Cincinnati, OH – Sterile Processing Technician (SPT) programs—critical workforce pathways supporting surgical and hospital sterilization departments—may face major changes to federal funding and accessibility as new student aid reforms take effect in 2026. Because most SPT programs operate as short-term certificates, they fall under the most restrictive of the federal government’s new Title IV rules.
According to federal guidance, SPT programs that are unaccredited, non-credit, or under 150 instructional hours cannot receive Title IV federal aid. Programs between 150 and 600 hours must now meet stringent Workforce Pell requirements, which mandate a 70% completion rate, 70% job placement rate, and tuition that does not exceed graduates’ verified value-added earnings measured three years after completion.
Beginning July 1, 2026, sterile processing programs must also pass the federal “low earnings outcomes” test. Under this rule, a program loses Direct Loan eligibility if its graduates earn the same or less than adults with only a high school diploma for two out of three measured years. Because early-career sterile processing wages often begin close to this threshold—especially in smaller hospitals and outpatient centers—some programs may struggle to meet federal standards.
Hospitals warn the changes could worsen nationwide shortages of sterile processing staff, an already critical support role in surgical safety.
