CA · Santee · Updated October 15, 2026

Sterile Processing Technician jobs in Santee, CA

The median sterile processing technician pay in the Santee area is $31.41 per hour ($65,340 a year), with the typical range running from $27.90 to $35.96. 6 open roles with published pay are listed for Santee and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 18 hospitals in the Santee metro area. The free report below lists employers near Santee and what they pay.

Open Sterile Processing Technician roles near Santee

Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.

PermanentPosted 16 days ago

SPD Tech- OR

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$34.52/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR100532
View role
PermanentPosted 29 days ago

SPD Tech I

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$32.54/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR100352
View role

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

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Who is hiring sterile processing technicians near Santee

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sharp Healthcare2$34.33
Palomar Health2$28.27
Sharp HealthCare1$33.39
Military Treatment Facilities under DHA1$28.68

Sterile Processing Technician pay in Santee, 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).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$22.18$46,1301% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$27.90$58,03025% above U.S. median
Median$31.41$65,34041% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$35.96$74,80061% above U.S. median
Top 10%$38.29$79,64071% above U.S. median

How Santee 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 Santee

  • 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 Santee 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 Santee

ItemFederal 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.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Va San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, CA
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Grossmont Hospital
La Mesa, CA
Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas
Encinitas, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Scripps Mercy Hospital
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center
Chula Vista, CA
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Coronado Hospital And Hlthcr Ctr
Coronado, CA
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Memorial Hospital
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes

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
El Cajon, CA4 mi$31.41/hr103,291
La Mesa, CA6 mi$31.41/hr60,767
Temecula, CA45 mi$27.97/hr112,431

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 Santee

Santee city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do sterile processing technicians make in Santee, 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 Santee 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 Santee?

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 Santee.

Do I need a California license to work in Santee 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 Santee?

The federal per diem benchmark in Santee 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 Santee?

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

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What do employers near Santee 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.

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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 Santee, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your SPD Tech pay reportSantee, 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.

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