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

Healthcare is a multi-faceted field with many well-paying careers other than doctors and nurses.

Positions such as sterile processing technicians are essential to patient care and infection control.

They work in urban and rural settings in hospitals, therapy clinics, and assisted living centers.

Sterile Processing is an expanding field. An SPT certificate requires less education and is a less costly path to a professional, usable credential.

Imagine a year from now learning and earning a sustainable wage in the healthcare profession.

If you are meticulous and want an allied health career with opportunities to advance, check out these sterile processing technician courses in Minnesota.

Steps to Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Minnesota

The steps to working as a sterile processing technician in Minnesota are simple.

• Graduate with a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Select a sterile processing technician education school.
• Finish and receive a Certificate of Completion.
• If national certification is a goal, verify the program meets Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) standards.
• Gain on-the-job clinical experience needed for national certification.
• Apply to HSPA to sit for the credentialing exam.

Licensing Requirements to Become a Sterile Processing Technician in Minnesota

Currently, licensing for sterile processing technicians in Minnesota is not required.

However, individuals are expected to be well-trained – leaving educational oversight to the colleges.

Employers, recognizing that the main duties of SPTs, infection control, are vital to healthcare systems, often set high minimum qualification standards.

Many large employers also prefer nationally certified applicants, drawing either from the CRCST or the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD) credential.

Sterile Processing Technician Programs in Minnesota

There are several choices, both in-person and online, for individuals considering the sterile processing profession.

The most comprehensive programs include didactic instruction, hands-on training, and practical experience in a supervised setting.

1. Minneapolis Community & Technical College

Minneapolis Community and Technical College teaches roughly 11,000 students in a two-year state community college environment.

The MCTC offers associate degrees and professional certificate programs, including a sterile processing technician certificate.

Taught on the Minneapolis campus, the allied health syllabus includes a thorough understanding of sterile processing.

Prerequisite courses in critical reading and thinking are foundational to the core competencies of sterilization techniques and medical basics.

Co-requisite short courses in healthcare ethics and legal considerations supplement lab work.

Before graduation, a hospital internship with one of the college’s healthcare partners gives students practical experience.

Graduates are awarded a Certificate in Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician and are qualified to sit for the CBSPD.

Minnesota tuition averages $3,100 per semester, excluding textbook or equipment costs.

Military discounts, financial aid, and payment plans are available.

2. Anoka Technical College

North of Minneapolis, the Anoka Technical College campus teaches over 70 professional certifications and associate degree pathways.

One of the more flexible programs in the state is the Certificate in Surgical Processing Technician studies.

Available full or part-time, this three-semester or 28-credit certification incorporates foundational biology and surgical sterilization procedures.

A full semester, 400 hours, of clinical rotations is part of the curriculum and qualifies graduates to sit for the CRST national exam.

The certificate is a prerequisite for acceptance into the AAS Surgical Technology program.

General costs for Minnesota residents average $6,500 annually; half of out-of-state tuition.

Costs are exclusive of textbooks and living expenses.

Financial aid is available for both the certificate and the associate pathways.

3. Sant Paul College

Saint Paul College, with its main campus in St. Paul, is a public two-year community college with over 11,000 students in over 100 degrees and certificate programs.

Students enjoy college-wide free tutoring and small class sizes with a 21:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

The Sterile Processing Technicians (SPT) certificate combines in-person and online coursework for a 30-hour program.

Students must also complete 400 hours of hands-on, job-related experience to graduate.

Credit for introductory writing and math are required.

Sterile processing courses include microbiology, infection control, and psychology.

Graduates qualify to sit for the Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST) exam.

Credits gained within the pathway are a prerequisite for those students pursuing an Associate of Surgical Technology.

The program cost ranges from $5,500 – $8,300 with additional expenses, textbooks, and increasing the total cost range of $6,500 to $9,300. Financial Aid (FAFSA) and veteran considerations are available.

4. Minnesota College Southeast

Minnesota College Southeast has designed several online vocational programs, including a sterile processing technician certificate.

Completely self-directed, this 190-hour course covers physiology and terminology, the handling of instrumentation, and all aspects of infection and inventory control.

The course also includes CST exam preparation for those students pursuing the credential.

Students have access to a dedicated Clinical Experience Team for questions about volunteering and internships.

There is also a technical advice line for help with online access.

All textbooks are available as ebooks and included in the cost.

Tuition for the full one-year program is $3290, with payment plans and discounts available.

This course is not eligible for financial aid.

However, tuition includes a pre-paid voucher for application to take the CRCST certification exam.

Salary

Forecasted growth of the field of Sterile Processing Technician is roughly a 7% increase by 2030, earning an average of $47,920 annually.

The median wage range begins at $34,500, paying $58,400 for experienced techs.

Minnesota, according to the BLS, is higher than the national average wage – $41,480 annually.

The calculated hourly wage for SPTs in Minnesota is $23.04, as opposed to the national hourly average of $19.94.

Education, demand, experience, and job location all influence compensation.

Wages are higher in urban Rochester than in more rural parts of the state.

Facility type also determines pay level.

Hospitals and government healthcare systems may provide higher compensation with additional benefits.

Regional Salary