PassPulse Sterile ProcessingPrepare for the CSPDT

Is the CSPDT exam hard?

Yes, it fails more people than it passes. CBSPD reports a 48.1% pass rate in 2025 (1,928 passed), and it has hovered around 48% to 50% since 2022. You need a scaled 70 on 150 questions in 3 hours, and you can only test in four one-week windows a year.

Updated October 2026
48%
CSPDT pass rate, 2025CBSPD, 1,928 passed
More than half did not pass
150questions
3 hrstime limit
70scaled to pass

What's on the CSPDT

AreaShare
Decontamination and Disinfection19%
Sterilization18%
Preparation and Handling16%
Roles and Responsibilities13%
Sterile Storage, Inventory and Distribution11%
Life Science9%
Ethics8%
Patient Care Equipment6%

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Windows, fees and retakes

2026 windows: February 2–7, May 4–9, August 3–8 and November 2–7, at PSI test centers. The fee is $135. You can retake as many times as needed but only once per window, so a fail usually costs you a quarter. Compare in CRCST vs CSPDT.

CSPDT FAQ

What is the CSPDT pass rate?

48.1% in 2025, per CBSPD.

What is the CSPDT passing score?

A scaled score of 70 or above.

When can I take the CSPDT?

Only in CBSPD's four one-week testing windows each year.

More CSPDT guides

Sources
  1. CBSPD: Exam and certification statistics
  2. CBSPD: Technician candidate bulletin (November 2026)
  3. CBSPD: Technician certification

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PassPulse is an independent exam preparation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) or the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD). Exam, credential and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the exams and materials described.

This page is for general information only. It is not official guidance from any certifying body, state agency or employer, and it is not legal, medical, career or financial advice. The information on this page may contain errors or omissions, or may be out of date: fees, policies, exam content and state rules change. Practice questions, answers and explanations on PassPulse may also contain errors. Always confirm current requirements and facts directly with the certifying body, your state, your employer or the manufacturer's instructions before you register, apply or act on them. Pass rates and statistics describe past candidates and do not predict your result.
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