Louisiana · Verified November 2026

Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana

What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana?

Southern University at Shreveport in Shreveport ranks first among 5 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Louisiana, with a score of 78 of 100. 5 sterile processing technician programs in Louisiana run at 5 schools, with the most in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Schriever. 4 include clinical hours, and 3 state the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. The lowest published price is $4,202.66 at Fletcher Technical Community College. Medical equipment preparers in Louisiana earn a median of $35,960 a year (BLS, May 2025).

Researched and edited by · Updated

schools in Louisiana
5
programs
5
include clinical hours
4
median published cost
$4,203
median pay (BLS May 2025)
$35,960

Top Picks in Louisiana

PickProgramScore
Best overallSouthern University at Shreveport certificateShreveport · 32 weeks · 400 clinical hours78
Best for the CRCST's 400 hoursSOWELA Technical Community College certificateLake Charles · 405 clinical hours75
Lowest published costFletcher Technical Community College certificateSchriever · 32 weeks · $4,202.66 · 400 clinical hours62

The 5 Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana, 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.

  1. Southern University at Shreveport: Sterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical StudiesSterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical Studies

    78score of 100

    Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Shreveport

    Southern University at Shreveport (Shreveport, LA, public) runs this certificate (Two semesters (fall and spring plan of study)). Clinical: SPDT 210S Central Sterile Processing Department Practicum (10 credits); students log a minimum of 400 hours of central service clinical hands-on experience in hospital operating room suites, instrument rooms and central service departments. The school reported 8 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).

    Weeks
    32
    Credits
    27
    Clinical
    400hours, meets 400
    Includes
    • Clinicals
    Prepares for
    • CRCSTHSPA

    Southern University at Shreveport certificate on the school's site

  2. SOWELA Technical Community College: Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)Sterile Processing Technology (Certificate of Technical Studies)

    75score of 100

    Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours 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 for
    • CRCSTHSPA

    Official page for the SOWELA Technical Community College certificate

  3. Fletcher Technical Community College: Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies)Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies)

    62score of 100

    Best for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Schriever

    Fletcher Technical Community College (Schriever, LA, public) runs this hybrid certificate (Two semesters). The school publishes a price of $4,202.66 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Hospital clinical rotations under a preceptor, beginning late October and continuing through the spring semester; completion of 400 hours of clinical experience is required to graduate. The school reported 6 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).

    Weeks
    32Two semesters
    Credits
    21
    Clinical
    400hours, meets 400
    Cost
    $4,202.66published total, 2026-27
    Includes
    • Clinicals
    Prepares for
    • CRCSTHSPA

    Apply or ask about the Fletcher Technical Community College certificate

  4. Baton Rouge Community College: Sterile Processing Career and Technical Certificate (CTC)Sterile Processing Career and Technical Certificate (CTC)

    55score of 100

    Best for hands-on training near Baton Rouge

    Baton Rouge Community College (Baton Rouge, LA, public) runs this certificate (One semester). Clinical: Practicum portion within HLSC 1204 Sterile Processing Basics. The school reported 20 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).

    Weeks
    16One semester
    Hours
    180instruction
    Clinical
    Yesincluded
    Includes
    • Clinicals
    Prepares for
    • CSPDTCBSPD

    Baton Rouge Community College's own page for this certificate

  5. Delgado Community College: Central Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Technical Studies)Central Sterile Processing Technician (Certificate of Technical Studies)

    25score of 100

    Best for classroom preparation near New Orleans

    Delgado Community College (New Orleans, LA, public) runs this certificate (Two semesters).

    Weeks
    32Two semesters
    Credits
    22
    Prepares for
    • CSPDTCBSPD

    Admission details for the Delgado Community College certificate

Sterile Processing Schools in Louisiana, Compared

SchoolBest scoreCredentialsClinicalLowest published costAwards, 2022-23
Southern University at Shreveport: official siteShreveport · Public78Certificate400 hr8
SOWELA Technical Community College: official siteLake Charles · Public75Certificate405 hr4
Fletcher Technical Community College: official siteSchriever · Public62Certificate400 hr$4,202.666
Baton Rouge Community College: official siteBaton Rouge · Public55CertificateIncluded20
Delgado Community College: official siteNew Orleans · Public25Certificate

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 Sterile Processing Technician Program in Louisiana

Online and Hybrid Options for Louisiana 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 Louisiana.

ProgramFormatLengthClinicalCost
Kishwaukee College course: online program pageMalta, ILOnline16 weeks$1,300published total, 2026-27
Herzing University-Madison diploma: online program pageMadison, WIOnline43 weeksIncluded$530per credit, 2026-27
Lehman College course: online program pageBronx, NYOnline80 hoursIncluded
Fletcher Technical Community College certificate: hybrid program pageSchriever, LAHybrid32 weeks400 hours$4,202.66published total, 2026-27

See the online program rankings

How We Rank Sterile Processing Programs in Louisiana

Every Louisiana 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.

PartWeightWhat it measures
Hands-on training35Clinical 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 prep2515 points when the program's page names the CRCST or CSPDT exam, and 10 more when the exam fee or a voucher is included.
Cost25The whole-program price the school publishes, ranked against every priced program. Per-credit rates are never multiplied out.
Track record15Sterile 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.

Full ranking methodology

Sterile Processing Technician Certification in Louisiana

No Louisiana 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 Louisiana

bottom tenth
$27,880
median
$35,960
top tenth
$50,440
employed
620

Louisiana's median of $35,960 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 Louisiana

Programs Near Louisiana Cities

Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Louisiana

What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Louisiana?

Sterile Processing Technician - Certificate of Technical Studies at Southern University at Shreveport ranks first with a score of 78 of 100, ahead of SOWELA Technical Community College (75) and Fletcher Technical Community College (62). 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 Louisiana Have?

5 at 5 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Baton Rouge (1), New Orleans (1), Schriever (1) and Shreveport (1) have the most.

Which Louisiana Programs Include Clinical Hours?

Baton Rouge Community College, Fletcher Technical Community College, Southern University at Shreveport and SOWELA Technical 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 Louisiana?

Sterile Processing (Certificate of Technical Studies) at Fletcher Technical Community College publishes a price of $4,202.66.

How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Louisiana?

The median for medical equipment preparers in Louisiana is $35,960 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $27,880 and the top tenth $50,440, across 620 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.

Can Louisiana Residents Train Online?

Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and 1 Louisiana program is hybrid, but the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours happen in a real sterile processing department. Online program rankings.

More Sterile Processing Rankings

Sources

  1. Official program pages of the 5 Louisiana schools listed, reviewed November 2026
  2. U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS completions 2022-23, CIP 51.1012
  3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Medical Equipment Preparers, state estimates

Every program on this site was checked on the school's own website in November 2026. Clinical hours, exam prep and fees are shown as each school states them. Certification rules come from HSPA and CBSPD's own pages, and school completions from U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS) data. Sponsored listings are labeled as ads and never change which programs we list or how we rank them. How we verify programs