CRCST exam guides

Plain answers about the certification, the test and the job, with sources.

• CRCST Certification Requirements: 400 Hours, Eligibility and Provisional Status

  Exactly what HSPA requires for CRCST: the 400-hour breakdown, provisional certification, deadlines and what doesn't count.

• CRCST Exam Format: Questions, Time Limit, Passing Score and Topics

  How many questions are on the CRCST exam, how long it takes, what score you need and the seven content domains.

• CRCST Pass Rate: How Hard Is the Sterile Processing Exam?

  HSPA's official CRCST pass rates for 2023 to 2025, why the exam is getting harder and how to be in the passing group.

• CRCST Recertification: CE Credits, Fees and Deadlines

  How to keep your CRCST current: 12 CE credits a year, the $50 annual fee, and state CE rules.

• CRCST Study Guide: A 6-Week Plan to Pass the First Time

  A practical week-by-week CRCST study plan built around the HSPA content outline, with what to focus on and when you're ready.

• CRCST vs CSPDT: Which Sterile Processing Certification Should You Get?

  HSPA's CRCST and CBSPD's CSPDT compared: exam, cost, eligibility, renewal and which states accept each.

• How to Become a Sterile Processing Technician (2026 Guide)

  The step-by-step path into sterile processing: training, the 400 hands-on hours, the CRCST exam, cost and pay.

• Sterile Processing Technician Salary (2026): Pay by State and Certification

  What sterile processing technicians earn, the highest-paying states and how certification affects pay, from BLS and O*NET data.

• Which States Require Sterile Processing Certification? (2026)

  The seven states that legally require sterile processing technician certification, which credentials they accept and the deadlines.