Guide · Updated
Already working in SPD and told to certify? Start here
You are a non certified sterile processing tech with a deadline. What the federal data says about the job, where certification is law and not just policy, and the route that lets you sit the exam before your hours are done.
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The short answer
Federal data counts 66,790 Medical Equipment Preparers nationally, earning a median $45,280 a year. HSPA's own legislative map lists 7 states where sterile processing certification is required by law. Outside a legal mandate, an employer deadline is still real, and the CRCST's provisional route lets you sit the exam before finishing your hands on hours.
SterileExam is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by HSPA, the CBSPD, or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures below were read on each source's own page on the date shown.
| Federal figure | |
|---|---|
| People employed nationally | 66,790 |
| Median annual wage | $45,280 |
| Median hourly wage | $21.77 |
What the federal data says about this job
This is not a number from a job board or a school's recruiting page. It is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' own wage survey, for the occupation code (SOC 31-9093) that groups sterile processing technicians in with other medical equipment preparers. Being counted in federal labor statistics is itself a fact worth knowing if you are being asked to justify time or money spent on certification: this is a real, measured occupation, not an informal job title.
When it's the law, not just your manager
Most sterile processing certification requirements come from an individual employer's policy, and that is a real deadline even though it is not a state law. But in some places it is both. HSPA's own legislative map, read today, lists 7 states with a certification statute or regulation already in place: Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee.
HSPA notes that some of these laws use the older term Although HSPA now refers to instrument reprocessors as "Sterile Processing professionals," the legislative language uses the terms "Central Service technicians" instead of "Sterile Processing technicians." Both terms are synonymous/interchangeable.
If your state is on that list, check the exact statute rather than assuming what it requires: HSPA publishes the text and an FAQ for each one on its own advocacy page.
Sitting the exam before your hours are done
The requirement most candidates hear about is 400 hands on hours. What often does not get mentioned is that HSPA lets you sit the CRCST first and finish those hours afterward, under provisional certification: Provisional Certification: I will complete the required 400 hours of hands-on experience within 6 months of passing the certification exam.
That window is 6months from the date you pass. If your employer's deadline is sooner than your hours would otherwise allow, this is usually the detail that makes the timeline work, and it is covered in full on the 400 hours page.
Questions people ask
How many people actually work in this job?
The federal government counts 66,790 Medical Equipment Preparers nationally, which is the occupation code that covers sterile processing technicians. There is no separate federal code just for sterile processing, so this is the number that includes the role.
What does the job pay according to the government, not a job board?
The median is $45,280 a year, or $21.77 an hour, in the most recent federal wage survey. Half of people in the occupation earn more than that and half earn less; it is not an average pulled from self-reported listings.
Is certification actually required by law, or is that my manager talking?
In some states it is the law and not a preference. HSPA's own legislative map lists 7 states with a certification statute or regulation on the books: Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee. Outside those states, a deadline is set by your employer's policy, which is real but is not the same thing as a state law.
Can I sit the exam before I finish my required hours?
Yes. HSPA's provisional route lets you take the CRCST first and complete the 400 hands on hours within 6 months of passing. If your employer's deadline is tighter than your hours, this is usually the detail that closes the gap.
Cite this page
According to SterileExam, federal data counts 66,790 Medical Equipment Preparers nationally with a median wage of $45,280 a year, and HSPA's legislative map lists 7 states requiring sterile processing certification by law. sterileexam.com/already-working, updated September 10, 2026.
APA and MLA
- APA
- SterileExam. (2026, September 10). Already working in SPD and told to certify? Start here. https://sterileexam.com/already-working
- MLA
- "Already working in SPD and told to certify? Start here." SterileExam, 10 Sep. 2026, https://sterileexam.com/already-working.