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Radiologic Technologist Schools

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For tech-savvy, sociable people seeking a high-growth career in healthcare, becoming a radiologic technologist may be an excellent choice. Not only are opportunities in this field expected to increase in coming years, but it’s also among the higher-paying jobs requiring a two-year associate degree as opposed to a four-year bachelor’s degree.

So what do radiologic technologists do? And how has the field changed over the years? According to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), radiologic technologists perform diagnostic imaging, give radiation treatments to treat diseases, protect patients from unnecessary radiation, counsel patients through procedures, and maintain detailed patient records.

As the Southeast Community College of Nebraska points out on its website, the field incorporates both science and art, combining a scientific understanding of radiologic principles with a discerning eye for interpreting diagnostic imagery (e.g., x-rays). These professionals may specialize in various methods and types of treatment, including radiation therapy, medical dosimetry, mammography, bone densitometry, cardiovascular-interventional radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), nuclear medicine, or sonography.

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) adds that radiologic technologists have gone by many names over the years. In fact, before the mid-1960s, they were referred to as “x-ray technicians” and were typically trained on the job as opposed to enrolling in structured educational programs. The term “technologist” arose in the mid-twentieth century and denoted a new class of formally trained radiological specialists.

The ASRT reports that registered radiologic technologists—referred to as RTs—must have completed at least two years of accredited education, passed an exam, and registered in the profession. Furthermore, these credentials are expected to be maintained following the completion of continuing education (CE) credits. Registration through the ARRT is a prerequisite for most jobs in hospitals, clinics, and private practices.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2021) found that openings in this career are expanding faster than the national average. In fact, between 2020 and 2030, the BLS expects a 9 percent jump in openings for radiologic technologists, while the average growth for all occupations during that period is 8 percent. With the expected addition of 18,300 positions in this field, there’s a bright outlook for aspiring radiologic technologists.

Read on to discover what to expect from an accredited, two- to four-year program in radiologic technology—either on-campus or online—as well as to learn about how much these healthcare professionals make and how to become credentialed.

Radiologic Technologist fast facts
Projected Jobs Created25,300
Projected Job Growth12%
Average Salary$60,320
Low Salary$39,840
High Salary$84,110
Entry-Level EDU Associate's Degree
Sourced From BLS, June 2016

Programs in Radiologic Technology

Most radiologic technology programs lead to two-year associate degrees, although some lead to a bachelor’s degree. To become credentialed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)—the predominant credentialing agency in the field—a person must have at least an associate degree from an accredited institution. Please reference the “Accreditation” section for more information on this program approval process.

According to the ARRT, more than 75 percent of American states have laws governing the practice of radiologic technology. Also, ARRT’s exams are used in 35 states for regional licensure including populous states such as California, New York, and Texas. For all aspiring radiologic technologists, it’s crucial to verify regional requirements before planning for licensure. Please check out the “Licensing & Certification” section to learn more about professional credentialing.

Programs and curriculum can vary by state or institution, but all radiologic technologist schools generally feature a combination of didactic coursework and hands-on lab work, as well as supervised clinical experiences.

 

Associate vs. Bachelor’s Degree in Radiologic Technology

Beginning January 1, 2015, the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) began requiring the completion of an accredited educational program (e.g., associate, bachelor’s, or graduate-level) to qualify a person for professional certification. The ARRT recognizes that a four-year bachelor’s degree requires more in-depth coursework and clinical training, and therefore may enhance a person’s earning potential or employment prospects.

Bachelor’s programs may give students more advanced training in specific techniques or technologies such as radiation therapy, MRI, ultrasound, CT, mammography, angiography, or nuclear medicine. Additionally, a bachelor’s degree is necessary for those seeking to enter medical school and become radiologists.

