CA · Santa Clara · Updated October 15, 2026

Sterile Processing Technician jobs in Santa Clara, CA

The median sterile processing technician pay in the Santa Clara area is $37.75 per hour ($78,530 a year), with the typical range running from $35.41 to $42.54. That ranks 5th of 233 U.S. metro areas for sterile processing technician pay, and 5th of 222 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Santa Clara. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Santa Clara.

More open Sterile Processing Technician roles in Santa Clara

2 more open roles from employers in Santa Clara. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

Sterile Processing Technician pay in Santa Clara, CA

The metro median is 25% above the California statewide median of $30.15 per hour. Nationally the median is $22.35 per hour. BLS counts about 500 medical equipment preparers employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, 0.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.94).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$29.53$61,42032% above U.S. median
Lower quartile$35.41$73,65058% above U.S. median
Median$37.75$78,53069% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$42.54$88,48090% above U.S. median
Top 10%$45.81$95,280105% above U.S. median

How Santa Clara ranks

  • 5th of 233 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 5th of 222 after adjusting for local prices
  • 5th 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.

Get the Santa Clara Sterile Processing Technician pay report

Named employers near Santa Clara, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Santa Clara

  • Overall prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara run 10% above the U.S. average (index 110.4, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 112% above the U.S. average (index 211.9).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $37.75 median hour buys what $34.19 buys at the national price level, 53% 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 Santa Clara paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,359
  • Per year: $67,950
  • Per month: $5,662

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Santa Clara

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$192
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,988
13-week assignment$25,844

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).

Open Sterile Processing Technician roles in California

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Santa Clara as they open.

All Sterile Processing Technician jobs in California

Hospitals in Santa Clara

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Santa Clara, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of sterile processing technicians.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Kaiser Foundation Hospital-Santa Clara
Santa Clara, CA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Kaiser Permanente Psychiatric Health Facility-Sant
Santa Clara, CA
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedYes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Sterile Processing Technician pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Sunnyvale, CA4 mi$37.75/hr156,792
Cupertino, CA5 mi$37.75/hr58,710
Fremont, CA9 mi$39.20/hr228,192
Union City, CA17 mi$39.20/hr66,196
Redwood City, CA17 mi$39.20/hr82,982
Hayward, CA20 mi$39.20/hr158,440

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.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Santa Clara

Santa Clara city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do sterile processing technicians make in Santa Clara, CA?

Sterile Processing Technicians in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area have a median pay of $37.75 per hour, about $78,530 a year. The middle half earn between $35.41 and $42.54 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Santa Clara a good place for sterile processing technicians once cost of living is counted?

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks 5th of 222 metro areas for sterile processing technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 5th of 233 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.

Where do sterile processing technicians work in Santa Clara?

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Santa Clara, led by Kaiser Foundation Hospital-Santa Clara. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a California license to work in Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara?

The federal per diem benchmark in Santa Clara is $192 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,988 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 Santa Clara?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Santa Clara and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Santa Clara.

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Santa Clara 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles 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.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · SPD Tech near Santa Clara, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your SPD Tech pay reportSanta Clara, 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

  1. Sterile Processing Tech II, Sterile Processing, Full-Time, Evenings (11am-7:30pm)Permanent
    $36.12–$42.34/ hour
    MarinHealth · Greenbrae, CA · posted today
  2. Sterile Processing Tech I (Full-Time, PMs)Permanent
    $22.46–$28.75/ hour
    Enloe Medical Center · Chico, CA · posted today

+ 18 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay