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Do you have a passion for helping people?
Are you interested in becoming part of the medical community but don’t want years of education?
If so, choosing the sterile processing technician career path may be the right option!
Sterile processing technicians are essential behind-the-scenes professionals accountable for the proper sterilization, storage, maintenance, and inventory of surgical and other crucial medical equipment.
The best part of the sterile processing technician journey is you don’t have to spend countless years in school or repay excessive student loans.
The first step is to find the right training program that fits your educational goals.
Keep reading to learn more about the best online sterile processing technician programs!
Best Online Sterile Processing Technician Training Programs
One: Preppy
Preppy is an entirely online education platform in partnership with Auburn University and is considered the top online sterile processing technician school.
In addition to the many benefits of utilizing an online learning platform, Preppy provides sterile technician students with externships to gain firsthand experience in the field.
Given that the program is self-paced, students can complete the lecture portion of the program in as quickly as four months.
Preppy’s sterile processing technician program gives you a certificate from Auburn University upon graduation.
The curriculum also prepares you to take the national certification examination so you can jump into the workforce almost immediately.
Since Preppy is part of Auburn, the program is fully accredited, and tuition is reasonable, so you won’t have to stack student loan debt.
The entire program is $1,599 if you are paying a single payment or $299 per month if you are on a payment plan.
Two: Berkeley College
With campuses in New York and New Jersey, Berkeley College is a for-profit, private institution that also offers various online programs, including a sterile processing technician degree.
The coursework includes equipment distribution processes in surgical centers and hospitals, managing medical instrumentation, decontamination, sterilization, and processing.
The program is available online in in-person formats, so those living in the area may consider a hybrid approach.
The program provides graduates with the skills and expertise to prepare surgical instruments or operating rooms, properly decontaminate and sterilize equipment, control infection, and package surgical instruments.
Berkeley’s sterile processing technician training is a certificate program, so it only requires a one-year time commitment.
One major consideration is the tuition costs, which are $23,200, excluding supplies and textbooks, which is significantly more than other programs.
However, the program is considered one of the top online offerings in the U.S., so the knowledge and experience gained may be well worth the cost.
Three: Pima Medical Institute (PMI)
This privately owned medical career college is located in the western United States and specializes in training allied healthcare professionals across different medical fields.
The sterile processing technician program is available in hybrid and in-person formats. The nine-month certificate program is available in Pima, Arizona, and Denver.
Even if you take online lectures, you must attend scheduled practical classes to gain firsthand experience as a sterile processing technician.
The PMI sterile processing technician workload covers topics like storage and distribution processes, surgical terminology, medical devices, microbiology, and familiarity with surgical instruments.
Throughout the program, students will develop decontamination and sterilization skills and be subjected to a comprehensive curriculum.
Although the tuition cost of $16,500 is not as expensive as Berkeley College, it still may be a difficult pill to swallow for those who are aiming to limit student loan debt post-graduation.
Four: Miami Dade College
Miami Dade College is a public institution based in Miami, Florida, that offers a sterile processing technician certificate program.
The coursework is divided into two semesters, which take approximately eight months to complete.
Like most other programs, Miami Dade offers hybrid and in-person learning formats.
Students can complete all lecture work through online classes but must visit the campus for hands-on lab work.
You can collaborate with the school to find externships for real-world experience as a sterile processing technician.
The program is much more affordable than Berkeley College and PMI, with a tuition cost of $4,830, not including books, supplies, and other fees.
Five: Contra Costa Medical Career College
Situated in Contra Costa County, California, Contra Costa Medical Career College has a sterile processing technician certificate program that can be completed in as little as five months.
The curriculum was crafted to provide students with theoretical and practical skills so they are ready for entry-level work.
One of the main benefits of this program is the available externships after course completion.
The school requires a minimum of 256 hours, thus giving students hands-on, real-world experience resulting in improved knowledge and skills.
The program tuition cost is $10,200, not including laboratory and registration fees, books, and other supplies.
Six: Purdue University
No top sterile processing technician list is complete without mentioning Purdue University Online.
Purdue has worked with the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association for almost 40 years to prepare students for the certification exam.
The school offers a self-paced sterile processing technician program that can take up to a year to complete, with a single six-month extension permitted.
The cost is $458 per credit hour for students in the lower 48 states and $480 for those in Alaska or Hawaii.
The program doesn’t include hands-on training or internship assistance, so it’s important to find a local internship to meet the hour requirement for certification.
Seven: Herzing University
Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Herzing University offers a hybrid sterile processing program worth 24 credits and lasts eight months.
Students will take 300 hours of classes, 120 of which will be in a laboratory setting.
Each credit is $515, regardless of whether you’re in-state or out-of-state, totaling $12,360 or the program.
Herzing’s training also includes exam preparation, so you are ready for the certification examination.
Herzing does not offer externship assistance, but you can work with local employers to get a job and then complete certification within six months as a condition of job continuance.
Eight: Penn Foster
Penn Foster is another leading online school with vast offerings for budding medical professionals.
The school has a sterile processing technician diploma program that can be completed as quickly as two to four months.
Students will earn 20 continuing education credits across five courses with 15 exams and one report due before taking the certification exam.
Tuition is extremely affordable at $899 to $1,199, with a lower cost option for those who make a single payment.
The higher-priced option is for those who choose a monthly payment plan.
Students can work through the program at their own pace and within their schedules, with all interactive educational tools accessible around the clock.
Nine: San Diego State University (SDSU)
As beautiful as San Diego is, not everyone can take in-person classes in this setting.
Therefore, SDSU has created Global Campus, which offers an entirely online, self-guided sterile processing program.
The costs range from $3,000 to $4,000, depending on the discounts at enrollment time.
Since the program does not provide traditional college credits, financial aid isn’t available for students.
The program requires 190 course hours, which can be completed in around 12 months with moderate study.
Students learn fundamental topics of sterile processing, like proper sterilization techniques, medical terminology, safety protocols, and proper equipment storage.
Ten: U.S. Career Institute
The U.S. Career Institute offers a sterile processing technician certificate program that takes five to nine months of self-guided, moderate coursework.
The program is split into four educational units, with one covering the introduction to sterile processing, two units dedicated to fundamental skills, and the final unit teaching safety, with a final practicum.
Tuition costs $979 for those who pay in full and $1,279 for those who opt for a monthly payment plan.
The costs do not include the $140 certification examination fee.
Eleven: Sterile Processing University
Sterile Processing University offers a sterile processing technician training program that is based on modules, not a full curriculum.
These online modules cover different aspects of medical learning and duties.
SPU’s program has 32 modules, for which you can pay $22 per module or for the entire program at $704.
Their program is entirely online, so it is self-paced and was developed to help students prepare for the certification exam.
What Courses Are in an Online Sterile Processing Technician Training Program?
The best sterile processing technician training programs include a mix of practical and theoretical learning with hands-on experience.
The idea is to learn the concepts during lectures and then apply them in a practical environment, further refining the skills in a real-world setting through an externship.
As part of any sterile processing program, students will gain various knowledge and skills critical for entry-level work.
Several key topics include:
- Decontamination procedures – this essential topic helps students master the procedures related to effective decontamination of equipment and instruments before sterilization. This concept is so critical to learning since all used equipment must be free of bacteria and disease before sterilization.
- Infection control – students learn about effective infection prevention techniques and protocols to maintain a sterile and safe healthcare environment.
- Medical equipment handling –
- Medical terminology – learning the extensive terminology used daily by medical professionals to effectively communicate in various situations and emergencies.
- Safety protocols – provide an understanding of safety measures that protect healthcare staff and patients during different types of procedures.
- Sterilization techniques – the entire focus of the training is ensuring equipment is properly sterilized for future use. Students will learn about the various instruments and equipment sterilization to ensure they are free from harmful microorganisms.
Can You Earn a Sterile Processing Technician Certification Online?
A certification program can be completed entirely online, which will help you pass the certification exam offered by nationally accredited agencies.
However, earning a certification requires more than simply passing the examination.
You also need 400 hours of hands-on training, which is unavailable in a virtual setting.
Some programs offer lab work that contributes to this requirement, while others offer externships after completing coursework, and many require both.
Therefore, you can earn an online diploma or certificate but can’t get the formal certificate without completing the in-person experience.
How Long Does It Take to Earn a Sterile Processing Technician Certification Online?
Most programs were developed to be completed between two months and two years.
Shorter programs have a less robust curriculum, so you may not be as well prepared for the certification exam as a student who has completed a longer, more comprehensive program.
The year-long option includes extensive education and training and counts as work toward higher education.
Certificate programs tend to be the shortest since they are only designed to prepare you for formal certification and don’t count as credit hours.
A two-year associate degree program is the most comprehensive option, but it also includes core classes like English and History, which you may not want to pay for or complete.
How Much Does an Online Sterile Processing Technician Certification Cost?
The cost of an online sterile processing technician program varies greatly based on program length.
Certificate or diploma program tuition ranges from $1,000 to $5,000.
If you are planning to earn an associate degree, then the cost can be around $10,000 or more, depending on the school.
It’s important to note that only courses that are considered college credits are available for grants and financial aid.
Most programs also permit payment plans with monthly payments, or you can pay the full tuition at a lower price.
Summary
The path to becoming a sterile processing technician has training flexibility with various formats and time commitments.
You can choose to learn enough for the national exams and earn a certificate or opt for a diverse educational experience that covers sterile processing topics and core classes.
Taking online classes must be approached with excellent time management, dedication, commitment, and due diligence since some programs only give students one year to complete.
You must have a strong internet connection, remain focused on classes that aren’t happening in real-time, and follow specific software requirements,
In addition to the lecture portion of each program, it’s critical to gain hands-on experience.
Just because a school doesn’t offer externships doesn’t mean it’s not important.
Instead, complement your coursework by finding an externship, which will provide hands-on experience, make you more marketable to employers, and help you achieve the required hours for full certification.
This is a much easier path than finding an employer to hire you with the promise of completing certification after starting the position.
