Radiation Therapist Schools

“Radiation therapists are front-line workers who work in a highly specialized field that utilizes radiation to treat and cure cancer. They are the ‘face’ of the radiation oncology team, and patients undergoing radiation therapy treatment meet their radiation therapist on a daily basis.”

– Kristi Linnea Tonning, PhD, Radiation Therapy Program Director and Associate Professor, Oregon Health & Science University

Becoming a radiation therapist is a great career choice for precision-oriented people who want to help patients without going to medical school. Radiation therapy uses intense energy beams to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It is prescribed before or after surgery by an oncologist (cancer physician) to remove cancerous cells or tumors and may be prescribed after a series of chemotherapy or surgery.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common type of radiation therapy is external beam therapy, which aims light beams at precise points on human bodies. The second and less often used type of radiation therapy is brachytherapy which involves radiation placed inside a human body. Most patients requiring radiation are treated over multiple consecutive days, depending on their diagnosis, and treatment sessions can last for 10 to 30 minutes.

Following safety procedures is a top priority for radiation therapists to protect themselves and their patients. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025), radiation therapists are responsible for explaining treatment plans to patients, operating and calibrating radiation machines, and keeping meticulous patient treatment records. Beyond technical skills, this role requires precision-orientedness and strong written and verbal communication skills to treat cancer patients with safety, accuracy, and compassion.

Radiation therapy is one of the better-paying careers accessible with two- or four-year degrees from an accredited radiation therapy school. With a median salary of $101,990 per year, radiation therapy is a relatively lucrative profession in the US. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025) projects that jobs in this field will grow by 3 percent between 2023 and 2033, just a bit slower than the current 4 percent projected for all occupations nationwide.

Due to the precision and detail-orientedness needed to succeed in this position, the educational and certification requirements are significant. Students who complete a program that qualifies them to become certified through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) must complete, at minimum, an associate’s degree in any field and an educational program in radiation therapy. The ARRT keeps a list of recognized educational programs, and the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) accredits radiation therapy programs.

Fortunately, several high-quality programs provide flexible ways to complete these requirements so that every student can find a school that fits their needs and budget. Read on to learn more about accredited radiation therapy schools, including standard courses, tuition, and program curriculums.

Radiation Therapist Fast Facts
Projected Jobs Created	500
Projected Job Growth	3 percent
Average Salary	$110,820
Low Salary	$77,860
Median Salary	$101,990
High Salary	$141,550
Entry-Level EDU	Associate’s Degree

MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What is something you wish the public understood about radiation therapists?

Dr. Tonning: Radiation therapists are front-line workers who work in a highly specialized field that utilizes radiation to treat and cure cancer. They are the “face” of the radiation oncology team, and patients undergoing radiation therapy treatment meet their radiation therapist on a daily basis.

Radiation therapists are licensed to administer radiation, and they provide emotional support for patients and their families throughout their journey, which leads to a lot of gifts of chocolate from grateful patients!

MedicalTechnologySchools.com: What advice would you give to aspiring radiation therapy students?

Dr. Tonning: A career in radiation therapy combines patient care and technology in a unique way and is incredibly rewarding. My advice is to shadow in a radiation oncology clinic for an overview of the many aspects of a day in the life of a radiation therapist and reach out to radiation therapy programs for support in completing the required prerequisites.

Currently, there is a shortage of radiation therapists around the country, the starting salary is high, and people tend to stay in the profession. I’ve been a radiation therapist for 23 years and have no regrets. I think it’s the best healthcare career out there!

On-Campus Radiation Therapy Programs

To become radiation therapists, students must complete a two- or four-year radiation therapy program at an accredited school. While radiation therapy certificate programs were considered acceptable minimum educational requirements in the past, since 2015, the ARRT, the primary licensing body for radiation therapists, has required that candidates have completed at least an associate degree to qualify for licensure. In addition to an associate of applied science (AAS) degree, students can pursue bachelor’s of science (BS) or post-baccalaureate specializations in radiation therapy.

Following is a sampling of esteemed radiation therapy programs. All of the schools below hold institutional accreditation by the US Department of Education. In addition, some of them are ARRT-recognized educational programs, and all of them hold programmatic accreditation by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). Detailed information about accreditation organizations is included in its section below.

Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) – Located in Portland, Oregon, with several campuses throughout the state, the Department of Radiation Medicine at OHSU offers a 117-credit BS in radiation therapy. This program was established in 1971 and boasts an 87 percent degree completion rate, a 100 percent ARRT exam pass rate, and a 100 percent job placement rate. Admission to this program is competitive, accepting only nine applicants per year in a cohort. Students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA.

In the program’s first year, junior students learn in clinical environments two days per week, while senior students have clinical rotations three days per week in locations throughout Oregon. Rural clinical opportunities are available during the summer term. Didactic classes take place at OHSU’s newest academic building on the Schnitzer Campus.

• Location: Portland, OR
• Duration: 24 months
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) – Students who complete the 12-month radiation therapy program offered by the College of Allied Health Professions at the University of Nebraska Medical Center can earn either a BS in radiation science technology or a post-baccalaureate certificate, both of which qualify them to sit for the ARRT exam.

Courses are delivered via lecture demonstrations, laboratory work, and clinical instruction. To be eligible for admission, applicants must be currently certified in radiography, hold radiologic technologists (RT) certification with the ARRT, and complete 21 hours of prerequisite courses.

• Location: Omaha, NE
• Duration: 12 months
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (UNC) – Named recently as one of the top 30 national universities by the U.S. News and World Report (2025), UNC, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the UNC School of Medicine has a long-established tradition of excellence in healthcare education.

To be eligible for the UNC program offered by the Department of Radiation Oncology, applicants must have earned (or be in the process of earning) a minimum of an associate’s degree. In addition, they must be certified in radiography before entering the program. The 12-month post-baccalaureate certificate program qualifies students to sit for the ARRT’s national board certification exam in radiation therapy.

• Location: Chapel Hill, NC
• Duration: 12 months
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

University of Vermont (UV) – UV, located in Burlington, Vermont, provides the perfect career springboard for this bachelor of science (BS) degree program. Their job placement rate for graduates in the last five years sits at an impressive 100 percent, and students who complete this program are prepared to sit for the ARRT exam.

In the final semester of this program, students are placed in a hospital setting with one of UVM’s clinical affiliates. They learn cutting-edge technology, such as virtual environment radiotherapy trainer (VERT), from radiation therapists at the UVM medical center on campus. In addition, short-term study abroad and research options are available for students to deepen their studies in radiation therapy.

• Location: Burlington, VT
• Duration: Four years
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Virginia Western Community College (VWCC) – VWCC, located in Roanoke, Virginia, offers a radiation oncology AAS degree that prepares students to perform the tasks of a radiation therapist. The school has an impressive ARRT certification first-time pass rate of 85 percent, averaged over the past five years.

In addition, VWCC reports that over 99 percent of its graduates are employed within six months of completing the two-year program. However, the VWCC curriculum is considered intense, and students are therefore discouraged from working while attending.

• Location: Roanoke, VA
• Duration: Two years
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Mayo Clinic Minnesota – The radiation therapy program at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science in Rochester, Minnesota, is a one-year program that offers students a hands-on learning experience centered around patient care. Students immediately apply principles from the solid educational foundations learned in the classroom to practice while working with patients.

This program provides students with experience and familiarity with a wide variety of treatment procedures, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), volume-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), stereotactic body radiosurgery (SBRT), and conventional non-IMRT treatments using cone beam CT image guidance and 6 degrees of freedom robotic couch. Graduates from this program have a 35-year 100 percent first-time board exam pass rate. The Mayo Clinic Minnesota radiation therapy program students benefit from small class sizes, with 8-10 students in each class, allowing for individualized attention from faculty members.

• Location: Rochester, MN
• Duration: One year
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Online Radiation Therapy Schools

There are a handful of well-respected online and hybrid radiation therapy programs in the healthcare community. The ARRT has a comprehensive list of recognized educational programs in radiology. In addition, these programs have been demonstrated to meet a specific set of competency and professional standards that guarantee the best quality educational experience for students, employers, and patients.

While no accredited radiation therapy program can be completed 100 percent online due to the essential clinical requirements, students can complete several required general education and radiology courses online. Programs that split their instruction between online and on-campus learning environments are known as hybrid programs.

The following is a sample of hybrid accredited radiation therapy programs recognized by ARRT, JRCERT, or a regional accreditation organization approved by the US Department of Education.

Georgia Southern University – with three campuses across the state, the Savannah campus at Georgia Southern University offers an online bachelor of science bridge program for registered radiology technicians.

The non-clinical track is 100 percent online and aims to teach leadership, management, and technical communication to students with two-year degrees and certification in radiation therapy and other related fields. To be admitted to this program, applicants must have completed a JRCERT-accredited program in radiologic or nuclear medicine technology or sonography or hold an equivalent degree.

• Location: Savannah, GA
• Duration: 24 months
• Accreditation: ARRT & Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

University of Texas – At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, radiation therapy students take a two-year BS program either in person or via distance learning. The distance learning option includes synchronous interaction between students and faculty, clinical rotations at affiliated facilities, and a session on the Houston campus.

In the state-of-the-art radiation oncology center, where many students complete their clinical training, more than 4,000 new patients are treated each year, giving students ample opportunities to learn in a world-class treatment facility. The curriculum includes courses such as principles of radiographic exposure and radiobiology. Graduates from this program are qualified to sit for the ARRT certification exam.

• Location: Houston, TX
• Duration: Two years
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Washburn University (WU) – Located in Topeka, Kansas, the Department of Allied Health at WU offers a hybrid certificate program in radiation therapy. This program is only 13 months long and offers online classes with in-person clinical experiences. Applicants to this program must hold a two-year degree recognized by the ARRT and prove completion of prerequisite sciences, mathematics, and communications courses.

Not only is it inexpensive and flexible, but the learning outcomes are stellar. This program has a credential pass rate of 96 percent and a job placement rate of 89 percent, calculated over a five-year average. Resident tuition is available to those living in border states adjacent to Kansas, including Missouri, Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Texas.

• Location: Topeka, KS
• Duration: 13 months
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Indiana University Northwest (IU) – The bachelor of science in radiation therapy program at Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana, is designed to prepare students for careers as radiation therapists. The curriculum follows the guidelines established by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists. The program faculty strives to develop students’ interests in lifelong learning through professional societies and continuing education. Students in this hybrid program are expected to complete more than 20 percent of their coursework face-to-face over the course of the degree.

• Location: Gary, IN
• Duration: Two years
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Gateway Community College – Located in New Haven, Connecticut, Gateway Community College’s radiation therapy program prepares students for entry-level radiation therapists in hospitals and cancer centers. The program is either hybrid or online, with clinical education in hospitals and cancer centers. Students rotate through all clinical settings at local healthcare facilities throughout the program. The program culminates in eligibility for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) board examination (Radiation Therapy).

• Location: New Haven, CT
• Duration: 20 months
• Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)

Core & Elective Courses in Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapists undergo training similar to that of other radiological professionals (e.g., dosimetrists and radiologic technologists). Still, several courses are unique to radiation therapy programs. Some of the most common core and elective courses include:

• Principles of oncology – Students learn how cancer affects a patient’s physical, mental, and emotional health in this course. It also discusses typical cancer treatments and identifies aberrations in cancer-related screenings.
• Clinical radiation oncology—In this course, students learn how to read detailed oncology patient history data, provide clear oral communication of a patient’s medical history for confirmation, and navigate a clinical workflow in radiation therapy.
• Radiation pathology—Students study various illnesses, diseases, and physical impairments. Although this is a typical course for many kinds of healthcare workers, it focuses specifically on cancer-related pathologies, such as carcinoma, melanoma, neoplasms, and tumors.
• Medical imaging – This course teaches the different types of medical images and how to use various medical imaging equipment (e.g., computerized tomography [CT], magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]).
• Sectional anatomy—In this course, students are introduced to advanced anatomy, focusing on interpreting transverse and sagittal orientation results. Students examine typical scans of these orientations, including spinal, abdominal, chest, and pelvic exams.
• Practicum – This clinical component allows students to apply their didactic knowledge to real-life situations. Comprising around 200 hours each, this series of clinical rotations must include using CT and MRI systems, analyzing radiological imaging results, standard radiological treatment procedures, and other vital practical experiences.

