The job
Sterile processing jobs with no experience
What the occupation actually requires to start, according to the people who measure it, and what employers ask for on top.
The short answer
The federal government classifies sterile processing under Medical Equipment Preparers, code 31-9093, and records its entry requirements as a high school diploma or equivalent, no work experience in a related occupation, and moderate-term on-the-job training. Certification is not part of that baseline, though many employers require it anyway. Read from the BLS on August 8, 2026.
What the occupation requires, on paper
Almost everything written about entering this field is written by schools, and it all starts from the same premise: enrol first. The federal data does not say that.
| Typical education needed for entry | High school diploma or equivalent |
|---|---|
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on the job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
| Size of the occupation | 77,420 jobs |
Work experience in a related occupation: None. That is the answer to the question in the title, from the agency that classifies the job. Competency is expected to come from training on the job, which is what moderate-term means.
Why the answer still feels like no
Because the occupation and the employer are two different gates. Nothing above stops a hospital from requiring certification, and a great many do. The federal figure describes what the work needs; a job posting describes what that particular manager decided to filter on, usually because they had more applicants than slots.
Reading those as the same thing is what makes this question so confusing to search. They are not in conflict, they are measuring different things.
The route most sites get wrong
You do not need the hands on hours before you sit the exam. Provisional Certification: I will complete the required 400 hours of hands-on experience within 6 months of passing the certification exam.
That means the order can be reversed: pass first, then complete the 400 hours within 6months. If you are trying to get hired without experience, walking in already certified changes which side of the employer's filter you are on. The full detail is on the 400 hours page.
What it pays at the bottom
Half the occupation earns less than $22.93 an hour, and entering with no experience means starting below that rather than at the average you will see quoted elsewhere. The full breakdown, including why the mean and the median disagree, is on the salary page.
What this page cannot tell you
Whether the hospitals near you hire uncertified technicians. Nobody publishes that, it varies by market, and any site that gives you a confident national answer is guessing. What can be checked is the baseline above, and the fact that the exam does not require experience to sit.
Common questions
Can you get a sterile processing job with no experience?
According to the federal employment projections, the occupation requires a high school diploma or equivalent and no work experience in a related occupation, with moderate-term on-the-job training. That is the baseline for the occupation. Individual employers set their own bar on top of it, and many ask for certification.
Do you need to be certified before you are hired?
Not according to the occupation's federal entry requirements, but frequently according to the employer. This is the gap that makes the question confusing: the job does not formally require the credential, and a great many postings do.
Can you sit the CRCST exam before you have any experience?
Yes. Provisional certification lets you sit the exam first and complete the 400 hands on hours within 6 months of passing. Most of the internet answers this question with a flat no.
Does volunteering count toward the hands on hours?
Yes. HSPA's own verification form covers an employee or volunteer, which matters if you are trying to get in without a paid position first.