How to Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Connecticut (Certification Programs & Salary Guide)

If you have ever imagined yourself providing behind-the-scenes support in America’s hospitals, clinics, and surgery centers, or if you have been considering taking on a new, highly demanded allied health career where you can work alongside some of Connecticut’s most skilled doctors, surgeons, and top medical professionals, becoming a certified sterile processing technician could be the right career move for you!

Central Sterile Processing Technicians are highly skilled medical support professionals responsible for packaging, decontaminating, and sterilizing surgical tools, equipment, and instruments, before, during, and after surgery.

Aspiring Sterile Processing Technicians in Connecticut: Get step-by-step guidance on becoming a sterile processing technician and learn about some of the top schools offering formal training for Connecticut-based SPTs in the guide below.

How to Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Connecticut

Becoming a Sterile Processing Technician in Connecticut is straightforward. Potential candidates must meet a few requirements.

Central Service Technicians in Connecticut are expected to complete formal training and education through local or online colleges, universities, or vocational schools before officially becoming eligible to apply for national certification and begin working in local healthcare facilities.

Steps to Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Connecticut

Step #1. – Complete High School or Equivalent

SPT hopefuls in Connecticut will need to meet minimum educational requirements by earning a high school diploma or GED before being allowed to participate in most formal SPT education and training programs.

Step #2. – Get Formal Sterile Processing Training

Students who meet minimum educational requirements will need to get formal training through a certification-based program or degree program with a clinical experience component as a prerequisite for national certification.

Step #3. – Apply for Certification

Graduates who successfully meet the requirements of their training program (which is typically completing all program components with a passing score of 70 or above become eligible to apply for national certification through top certifying authorities like the International Association of Healthcare Central Service Material Management (IAHCSMM), The Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution – (CBSPD) or the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) – CRSCT.

Step #4. – Find a Sterile Processing Technician Job

America’s BLS reports that the need for Medical Equipment Preparers is high and projected to grow by more than 5% between now and 2032.

Certified SPTs should have little trouble finding employment in local hospitals, surgical centers, dentists’ offices, veterinary offices, and other medical facilities that perform inpatient or outpatient surgery.

Step #5. – Complete Continuing Education Requirements

Working SPTs will need to complete the required number of continuing education hours as determined by their credential provider.

Visit the website for your certification authority to learn more about what activities and courses qualify for continuing education credits.

Licensing Requirements to Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Connecticut

Connecticut does not currently require its Sterile Processing Technicians to have an occupational license.

However, most employers will require proof of education and demonstration of competency through a national certification credential or proof of extensive hands-on experience in the field.

Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Connecticut

Becoming a Sterile Processing Technician in Connecticut is a great career option for allied health professionals.

There are a variety of sterile technician programs in Connecticut where students can take coursework in-person, online, or via a hybrid combination of both.

The programs below offer comprehensive education, leading to national certification by top authorities.

Important Note: Aspiring Surgical Processing Technicians in Connecticut should be prepared to pass a criminal background check and drug screen, and provide proof of high school graduation when applying to the CSPT programs below.

CT State Community College

Aspiring Sterile Processing Techs in Connecticut can get formal education through CT State Community College’s Central Sterile Processing Technician program.

Their six-month program delivers certification-based instruction on-campus, online, and via a hybrid format.

The CSPT program at CT State follows the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution certification track which readies local graduates for immediate employment.

This formal training program is offered through several dispersed campuses throughout the state.

Courses Offered

• Decontamination and Sterilization
• Functional Areas of Sterile Processing Units
• Communication for Workplace Safety
• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Infection Control
• Hands-On Clinical Experience

Contact Information

• Address: 61 Woodland Street, Hartford, Connecticut – 06105
• Website: Link
• Phone: 860-906-5000

Naugatuck Valley Community College

CT State Community College at Naugatuck Valley operates a dedicated eighty-hour Central Sterile Processing Technician Program for non-credit Workforce students, and aspiring technicians seeking to earn a degree, certificate, or certification as a Sterile Processing Tech.

Students who enroll in this allied health program learn the fundamentals and principles needed to work in area hospitals, clinics, and surgery centers upon completion.

Their low-cost short-term CSPT program includes all of the instructional materials and textbooks students will need in the cost of the program.

Courses Offered

• Identification of Surgical Instruments and Tools
• Medical Terminology
• CSPT Clinical Experience
• Sterilization Process
• CRCST Certification Prep

Contact Information

• Address: 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, Connecticut – 06708
• Website: Link
• Phone: 203-575-8000

Three Rivers Community College

Three Rivers Community College delivers another route for sterile processing technician education through its short-term certification program at the Norwich campus.

Enrolled students gain a comprehensive introduction to the worlds of sterile processing and central sterile processing techniques that prepare them to pass national certification exams and begin employment as key staff members in Connecticut’s healthcare facilities.

Their sixty-hour CSPT program is campus-based and requires students to complete SPT theory and clinical experience components before earning their credentials.

Courses Offered

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Microbiology
• Infection Control
• Identification of Surgical Instruments and Tools
• In-Class Simulation Experience
• Clinical Experience

Contact Information

• Address: 574 New London Turnpike, Norwich, Connecticut – 06360
• Website: Link
• Phone: 860-215-9000

Sterile Processing Technician Salary – Connecticut

Online reports from top income researchers like Salary.com show that Connecticut’s Sterile Processing Technicians make well-paying average annual salaries that fall between $33,971.00 and $52,914.00 per year.

Technicians who take on specialized roles, those with more years of experience in the industry, and those working with larger employers will typically earn higher salaries than entry-level technicians working in rural or remote areas of the state.

Regional Salary