 

Admissions Requirements for Radiologic Technology School

To be accepted into radiologic technologist school, admissions committees typically call for official secondary school transcripts, a personal statement, a completed application, and a fee. Students may also need to complete specific prerequisite classes (e.g., biology), a physical exam, a background check, or a test (e.g., TOEFL for non-native speakers of English).

 

Associate Degrees in Radiologic Technology

Bellevue College

Bellevue College, based in Bellevue, WA, offers an associate in arts (AA) degree in radiologic technology that involves eight quarters of classroom work and clinical experiences. During the program, students will acquire over 1,800 hours of clinical education and gain extensive experience at a local premier healthcare facility.

Courses include an introduction to radiologic technology, positioning & related anatomy, principles of radiographic exposure, patient care in radiology, medical terminology, radiographic physics, and advanced radiographic procedures. Students must maintain at least a C in all courses to earn the degree and students should be prepared to sit for the ARRT exam upon completion.

Students may later apply their associate degree toward a bachelor’s of science (BS) in radiation & imaging sciences at the school. A certificate of completion to work as an imaging aide is another education option available at the school.

  • Location: Bellevue, WA
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Expected Time to Completion: 23 months
  • Estimated Tuition: Resident ($116.05 per credit); non-resident ($299.12 per credit)

Tarrant County College

Tarrant County College, based in Fort Worth, TX, offers an associate of applied science (AAS) degree in radiology technology which is a two-year program with selective admission. Students in this program will be using computerized equipment for producing images of human anatomy, pathology, and physiology. The faculty of the program include caring, dedicated, and knowledgeable professionals who have several years of teaching and clinical experience.

Comprising 64 credits, the program includes courses such as introduction to radiography, basic radiographic procedures, essentials of medical terminology, intermediate radiographic procedures, radiographic imaging equipment, advanced medical imaging, and radiation biology & protection, as well as several clinical practicums.

Clinical hours are required and students must meet pre-screening requirements before participating. To even be considered for admission, two prerequisite coursework in anatomy and physiology need to be completed.

  • Location: Fort Worth, TX
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
  • Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $4,096

Chaffey College

Chaffey College, based in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, offers an associate degree program that features 105 units of training providing concurrent clinical education to students at facilities that are affiliated with the college. Clinical education includes operating x-ray equipment, processing and exposing the image, positioning of patients & patient care, and applying protective shields.

Chaffey has classes such as anatomy for radiologic positioning, radiographic pathology, human anatomy, human physiology, patient care for radiologic technologists, radiologic science and protection, radiographic imaging, and pharmacology & venipuncture for imaging professionals. The program prepares students for the ARRT board exam

Applicants to the program need to be in good physical health and are required to complete a health examination beforehand. Students also must have completed two biology courses in the five years before enrollment to be eligible for admission.

Graduates of the program can take up roles such as radiologic technologists and technicians, health information technologists, surgical assistants, medical records specialists, medical dosimetrists, and radiation therapists.

  • Location: Rancho Cucamonga, CA
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT); Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $46 per unit

Foothill College

Foothill College, based in Los Altos, CA, offers a 23-month associate degree in radiologic technology. Graduates of this program will gain entry-level competency skills following state and national regulatory agencies and will be able to implement radiation safety for their patients, themselves, and others.

Students start in the summer of their first year and work through eight terms, finishing up in the spring of their second year. In their second year, they are required to complete three practicums and learn about professional development in radiology. Instruction includes lectures, on-campus labs, and supervised hands-on learning experiences.

Made up of 118.5 units, the curriculum includes courses such as introduction to allied health programs, orientation to radiologic technology, fundamentals of radiologic technology, applied radiographic technology, principles of radiologic technology, law & ethics in medical imaging, radiographic pathology, and fluoroscopy. Students should be prepared to take the ARRT test upon graduation and to seek California state licensure.

Graduates of the program will be well-equipped to work in hospitals, imaging centers, health care facilities, physician offices, and mobile imaging companies.

