South Carolina · Verified November 2026
Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in South Carolina
What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in South Carolina?
Aiken Technical College in Graniteville ranks first among 5 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in South Carolina, with a score of 61 of 100. 6 sterile processing technician programs in South Carolina run at 6 schools, with the most in Graniteville, Florence and Greenville. 3 include clinical hours, and 1 states the 400 hands-on hours that HSPA's CRCST, the central service technician certification, requires. The lowest published price is $4,850 at Piedmont Technical College. Sterile processing technicians in South Carolina earn a median of $42,510 a year (BLS, May 2025, medical equipment preparers).
- schools in South Carolina
- 6
- programs
- 6
- include clinical hours
- 3
- median published cost
- $4,850
- median pay (BLS May 2025)
- $42,510
Top Picks in South Carolina
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Aiken Technical CollegeGraniteville · Certificate · 40 weeks · $8,000 · 400 clinical hours | 61 |
| Lowest published cost | Piedmont Technical CollegeGreenwood · Non-credit course · 15 weeks · $4,850 | 39 |
| Fastest | Midlands Technical CollegeColumbia · Non-credit course · 39 weeks | 0 |
The 5 Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in South Carolina, 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 the field (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.
Aiken Technical College: Pre-Allied Health Sterile ProcessingPre-Allied Health Sterile Processing
61scoreBest for covering the CRCST's 400 hands-on hours near Graniteville
Aiken Technical College (Graniteville, SC, public) runs this on campus certificate (1 year full time). The school publishes a price of $8,000 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: 400 hours of hands-on clinical training in the spring and summer semesters, two days per week, at off-campus healthcare facilities.
- Weeks
- 401 year full time
- Clinical
- 400 hr
- Cost
- $8,000published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forPiedmont Technical College: CRCST Sterile Processing TechCRCST Sterile Processing Tech
39scoreBest for a published, all-in price near Greenwood
Piedmont Technical College (Greenwood, SC, public) runs this on campus non-credit course (About 15 weeks (e.g; January 25 to May 7, 2027)). The school publishes a price of $4,850 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Classroom, lab and clinical requirements.
- Weeks
- 15
- Clinical
- Included
- Cost
- $4,850published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forFlorence-Darlington Technical College: Sterile Processing TechnicianSterile Processing Technician
25scoreBest for classroom preparation near Florence
Florence-Darlington Technical College (Florence, SC, public) runs this non-credit course.
Prepares forApply or ask about the Florence-Darlington Technical College course
Midlands Technical College: Sterile Processing Technician Training CertificateSterile Processing Technician Training Certificate
0scoreBest for classroom preparation near Columbia
Midlands Technical College (Columbia, SC) runs this on campus non-credit course (Nine months).
- Weeks
- 39Nine months
- Cost
- $995per course, 2026-27
Trident Technical College: Sterile Processing Technician (SPT) ProgramSterile Processing Technician (SPT) Program
0scoreBest for classroom preparation near Charleston
Trident Technical College (Charleston, SC, public) runs this non-credit course.
Sterile Processing Schools in South Carolina, Compared
All 6 sterile processing schools in South Carolina, side by side: each school's best score, the credentials it offers, its longest stated clinical placement, its lowest published price and its federal award count.
| School | Best score | Credentials | Clinical | Lowest published cost | Awards, 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken Technical College: official siteGraniteville · Public | 61 | Certificate | 400 hr | $8,000 | |
| Piedmont Technical College: official siteGreenwood · Public | 39 | Non-credit course | Included | $4,850 | |
| Greenville Technical College: official siteGreenville · Public | 35 | Certificate | 60 hr | 17 | |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College: official siteFlorence · Public | 25 | Non-credit course | |||
| Midlands Technical College: official siteColumbia | 0 | Non-credit course | |||
| Trident Technical College: official siteCharleston · Public | 0 | 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.
Sterile Processing Technician Training in South Carolina: Every Program
South Carolina has 2 for-credit programs (certificate, diploma or degree) and 4 non-credit courses. Each row links to the school's own program page.
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Clinical hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken Technical College: Pre-Allied Health Sterile ProcessingGraniteville | Certificate | On campus | 40 weeks | 400 | $8,000published total, 2026-27 |
| Piedmont Technical College: CRCST Sterile Processing TechGreenwood | Non-credit course | On campus | 15 weeks | Included | $4,850published total, 2026-27 |
| Greenville Technical College: Sterile Processing Technology Certificate in Applied ScienceGreenville | Certificate | On campus | 60 | ||
| Florence-Darlington Technical College: Sterile Processing TechnicianFlorence | Non-credit course | ||||
| Midlands Technical College: Sterile Processing Technician Training CertificateColumbia | Non-credit course | On campus | 39 weeks | $995per course, 2026-27 | |
| Trident Technical College: Sterile Processing Technician (SPT) ProgramCharleston | Non-credit course |
From each school's own program page, reviewed November 2026. Cost is the school's published price or its stated rate. Blank cells: the school's pages don't give that figure.
Online Sterile Processing Technician Programs for South Carolina 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 hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishwaukee College: online program pageMalta, IL | Online | 16 weeks | $1,300published total, 2026-27 | |
| Herzing University-Madison: online program pageMadison, WI | Online | 43 weeks | Included | $530per credit, 2026-27 |
| Lehman College: online program pageBronx, NY | Online | 80 hours | Included |
How the South Carolina Programs Are Scored
Every South Carolina 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 | Awards in the field 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 South Carolina
No South Carolina 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 hospital 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 South Carolina
- bottom tenth
- $31,840
- median
- $42,510
- top tenth
- $57,910
- employed
- 1,160
South Carolina's median of $42,510 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 South Carolina
- Albany Technical CollegeAlbany, GA · certificate
- Atlanta Technical CollegeAtlanta, GA · certificate
- Augusta Technical CollegeAugusta, GA · certificate
- Chattahoochee Technical CollegeMarietta, GA · certificate
- Beaufort County Community CollegeWashington, NC · non-credit course
- Coastal Carolina Community CollegeJacksonville, NC · non-credit course
- Craven Community CollegeNew Bern, NC · non-credit course
- Davidson-Davie Community CollegeThomasville, NC · non-credit course
Sterile Processing Classes Near South Carolina Cities
Each city page lists the classes you can attend in person within 50 miles, with the distance, plus online options. The number after a city is how many programs are that close; a city without one shows the closest schools instead.
Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in South Carolina
What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in South Carolina?
Pre-Allied Health Sterile Processing at Aiken Technical College ranks first with a score of 61 of 100, ahead of Piedmont Technical College (39) and Florence-Darlington Technical College (25). The score weighs hands-on hours, certification prep, published cost and the school's federal track record. How the score works.
How Many Sterile Processing Technician Programs Are in South Carolina?
6 at 6 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Graniteville (1), Florence (1), Greenville (1) and Columbia (1) have the most.
How Do You Become a Sterile Processing Technician in South Carolina?
Finish a training program (6 run in South Carolina), log hands-on hours in a hospital, and pass a certification exam: HSPA's CRCST, which needs 400 hands-on hours for full certification, or CBSPD's CSPDT. South Carolina has no certification law in force, but many hospitals hire for the CRCST. Every step in order.
How Long Is Sterile Processing Training in South Carolina?
From 15 to 40 weeks among the 3 South Carolina programs that state a length, with a median of 39 weeks. Clinical hours can add time when they come after the classroom part.
Which South Carolina Programs Include Clinical Hours?
Aiken Technical College, Greenville Technical College and Piedmont Technical 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 South Carolina?
Among the 2 South Carolina programs that publish a price for the whole program, cost runs from $4,850 to $8,000, with a median of $4,850.
Which South Carolina Programs Prepare You for the CRCST?
2 of the 6 name the CRCST on their own pages. The certification program ranking puts those first.
How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in South Carolina?
The median for medical equipment preparers in South Carolina is $42,510 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $31,840 and the top tenth $57,910, across 1,160 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.
Can South Carolina 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 hospital department. Online program rankings.
More Rankings and Certification Guides
- 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 Georgia10 schools
- Best Programs in North Carolina14 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 6 South Carolina 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