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. Sterile processing technicians in Virginia earn a median of $46,580 a year (BLS, May 2025, medical equipment preparers).
- 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
| Pick | Program | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Best overall | J Sargeant Reynolds Community CollegeRichmond · Certificate · 40 weeks · 400 clinical hours | 75 |
| Lowest published cost | Virginia Western Community CollegeRoanoke · Non-credit course · 10 weeks · $3,198 | 55 |
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 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.
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: Central Sterile Technician Career Studies CertificateCentral Sterile Technician Career Studies Certificate
75scoreBest 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
- 400 hr
- Cost
- $187.60per credit, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
Prepares forJ Sargeant Reynolds Community College certificate on the school's site
Virginia Western Community College: Registered Central Service Technician (Sterile Processing)Registered Central Service Technician (Sterile Processing)
55scoreBest 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
- Included
- Cost
- $3,198published total, 2026-27
Includes- Clinicals
- Exam voucher
- Textbook
Prepares forOfficial page for the Virginia Western Community College course
Sterile Processing Schools in Virginia, Compared
All 2 sterile processing schools in Virginia, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: official siteRichmond · Public | 75 | Certificate | 400 hr | 4 | |
| Virginia Western Community College: official siteRoanoke · Public | 55 | Non-credit course | Included | $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.
Sterile Processing Technician Training in Virginia: Every Program
Virginia has 1 for-credit program (certificate, diploma or degree) and 1 non-credit course; 1 offers evening or weekend classes, and 2 are hybrid. Each row links to the school's own program page.
| Program | Credential | Format | Length | Clinical hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: Central Sterile Technician Career Studies CertificateRichmond | Certificate | On campus, Hybrid, Online | 40 weeks | 400 | $187.60per credit, 2026-27 |
| Virginia Western Community College: Registered Central Service Technician (Sterile Processing)Roanoke | Non-credit course | Hybrid, Weekend | 10 weeks | Included | $3,198published total, 2026-27 |
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 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.
| 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 | |
| J Sargeant Reynolds Community College: hybrid program pageRichmond, VA | Hybrid | 40 weeks | 400 | $187.60per credit, 2026-27 |
| Virginia Western Community College: hybrid program pageRoanoke, VA | Hybrid | 10 weeks | Included | $3,198published total, 2026-27 |
How the Virginia Programs Are Scored
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.
| 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 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 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 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
- Anne Arundel Community CollegeArnold, MD · non-credit course
- Chesapeake CollegeWye Mills, MD · non-credit course
- Community College of Baltimore CountyEssex, MD · non-credit course
- Frederick Community CollegeFrederick, MD · non-credit course
- 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
- Concorde Career College-MemphisMemphis, TN · diploma
- Motlow State Community CollegeTullahoma, TN · certificate
- Nashville State Community CollegeNashville, TN · certificate
- Tennessee College of Applied Technology-JacksonJackson, TN · certificate
- Blue Ridge Community and Technical CollegeMartinsburg, WV · certificate
- Southern West Virginia Community and Technical CollegeLogan, WV · certificate
Sterile Processing Classes Near Virginia 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 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 Sterile Processing Technician Programs Are in Virginia?
2 at 2 schools, verified on each school's own site in November 2026. Richmond (1) and Roanoke (1) have the most.
How Do You Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Virginia?
Finish a training program (2 run in Virginia), 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. Virginia has no certification law in force, but many hospitals hire for the CRCST. Every step in order.
How Long Is Sterile Processing Training in Virginia?
From 10 to 40 weeks among the 2 Virginia programs that state a length, with a median of 10 weeks. Clinical hours can add time when they come after the classroom part.
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.
Which Virginia Programs Prepare You for the CRCST?
2 of the 2 name the CRCST on their own pages, and 1 includes the exam fee or a voucher. The certification program ranking puts those first.
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 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 Maryland6 schools
- Best Programs in North Carolina14 schools
- Best Programs in Tennessee8 schools
- Best Programs in West Virginia2 schools
- Rankings by StateEvery state's ranking
Sources
- Official program pages of the 2 Virginia 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