  • Location: Los Altos, CA
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), and the California Department of Public Health, Radiation Health Branch (RHB); ACCJC
  • Expected Time to Completion: 23 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $5,200

Greenville Technical College

Greenville Technical College, based in Greenville, SC, offers an associate program in radiologic technology program that comprises of two phases. The first phase requires students to complete all general education coursework, while the second phase includes specialized radiologic technology coursework. The clinical assignments are completed during the second phase and students may be required to work evenings or weekends. Please note that admission into the first phase of the program does not guarantee admission into the second phase.

Consisting of 82 credits, the curriculum includes courses such as medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, introduction to radiography, radiographic procedures, radiographic imaging fundamentals, radiation biology, and radiographic pathology.

Upon completion of the program, students are generally eligible to sit for the ARRT exam. Graduates will be well prepared to become entry-level radiologic technologists or radiologic technicians developing skills in patient-centered care, professional behavior, clinical competence, and effective communication.

  • Location: Greenville, SC
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
  • Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
  • Estimated Tuition: In-county ($277 per credit); out-of-county ($294 per credit); out-of-state ($470 per credit)

Metropolitan Community College

Metropolitan Community College, based in Kansas City, Missouri, offers an associate of applied science (AAS) in radiologic technology preparing students for entry-level employment in the diagnostic radiologic technology health care community.

Comprising 78 to 88 credits, the program has classes such as anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, fundamentals of radiologic technology, principles of radiographic imaging, radiation physics and equipment, digital image acquisition, and cross-sectional anatomy.

Students need to receive a C or better in all their coursework and may be required to travel outside the Kansas City area to complete some of their clinical mentorships. The program prepares students to sit for the ARRT exam upon completion.

  • Location: Kansas City, Missouri
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT); HLC
  • Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
  • Estimated Tuition: In-district ($116 per credit); out-of-district ($228 per credit); out-of-state ($307 per credit)
 

Bachelor’s Degrees in Radiologic Technology

University of Southern Indiana

The University of Southern Indiana (USI) of Evansville provides a bachelor’s degree in radiologic and imaging sciences providing students with advanced knowledge, innovative technologies, and required skills needed for becoming successful radiologic technologists. The program prepares graduates to function effectively as entry-level radiographers.

As part of the program, students will delve into topics such as radiographic exposure, CT-MRI physics & instrumentation, introduction to invasive imaging procedures, radiation biology, radiographic pathology, digital radiography & imaging informatics, and professional development and literacy in imaging sciences.

On successful completion of the program, graduates can take up opportunities at hospitals, outpatient clinics, physicians offices, and other health services facilities. Areas for advancement include ultrasound, radiation therapy, mammography, computed tomography, nuclear medicine, angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

  • Location: Evansville, IN
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
  • Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
  • Estimated Tuition: Indiana resident ($274.96 per credit); non-resident ($667.89 per credit)

University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill

The University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill (UNC) offers a bachelor of science (BS) in radiologic science preparing students to practice effectively and competently as medical imaging professionals in diverse healthcare environments. Students will have the option to choose between the diagnostic medical sonography concentration (DMS) or the diagnostic & interventional radiology concentration (DIR).

With broad-based training in medical imaging, UNC has units in cardiac catheterization studies, vascular imaging, orthopedics, and pediatrics. Specific classes include pathophysiology, leadership in radiologic science, clinical decisions in radiology, research in radiologic science, obstetrics and gynecology sonography, ultrasound principles and instrumentation, and abdominal sonography.

At the end of the program, graduates may be eligible to take the national certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).

  • Location: Chapel Hill, NC
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)
  • Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
  • Estimated Tuition: NC resident ($34,932); non-resident ($62,325)

Overall, pursuing a bachelor’s degree can augment a student’s preparation in various aspects of radiologic practice, and even prepare a person for one of ARRT’s specialty certifications in areas such as cardiac-interventional radiography, mammography, or vascular sonography, to name a few.

If the ARRT trend continues toward requiring more advanced educational preparation to qualify for professional credentialing, it’s possible that RT certification may someday require a four-year degree.

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List of Radiologic Technologist Schools

Filter by state :
School City State Website grads (2018)
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson Tucson Arizona pmi.edu 162
Midwestern State University Wichita Falls Texas www.mwsu.edu 158
Weber State University Ogden Utah www.weber.edu 134
San Jacinto Community College Pasadena Texas www.sanjac.edu 114
Galveston College Galveston Texas www.gc.edu 111
AdventHealth University Orlando Florida www.ahu.edu 94
Los Angeles City College Los Angeles California www.lacitycollege.edu 91
The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest Houston Texas www.chcp.edu 89
EDIC College Caguas Puerto Rico www.ediccollege.edu 87
Ponce Paramedical College Inc Ponce Puerto Rico www.popac.edu 74
Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.ccac.edu 70
GateWay Community College Phoenix Arizona www.gatewaycc.edu 69
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis Indiana www.ivytech.edu 68
The College of Health Care Professions-San Antonio San Antonio Texas chcp.edu 68
Boise State University Boise Idaho www.boisestate.edu 66
Cypress College Cypress California www.cypresscollege.edu 66
The College of Health Care Professions-Fort Worth Fort Worth Texas www.chcp.edu 63
Pima Medical Institute-Seattle Seattle Washington pmi.edu 58
Houston Community College Houston Texas www.hccs.edu 57
St Philip's College San Antonio Texas www.alamo.edu/spc 57
Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque Albuquerque New Mexico pmi.edu 55
Brookhaven College Farmers Branch Texas www.brookhavencollege.edu 52
Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls Oregon www.oit.edu 52
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus Carolina Puerto Rico une.suagm.edu 51
Austin Community College District Austin Texas www.austincc.edu 50
Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Louisiana www.nsula.edu 49
The College of Health Care Professions-Southwest Houston Houston Texas www.chcp.edu 49
Center for Allied Health Education Brooklyn New York www.cahe.edu 48
The College of Health Care Professions-Austin Austin Texas www.chcp.edu 48
Virginia Western Community College Roanoke Virginia virginiawestern.edu 48
Atenas College Manati Puerto Rico www.atenascollege.edu 47
Trocaire College Buffalo New York trocaire.edu 46
Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga California www.chaffey.edu 45
San Diego Mesa College San Diego California www.sdmesa.edu 45
Pima Medical Institute-Denver Denver Colorado pmi.edu 44
Resurrection University Chicago Illinois www.resu.edu 44
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins Georgia www.centralgatech.edu 43
Foothill College Los Altos Hills California foothill.edu 43
Long Beach City College Long Beach California www.lbcc.edu 43
Amarillo College Amarillo Texas www.actx.edu 42
Modern Technology School Fountain Valley California www.mtschool.edu 42
Indian Capital Technology Center-Muskogee Muskogee Oklahoma www.ictctech.com 41
Pima Medical Institute-Las Vegas Las Vegas Nevada pmi.edu 41
Indiana University-Northwest Gary Indiana www.iun.edu 39
Pima Medical Institute-Houston Houston Texas pmi.edu 39
University of South Alabama Mobile Alabama www.southalabama.edu 39
American Career College-Ontario Ontario California americancareercollege.edu 38
Community College of Denver Denver Colorado www.ccd.edu 38
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology Delray Beach Florida www.cambridgehealth.edu 37
Community College of Rhode Island Warwick Rhode Island www.ccri.edu 37
ECPI University Virginia Beach Virginia www.ecpi.edu 37
University of Iowa Iowa City Iowa www.uiowa.edu 37
Vatterott College-Dividend Memphis Tennessee www.vatterott.edu 37
Bakersfield College Bakersfield California www.bakersfieldcollege.edu 36
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith Arkansas uafs.edu 36
Career Care Institute Lancaster California www.ccicolleges.edu 35
Lansing Community College Lansing Michigan www.lcc.edu 35
Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Virginia www.nvcc.edu 35
Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond Virginia www.vcu.edu 35
South College Knoxville Tennessee www.south.edu 34
Southwestern Illinois College Belleville Illinois www.swic.edu 34
Century College White Bear Lake Minnesota www.century.edu 33
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla Aguadilla Puerto Rico aguadilla.inter.edu 33
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Louisiana www.ulm.edu 33
El Centro College Dallas Texas www.elcentrocollege.edu 32
Tidewater Community College Norfolk Virginia www.tcc.edu 32
Tyler Junior College Tyler Texas www.tjc.edu 32
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Barranquitas Barranquitas Puerto Rico www.br.inter.edu 31
Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston Idaho www.lcsc.edu 31
Sinclair Community College Dayton Ohio www.sinclair.edu 31
Southern Union State Community College Wadley Alabama www.suscc.edu 31
The College of Health Care Professions-McAllen Campus McAllen Texas www.chcp.edu 31
West Georgia Technical College Waco Georgia www.westgatech.edu 31
Moorpark College Moorpark California www.moorparkcollege.edu 30
NHTI-Concord's Community College Concord New Hampshire www.nhti.edu 30
John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences South Bend Indiana jpu.edu 30
Wake Technical Community College Raleigh North Carolina www.waketech.edu 30
ATA Career Education Spring Hill Florida www.atafl.edu 29
Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction Colorado www.coloradomesa.edu 29
Holy Family University Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.holyfamily.edu 29
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana www.iupui.edu 29
Laramie County Community College Cheyenne Wyoming www.lccc.wy.edu 29
St John's University-New York Queens New York www.stjohns.edu 29
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta Georgia www.wiregrass.edu 29
City College of San Francisco San Francisco California www.ccsf.edu 28
County College of Morris Randolph New Jersey www.ccm.edu 28
Mt San Antonio College Walnut California www.mtsac.edu 28
Pueblo Community College Pueblo Colorado www.pueblocc.edu 28
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston Texas www.mdanderson.org 28
University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Indiana www.sf.edu 28
California State University-Northridge Northridge California www.csun.edu 27
Fresno City College Fresno California www.fresnocitycollege.edu 27
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Hanceville Alabama www.wallacestate.edu 27
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts San Mateo California www.gurnick.edu 27
Merced College Merced California www.mccd.edu 27
Merritt College Oakland California www.merritt.edu 27
Parker University Dallas Texas www.parker.edu 27
Riverside College of Health Careers Newport News Virginia www.riverside.edu 27
Saint Louis Community College Bridgeton Missouri www.stlcc.edu 27
Delaware Technical Community College-Terry Dover Delaware www.dtcc.edu 26
Lamar Institute of Technology Beaumont Texas www.lit.edu 26
Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport Pennsylvania www.pct.edu 26
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa Mesa Arizona pmi.edu 26
Bluegrass Community and Technical College Lexington Kentucky bluegrass.kctcs.edu 25
Henry Ford College Dearborn Michigan www.hfcc.edu 25
Massachusetts Bay Community College Wellesley Hills Massachusetts www.massbay.edu 25
North Dakota State University-Main Campus Fargo North Dakota www.ndsu.edu 25
Pasadena City College Pasadena California pasadena.edu 25
Rhode Island College Providence Rhode Island www.ric.edu 25
Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City Utah www.slcc.edu 25
Sauk Valley Community College Dixon Illinois www.svcc.edu 25
Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin Georgia www.sctech.edu 25
