Virginia · Verified November 2026

Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Virginia

What Are the Best Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Virginia?

J Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond ranks first among 2 schools offering sterile processing technician programs in Virginia, with a score of 75 of 100. 2 sterile processing technician programs in Virginia run at 2 schools, with the most in Richmond and Roanoke. 2 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 $3,198 at Virginia Western Community College. Medical equipment preparers in Virginia earn a median of $46,580 a year (BLS, May 2025).

Researched and edited by · Updated

schools in Virginia
2
programs
2
include clinical hours
2
median published cost
$3,198
median pay (BLS May 2025)
$46,580

Top Picks in Virginia

PickProgramScore
Best overallJ Sargeant Reynolds Community College certificateRichmond · 40 weeks · 400 clinical hours75
Lowest published costVirginia Western Community College courseRoanoke · 10 weeks · $3,19855

Virginia 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.

  1. J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: Central Sterile Technician Career Studies CertificateCentral Sterile Technician Career Studies Certificate

    75score of 100

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

    J Sargeant Reynolds Community College (Richmond, VA, public) runs this on campus, hybrid and online certificate (1 year (2 full-time semesters)). Clinical: 400 hours of clinical practical experience (CSP 191 Fundamental Clinical Applications); competency-based credit possible for documented sterile processing work experience. The school reported 4 sterile processing awards for 2022-23 (IPEDS).

    Weeks
    401 year (2 full-time semesters)
    Credits
    20
    Clinical
    400hours, meets 400
    Cost
    $187.60per credit, 2026-27
    Includes
    • Clinicals
    Prepares for
    • CRCSTHSPA

    J Sargeant Reynolds Community College certificate on the school's site

  2. Virginia Western Community College: Registered Central Service Technician (Sterile Processing)Registered Central Service Technician (Sterile Processing)

    55score of 100

    Best for having the certification exam paid for near Roanoke

    Virginia Western Community College (Roanoke, VA, public) runs this hybrid non-credit course (10 weeks). The school publishes a price of $3,198 for the program (2026-27). Clinical: Not part of the course; the 400 hands-on hours for full CRCST are completed in a sterile processing department within 6 months of provisional certification. Weekend classes are offered.

    Weeks
    1010 weeks
    Clinical
    Yesincluded
    Cost
    $3,198published total, 2026-27
    Includes
    • Clinicals
    • Exam voucher
    • Textbook
    Prepares for
    • CRCSTHSPA

    Official page for the Virginia Western Community College course

Sterile Processing Schools in Virginia, Compared

SchoolBest scoreCredentialsClinicalLowest published costAwards, 2022-23
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: official siteRichmond · Public75Certificate400 hr4
Virginia Western Community College: official siteRoanoke · Public55Non-credit courseIncluded$3,198

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 Virginia

Online and Hybrid Options for Virginia 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 Virginia.

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
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College certificate: hybrid program pageRichmond, VAHybrid40 weeks400 hours$187.60per credit, 2026-27
Virginia Western Community College course: hybrid program pageRoanoke, VAHybrid10 weeksIncluded$3,198published total, 2026-27

See the online program rankings

How We Rank Sterile Processing Programs in Virginia

Every Virginia 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 Virginia

No Virginia 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 Virginia

bottom tenth
$37,320
median
$46,580
top tenth
$61,280
employed
1,840

Virginia's median of $46,580 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 Virginia

Programs Near Virginia Cities

Questions About Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Virginia

What Is the Best Sterile Processing Technician Program in Virginia?

Central Sterile Technician Career Studies Certificate at J Sargeant Reynolds Community College ranks first with a score of 75 of 100, ahead of Virginia Western Community College (55). 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 Virginia Have?

2 at 2 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Richmond (1) and Roanoke (1) have the most.

Which Virginia Programs Include Clinical Hours?

J Sargeant Reynolds Community College and Virginia Western 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 Virginia?

Registered Central Service Technician (Sterile Processing) at Virginia Western Community College publishes a price of $3,198.

How Much Do Sterile Processing Technicians Make in Virginia?

The median for medical equipment preparers in Virginia is $46,580 a year, with the bottom tenth earning $37,320 and the top tenth $61,280, across 1,840 jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $47,700. Pay in every state.

Can Virginia Residents Train Online?

Partly. 3 programs put all coursework online, and 2 Virginia 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

Sources

  1. Official program pages of the 2 Virginia 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