Best Sterile Processing Tech Programs in Illinois (2026)

Quick answer: Sterile processing technicians in Illinois earn a median of $48,050 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). This page lists accredited sterile processing technician schools in Illinois with local wage data and median graduate earnings for each school.

Sterile processing technician training in Illinois prepares students for entry-level work across the wider Illinois labor market. For context, the state median annual wage for this occupation is approximately $48,050 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Illinois Quick Facts

MetricValueSource
State median annual wage$48,050BLS OEWS, May 2025
Illinois pay range (10th to 90th percentile)$38,280 to $66,390BLS OEWS, May 2025
Top-paying Illinois metro for this fieldChicago, IL, $48,630BLS OEWS, May 2025
National job outlook (2024 to 2034)+10.0% growth, about 10,900 openings per yearBLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
State employment2,800 workersBLS OEWS, May 2025
Illinois location quotient0.92BLS OEWS, May 2025

Explore the Sterile processing technician Career

What You’ll Find Below

The school listings below are sorted by proximity to Programs. Each entry includes the school name, address, and the credentials offered. Use the Illinois figures above as a reference point when comparing program length, schedule, and tuition.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 12 schools within 136 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 12 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

William Rainey Harper College

Palatine, IL 86.8 miles away BOC Score 59.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 73
  • Annual completions: 2528
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,704 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Midwestern Career College

Chicago, IL 91.5 miles away BOC Score 57.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 57.9% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 15
  • Annual completions: 288
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,684 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Lincoln Land Community College

Springfield, IL 95.8 miles away BOC Score 57.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 45.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 63
  • Annual completions: 2126
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,163 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Oakton College

Des Plaines, IL 91.2 miles away BOC Score 57.2
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 34.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 76
  • Annual completions: 1786
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $53,388 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#5

Joliet Junior College

Joliet, IL 52.3 miles away BOC Score 55.1
Tuition $4,530 - $13,800
Contact
Key stats
  • Graduation rate: 20.7%
  • Programs offered: 77
  • Annual completions: 2440
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $51,121 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#6

Triton College

River Grove, IL 84.7 miles away BOC Score 54.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Programs offered: 71
  • Annual completions: 1558
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $52,701 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#7

Illinois Central College

East Peoria, IL 36.5 miles away BOC Score 50.0
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 67
  • Annual completions: 2210
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,058 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#8

College of DuPage

Glen Ellyn, IL 73.2 miles away BOC Score 47.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 24.7% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 98
  • Annual completions: 3152
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $55,984 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#9

Purdue University Global

West Lafayette, IN 112.4 miles away BOC Score 45.8
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
  • 2550 Northwestern Avenue, Suite 1100 West Lafayette, IN 47906
  • (866) 522-7747
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 49.0% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 45
  • Annual completions: 8908
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $54,301 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#10

Blackhawk Technical College

Janesville, WI 115.5 miles away BOC Score 45.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 32.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 66
  • Annual completions: 1207
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $56,991 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#11

University of Dubuque

Dubuque, IA 136.5 miles away BOC Score 43.1
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 40.6% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 5
  • Annual completions: 95
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $59,598 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#12

Parkland College

Champaign, IL 69.9 miles away BOC Score 40.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 32.2% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 72
  • Annual completions: 811
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $47,315 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Sterile Processing Technician Pay and Job Outlook

Annual Wage by Percentile, United States - Medical Equipment Preparers
Medical Equipment Preparers annual wage percentiles, BLS OEWS May 2025P10 $36410, P25 $39800, P50 $47700, P75 $58570, P90 $69950.10th$36,41025th$39,80050th (median)$47,70075th$58,57090th$69,950
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Medical Equipment Preparers annual wage percentiles
PercentileAnnual wage
10th$36,410
25th$39,800
50th (median)$47,700
75th$58,570
90th$69,950
Projected employment growth, United States, Medical Equipment Preparers, 2024-2034
Medical Equipment Preparers employment 2024 vs 2034 projection, BLS Employment Projections2024 employment 76500; 2034 projected employment 84200; percent change +10.0%.202476,500 jobs2034 (proj.)84,200 jobsChange: +10.0%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
Medical Equipment Preparers employment projection 2024 to 2034
YearEmployment
202476,500
2034 projected84,200
Percent change+10.0%

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does sterile processing technician training take in Illinois?

Sterile processing technician certificate programs in Illinois typically take 6 to 12 months of full-time study, while associate degree programs generally run about 2 years. Actual completion time depends on schedule (full-time vs. part-time) and any prerequisite coursework.

How much do sterile processing technicians earn in Illinois?

According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), sterile processing technicians in Illinois earned a median annual wage of approximately $48,050. Pay varies with experience, certification, and employer; the 10th to 90th percentile range was approximately $38,280 to $66,390 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many sterile processing technician schools are in Illinois?

The schools listed above are within about 800 miles of Programs. Compare them by tuition, program length, and the credential each one awards.


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)