Triton College River Grove Illinois www.triton.edu 25
Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore Maryland www.ccbcmd.edu 24
Delgado Community College New Orleans Louisiana www.dcc.edu 24
Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem Pennsylvania www.northampton.edu 24
Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista Chula Vista California pmi.edu 24
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Mercedita Puerto Rico ponce.inter.edu 23
Orange Coast College Costa Mesa California www.orangecoastcollege.edu 23
Austin Peay State University Clarksville Tennessee www.apsu.edu 23
Grady Health System Professional Schools Atlanta Georgia www.gradyhealth.org 23
Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Kentucky jefferson.kctcs.edu 23
Mercy College of Ohio Toledo Ohio www.mercycollege.edu 23
Santa Barbara City College Santa Barbara California www.sbcc.edu 23
Vatterott College-Berkeley Berkeley Missouri www.vatterott.edu 23
The College of Health Care Professions-Dallas Dallas Texas www.chcp.edu 22
Valley Grande Institute for Academic Studies Weslaco Texas vgi.edu 22
Cabrillo College Aptos California www.cabrillo.edu 22
Columbus Technical College Columbus Georgia www.columbustech.edu 22
Johnston Community College Smithfield North Carolina www.johnstoncc.edu 22
Linn-Benton Community College Albany Oregon www.linnbenton.edu 22
McLennan Community College Waco Texas www.mclennan.edu 22
South Suburban College South Holland Illinois www.ssc.edu 22
Augusta Technical College Augusta Georgia www.augustatech.edu 21
Casper College Casper Wyoming www.caspercollege.edu 21
Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque New Mexico www.cnm.edu 21
Grand Rapids Community College Grand Rapids Michigan www.grcc.edu 21
Mount Aloysius College Cresson Pennsylvania www.mtaloy.edu 21
The University of Montana Missoula Montana www.umt.edu 21
Tulsa Community College Tulsa Oklahoma www.tulsacc.edu 21
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska www.uaa.alaska.edu 21
Weatherford College Weatherford Texas www.wc.edu 21
William Rainey Harper College Palatine Illinois www.harpercollege.edu 21
Baptist Memorial College of Health Sciences Memphis Tennessee www.bchs.edu 20
Concorde Career College-Memphis Memphis Tennessee www.concorde.edu/campus/memphis-tennessee 20
Del Mar College Corpus Christi Texas www.delmar.edu 20
El Camino Community College District Torrance California www.elcamino.edu 20
Florida Career College-Miami Miami Florida www.floridacareercollege.edu 20
Marshall University Huntington West Virginia www.marshall.edu 20
Mitchell Technical Institute Mitchell South Dakota www.mitchelltech.edu 20
Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Illinois www.morainevalley.edu 20
Pearl River Community College Poplarville Mississippi www.prcc.edu 20
Red Rocks Community College Lakewood Colorado www.rrcc.edu 20
Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa California www.santarosa.edu 20
Tarrant County College District Fort Worth Texas www.tccd.edu 20
Vance-Granville Community College Henderson North Carolina www.vgcc.edu 20
Washburn University Topeka Kansas www.washburn.edu 20
Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood Pennsylvania westmoreland.edu 20
Angelina College Lufkin Texas www.angelina.edu 19
Boston University Boston Massachusetts www.bu.edu 19
Cox College Springfield Missouri coxcollege.edu 19
Hinds Community College Raymond Mississippi www.hindscc.edu 19
Johnson College Scranton Pennsylvania www.johnson.edu 19
Kaskaskia College Centralia Illinois www.kaskaskia.edu 19
Lake Superior College Duluth Minnesota www.lsc.edu 19
Louisiana State University-Eunice Eunice Louisiana www.lsue.edu 19
Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights Kentucky www.nku.edu 19
Pima Community College Tucson Arizona www.pima.edu 19
Pitt Community College Winterville North Carolina www.pittcc.edu 19
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College Bowling Green Kentucky southcentral.kctcs.edu 19
Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville Georgia southernregional.edu 19
