Sterile Processing Technician Jobs in San Jose, CA: Pay and Who's Hiring

In San Jose, the May 2025 median for sterile processing technicians is about $81.1K, 70% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $77.7K to $91.1K.

Pay

The median is the middle of sterile processing technicians already employed, not a starting wage. The 25th is the lower quarter of that group. The 75th is what the upper quarter already earns.

Percentile	Metro	CA	U.S.
25th	$77,660	$49,650	$39,800
Median	$81,090	$61,370	$47,700
75th	$91,110	$77,660	$58,570

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages are the Medical Equipment Preparers series, SOC 31-9093.

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

4.1

Metro employment

540

National growth, 2025 to 2035

10.8%

National openings a year

10.7 thousand

This is the same score as the free check.

Who's hiring

Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, 4 campuses
Orchard Creek Surgery Center, 3 campuses
El Camino Hospital, 2 campuses
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, 2 campuses
Stanford Hospital and Clinics, 2 campuses
Stanford University, 2 campuses

Campuses on file in the provider extract, not live job ads.

License and training

Most states do not license this work, but a few, including New York and New Jersey, require certification for new hires. Employers often want CRCST from HSPA or CSPDT from CBSPD. Confirm the rule in your state.

Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, medical equipment preparers

The work

You decontaminate used instruments, inspect them, and build trays to a count sheet. Then you run the sterilizer and track each load.

The schedule drives the work. An add-on case or a missing instrument means a rush, and the tray still has to be right.

Nearby metros

Santa Cruz, CA · 25 miles
Salinas, CA · 43 miles
San Francisco, CA · 47 miles
Stockton, CA · 55 miles

Related roles

One manager hiring: Hire a Sterile Processing Technician in San Jose.

Medical Equipment Preparers hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires sterile processing technicians in San Jose?

Hospitals and surgery centers hire sterile processing technicians in San Jose. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Sutter Bay Medical Foundation, Orchard Creek Surgery Center, El Camino Hospital.

Do I need certification for sterile processing in California?

A few states require it. Check the California rule before you start in San Jose.

What should a surgery center in San Jose weigh when hiring?

Ask about tray types and certification. San Jose has slightly fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is 32% over the California median.