Accreditation for Radiation Therapy Programs

Institutions of higher learning are accredited in two ways: programmatic and institutional. A program’s accreditation status affects graduates’ ability to apply for professional credentials, such as certification through the ARRT.

Institutional Accreditation

Institutional accreditation involves evaluating and appraising an institution as a whole, including all of its programs. The AART accepts institutional accreditation from several regional agencies for the radiation therapy associate’s degree prerequisite. To be considered valid, programs must be recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDE) as a legitimate accrediting agency.

Some of the reputable national and regional accrediting agencies recognized and accepted by the AART include:

• Accrediting Commission for Schools Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

To be accredited, schools must meet specific program requirements, including a thorough self-qualifying study to ensure their program meets national standards. A site visit typically follows this study, wherein a team of radiation professionals evaluates the program’s curriculum, technology, and course outcomes. Finally, the evaluation team creates a findings report, and the agency may choose to grant the program accreditation.

Programmatic Accreditation

Programmatic accreditation involves a similar process to institutional accreditation but applies specifically to the radiation therapy program. The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) is the only group specifically accrediting radiation therapy programs.

A program need not be accredited by JRCERT to be eligible for ARRT certification. Still, it must appear on the AART list of recognized educational programs. As of February 2023, the ARRT recognizes 732 educational programs in radiography.

Career Outlook

The high-paying field of radiation therapy is expected to grow a little slower than the national average (4 percent from 2023 to 2033), and relatively few jobs are expected to be created in this field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2024) suggests that around 500 new radiation therapy jobs will become available between 2023 and 2033.

The growth that is occurring in this field is due partially to a large aging population that is projected to need screenings and treatment for cancer. In addition, there will probably be an increase in the number of younger people seeking early cancer detection options as affordable screening options become available.

Currently, most radiation therapists work in general hospitals, private practices, and outpatient care centers, with an average (mean) wage of $110,820 and a median wage of $101,990 (BLS May 2024). However, the most highly paid radiation therapists make an average wage of over $141,550 per year and usually work in specialty hospitals.

Cost of living is an essential factor to consider when evaluating salary data. Of the five states listed above, the four top-paying states are also in the top 10 most expensive states to live according to the Cost of Living Data Series published by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2025). Nebraska, on the other hand, is one of the more affordable states in the nation, meaning salaries earned working in this state will go further to pay for expenses such as housing, utilities, groceries, and transportation.

Radiation therapists who complete an associate or bachelor’s degree in radiation therapy are most likely to get the highest-paid positions in this field. Board certification may also qualify students for more prestigious jobs.

Career Facts	Radiation Therapist
Related Careers	MRI Technologist, Neurodiagnostic Technologist, Radiologic Technologist
Common Job Titles	Radiation Therapist, Computed Tomography Simulation Therapist, Dosimetrist
Technology & Equipment	Radiation Therapy Collimators, Radiological Positioning Aids, X-Ray Intensifying Screens

Licensing & Certification for Radiation Therapists

To be licensed as a radiation therapist in most states, you must complete a clinical period of study (usually two years) in addition to passing the national exam administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

Students wishing to sit for the national radiation therapy exam administered by the ARRT must complete a minimum of an associate degree from an accredited college. This degree can be a radiological associate’s degree or any two-year degree in any discipline from an accredited institution recognized by the ARRT. Applicants must also meet ARRT standards of ethics governing appropriate behavior and standards in a healthcare workplace to be eligible to sit for the exam.

Although experience in a clinical setting is not necessary to take the exam, it is vital to becoming a licensed radiation therapist. Most states require a minimum number of hours of clinical training to become certified. In addition, those hours must be corroborated by a currently licensed and registered therapist to allow qualification for licensure.