Spokane Community College Spokane Washington scc.spokane.edu 19
Vatterott College-Appling Farms Memphis Tennessee www.vatterott.edu 19
Arizona Western College Yuma Arizona www.azwestern.edu 18
ATA College Louisville Kentucky www.ata.edu 18
Central Arizona College Coolidge Arizona www.centralaz.edu 18
Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science Los Angeles California www.cdrewu.edu 18
Florida National University-Main Campus Hialeah Florida www.fnu.edu 18
Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem North Carolina www.forsythtech.edu 18
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Baton Rouge Louisiana www.franu.edu 18
Gateway Community College New Haven Connecticut www.gatewayct.edu 18
Gwinnett Technical College Lawrenceville Georgia www.gwinnetttech.edu 18
Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa Iowa www.indianhills.edu 18
James A Rhodes State College Lima Ohio www.rhodesstate.edu 18
Kilgore College Kilgore Texas www.kilgore.edu 18
Lanier Technical College Gainesville Georgia www.laniertech.edu 18
McNeese State University Lake Charles Louisiana www.mcneese.edu 18
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston Mississippi www.mgccc.edu 18
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha Nebraska www.methodistcollege.edu 18
Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences Lancaster Pennsylvania www.pacollege.edu 18
Piedmont Virginia Community College Charlottesville Virginia www.pvcc.edu 18
Covenant School of Nursing and Allied Health Lubbock Texas www.covenanthealth.org 17
Jefferson State Community College Birmingham Alabama www.jeffersonstate.edu 17
Athens Technical College Athens Georgia www.athenstech.edu 17
City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College Chicago Illinois www.ccc.edu/colleges/wright 17
Harrisburg Area Community College Harrisburg Pennsylvania www.hacc.edu 17
Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge Iowa www.iowacentral.edu 17
Jackson College Jackson Michigan www.jccmi.edu 17
Joliet Junior College Joliet Illinois www.jjc.edu 17
Kettering College Kettering Ohio kc.edu 17
Lone Star College System The Woodlands Texas www.lonestar.edu 17
Maine College of Health Professions Lewiston Maine www.mchp.edu 17
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Rochester Minnesota college.mayo.edu 17
Northwestern College-Southwestern Campus Bridgeview Illinois www.nc.edu 17
Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro Georgia www.ogeecheetech.edu 17
Paris Junior College Paris Texas www.parisjc.edu 17
Regis College Weston Massachusetts www.regiscollege.edu 17
Somerset Community College Somerset Kentucky somerset.kctcs.edu 17
Southwest Baptist University Bolivar Missouri www.sbuniv.edu 17
Tulsa Technology Center Tulsa Oklahoma tulsatech.edu 17
University of Mary Bismarck North Dakota www.umary.edu 17
Yakima Valley College Yakima Washington www.yvcc.edu 17
Yuba College Marysville California yc.yccd.edu 17
Cleveland Clinic Health System-School of Diagnostic Imaging Euclid Ohio portals.clevelandclinic.org/sdi 16
Aims Community College Greeley Colorado www.aims.edu 16
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville North Carolina www.abtech.edu 16
Bon Secours St Mary's Hospital School of Medical Imaging Richmond Virginia www.mysomi.org 16
Canada College Redwood City California canadacollege.edu 16
Carteret Community College Morehead City North Carolina www.carteret.edu 16
Central Ohio Technical College Newark Ohio www.cotc.edu 16
Chattahoochee Technical College Marietta Georgia www.chattahoocheetech.edu 16
Concorde Career College-Aurora Aurora Colorado www.concorde.edu/campus/aurora-colorado 16
Eastern Iowa Community College District Davenport Iowa www.eicc.edu 16
Edgecombe Community College Tarboro North Carolina www.edgecombe.edu 16
Fortis Institute-Nashville Nashville Tennessee www.fortis.edu 16
Gadsden State Community College Gadsden Alabama www.gadsdenstate.edu 16
Kellogg Community College Battle Creek Michigan www.kellogg.edu 16
North Central Texas College Gainesville Texas www.nctc.edu 16
Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls