Per diemPosted 3 days ago
Sterile Processing Tech I - Sharp Memorial Hospital - Night Shift - Per Diem- Weekends Only
Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA
$29.67–$37.10/ hour
New this week
Sterile Processing Technician jobs in Carlsbad, CA
Pay for sterile processing technicians in the Carlsbad area centers on $31.41 per hour, or about $65,340 a year. The lower quarter earns under $27.90 and the upper quarter over $35.96. The CMS hospital directory lists 18 hospitals in the Carlsbad metro area. That ranks 9th of 233 U.S. metro areas for sterile processing technician pay, and 10th of 222 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Carlsbad.
- $31.41median pay per hour, San Diego
- $28–$36typical range per hour
- 620employed in the metro area
- 6open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Sterile Processing Technician roles near Carlsbad
Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.
PermanentPosted 6 days ago
Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)
Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · San Diego, CA
$52k–$67k/ year
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
85+ more Sterile Processing Technician roles for you in Carlsbad, CA
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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PermanentPosted 10 days ago
Trainer - Sterile Processing - Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus - Variable Shift - Full Time
Sharp Healthcare · San Diego, CA
$31.35–$39.18/ hour
Top 25% pay
PermanentPosted 16 days ago
SPD Tech- OR
Palomar Health · Escondido, CA
$23.00–$34.52/ hour
PermanentPosted 29 days ago
SPD Tech I
Palomar Health · Escondido, CA
$23.00–$32.54/ hour
Per diemPosted 30+ days ago
Sterile Processing Tech I - Sharp Memorial Hospital - Night Shift - Per Diem- Weekends Only
Sharp Healthcare · San Diego, CA
$29.67–$37.10/ hour
Get the Carlsbad Sterile Processing Technician pay report
Named employers near Carlsbad, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring sterile processing technicians near Carlsbad
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp Healthcare | 2 | $34.33 |
| Palomar Health | 2 | $28.27 |
| Sharp HealthCare | 1 | $33.39 |
| Military Treatment Facilities under DHA | 1 | $28.68 |
Sterile Processing Technician pay in Carlsbad, CA
The metro median is 4% above the California statewide median of $30.15 per hour. Nationally the median is $22.35 per hour. BLS counts about 620 medical equipment preparers employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.85).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $22.18 | $46,130 | 1% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $27.90 | $58,030 | 25% above U.S. median |
| Median | $31.41 | $65,340 | 41% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $35.96 | $74,800 | 61% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $38.29 | $79,640 | 71% above U.S. median |
How Carlsbad ranks
- 9th of 233 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 10th of 222 after adjusting for local prices
- 9th of 21 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Medical Equipment Preparers (SOC 31-9093), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in Carlsbad
- Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $31.41 median hour buys what $28.07 buys at the national price level, 26% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Carlsbad paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,131
- Per year: $56,538
- Per month: $4,712
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Carlsbad
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $205 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $2,037 |
| 13-week assignment | $26,481 |
Travel sterile processing technician assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area
CMS lists 18 hospitals in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area, 10 of the 13 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of sterile processing technicians.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Va San Diego Healthcare System San Diego, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas Encinitas, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital And Hlthcr Ctr Coronado, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Sterile Processing Technician pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vista, CA | 5 mi | $31.41/hr | 99,322 |
| Encinitas, CA | 6 mi | $31.41/hr | 61,137 |
| Temecula, CA | 27 mi | $27.97/hr | 112,431 |
| San Clemente, CA | 29 mi | $28.46/hr | 62,627 |
| Murrieta, CA | 31 mi | $27.97/hr | 112,539 |
Sterile Processing Technician jobs in California · Sterile Processing Technician jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
CRCST or CSPDT certification, or the ability to earn it. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Carlsbad
Carlsbad city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do sterile processing technicians make in Carlsbad, CA?
Sterile Processing Technicians in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $31.41 per hour, about $65,340 a year. The middle half earn between $27.90 and $35.96 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Carlsbad a good place for sterile processing technicians once cost of living is counted?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 10th of 222 metro areas for sterile processing technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 9th of 233 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring sterile processing technicians in Carlsbad?
We list 6 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Carlsbad.
Do I need a California license to work in Carlsbad as a sterile processing technician?
CRCST or CSPDT certification, or the ability to earn it. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Carlsbad?
The federal per diem benchmark in Carlsbad is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place sterile processing technicians in Carlsbad?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Carlsbad and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Carlsbad.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near Carlsbad pay sterile processing technicians? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
230+ Sterile Processing Technician roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your SPD Tech pay reportCarlsbad, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- Montage HealthMonterey, CA · 3 postings$43.97/ hr$38–$50
- Sharp HealthcareSan Diego, CA · 2 postings$34.33/ hr$30–$39
- CommonSpirit HealthSANTA MARIA, CA · 2 postings$29.99/ hr$25–$34
- Palomar HealthEscondido, CA · 2 postings$28.27/ hr$23–$35
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$23Median$28.72High$39
20 SPD Tech postings with published pay in California, 19 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 20 SPD Tech roles
- Sterile Processing Tech II, Sterile Processing, Full-Time, Evenings (11am-7:30pm)Permanent$36.12–$42.34/ hour
- Sterile Processing Tech I (Full-Time, PMs)Permanent$22.46–$28.75/ hour
+ 18 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.