Sterile Processing Technician (Voucher Included)

Cost: $3,265
Length: 52 weeks
Working 6 months later: 53%

Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.

What happened to people who took this

People enrolled: 66

Small group — treat with caution

Finished the program: 72%Based on 25 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
Working 6 months later: 53%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
Earnings in one quarter after: $16,250A single quarter of earnings, roughly three months, not a yearly salary. Do not compare it directly with the yearly pay shown for the occupation.Typical California program: $10,900 of 1,339 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.

The jobs this trains for

This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.

Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.

Where California publishes a separate figure for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.

Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary

Job ads may call this: Lecturer · Professor · Instructor · Clinical Professor

Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.

Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
Supervise laboratory sessions.

Show 2 more things this job involves

Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public health, stress management, and work site health promotion.

Typical pay in California: $169,732per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $106,487
Projected openings: 20,800San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 1,610
Projected change: +19.2%
Usually needs: Doctoral or professional degree

Getting in

Experience needed first: Under 5 years in a related job
Training after you are hired: None

Employers usually expect some time in a related job as well as the training. Ask the provider what their graduates did before they were hired.

These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.

What people in this job actually studied

Most common: Doctorate or professional degree — 49% of the people doing this work.

California says this job usually needs: Doctoral or professional degree. 52% of the people doing it went less far than that.

No high school diploma: 0.6%
High school diploma: 2%
Started college, no degree: 2%
Two-year degree: 2%
Four-year degree: 15%
Master's degree: 31%
Doctorate or professional degree: 49%

This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.

Surgical Technologists

Pay, hiring, and what people studied

Job ads may call this: Surgical Technician · Surgical Scrub Technician · Certified Surgical Technician · Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)

Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
Count sponges, needles, and instruments before and after operation.
Scrub arms and hands and assist the surgical team to scrub and put on gloves, masks, and surgical clothing.
Prepare patients for surgery, including positioning patients on the operating table and covering them with sterile surgical drapes to prevent exposure.

Show 2 more things this job involves

Provide technical assistance to surgeons, surgical nurses, or anesthesiologists.
Hand instruments and supplies to surgeons and surgeons' assistants, hold retractors and cut sutures, and perform other tasks as directed by surgeon during operation.

Typical pay in California: $83,586per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $84,670
Projected openings: 8,420San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 620
Projected change: +11.6%
Usually needs: Postsecondary non-degree award

Getting in

Experience needed first: None
Training after you are hired: None

No earlier job experience is expected, and new hires are not put through a long training period. For work like this, a program is usually the way in.

What people in this job actually studied

Most common: Two-year degree — 41% of the people doing this work.

California says this job usually needs: Postsecondary non-degree award. That is not one of the steps below, so there is no way to count how many people meet it.

No high school diploma: 1%
High school diploma: 11%
Started college, no degree: 34%
Two-year degree: 41%
Four-year degree: 12%
Master's degree: 2%
Doctorate or professional degree: 0.5%

It is also measured on a different scale from “Usually needs” above, so the two cannot be subtracted from one another.

Medical Equipment Preparers

Pay, hiring, and what people studied

Job ads may call this: Sterile Technician · Instrument Technician · Sterilization Technician · Sterile Preparation Technician

Operate and maintain steam autoclaves, keeping records of loads completed, items in loads, and maintenance procedures performed.
Clean instruments to prepare them for sterilization.
Organize and assemble routine or specialty surgical instrument trays or other sterilized supplies, filling special requests as needed.
Record sterilizer test results.

Show 2 more things this job involves

Examine equipment to detect leaks, worn or loose parts, or other indications of disrepair.
Report defective equipment to appropriate supervisors or staff.

Typical pay in California: $62,924per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $67,198
Projected openings: 14,020San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 880
Projected change: +16.3%
Usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent

Getting in

Experience needed first: None
Training after you are hired: 1 to 12 months

What people in this job actually studied

Most common: Started college, no degree — 27% of the people doing this work.

California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 5% of the people doing it went less far than that.

No high school diploma: 5%
High school diploma: 25%
Started college, no degree: 27%
Two-year degree: 15%
Four-year degree: 20%
Master's degree: 6%
Doctorate or professional degree: 2%

Program details

This program provides online instruction, e-learning, or distance learning only.

Sterile Processing Technicians (SPT), also known as Central Service Technicians, play a critical role in preventing infection by sterilizing, cleaning, processing, assembling, storing, and distributing medical supplies. This online sterile processing technician certification course will train you to work as an SPT and prepares you for the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) certification offered by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA). This course also includes a voucher which is prepaid access to sit for the certification exam upon eligibility.With the support of an instructor, you will learn all the necessary steps required to perform the duties and tasks of an SPT. In this sterile processing technician training course, you will learn the details and expectations within the concepts of the role and gain proficiency in understanding the step-by-step requirements of the sterilization process.The course also includes an opportunity to participate in an clinical experience.Disclaimer: To qualify for the clinical experience application process, students must complete the online course successfully and have account balances up to date (at a minimum). Going through the clinical experience application process does not guarantee a placement. However, affiliated partnerships increase the likelihood of finding a site that matches student needs. COVID may be affecting the capacity of availability in your area.

Provider's website →

Someone else may be able to pay for this

This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.

The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California

A comprehensive center is where all the required partner programs can be reached; an affiliate site offers some of them. California's Employment Development Department directs people to CareerOneStop's finder to locate one. Contacting a center before traveling is worth it — the state notes that its own staff are not physically present at every location.

The rule: 20 CFR 678.305 — What is a comprehensive one-stop center? · 20 CFR 678.310 — What is an affiliated site? · California EDD — Office Locator

Metro Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675 and 619-266-4253
4389 Imperial AvenueSan Diego, CA 92113about 4.9 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
East County Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675
151 Van Houten AvePCGEl Cajon, CA 92020about 6.3 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm
South Bay Career CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 619-319-9675
333 H StreetSouth Bay Career Bldg. Suite 1055Chula Vista, CA 91910about 9.4 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5 :00p.m.

Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.

Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List

How this gets paid for, and what to ask →

Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.

The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.

How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →