of Rhode Island courseWarwick · 15 weeks | 42 |
Rhode Island 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.
Community College of Rhode Island: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
42score of 100Best for having the certification exam paid for near Warwick
Community College of Rhode Island (Warwick, RI, public) runs this non-credit course (15 weeks).
- Weeks
- 1515 weeks
Includes- Exam voucher
- Textbook
Prepares forCommunity College of Rhode Island course on the school's site
Sterile Processing Schools in Rhode Island, Compared
| School | Best score | Credentials | Clinical | Lowest published cost | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community College of Rhode Island: official siteWarwick · Public | 42 | Non-credit course |
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 Rhode Island
- Non-credit courseCRCST prep
Sterile Processing Technician at Community College of Rhode Island: Admission, Cost and Length
Community College of Rhode Island school profile and campuses · Warwick
- Weeks
- 1515 weeks
- Exam voucher
- Textbook
Online and Hybrid Options for Rhode Island 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 |
How We Rank Sterile Processing Programs in Rhode Island
Every Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island
No Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island
- bottom tenth
- $39,940
- median
- $51,460
- top tenth
- $62,500
- employed
- 190
Rhode Island's median of $51,460 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 Rhode Island
Programs Near Rhode Island Cities
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Rhode Island
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Rhode Island?
Sterile Processing Technician at Community College of Rhode Island ranks first with a score of 42 of 100. 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 Rhode Island Have?
1 at 1 school, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Warwick (1) has the most.
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Rhode Island?
The median for medical equipment preparers in Rhode Island is $51,460 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $39,940 and the top tenth $62,500, across 190 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can Rhode Island 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 Connecticut1 school
- Best Programs in Massachusetts4 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 1 Rhode Island school 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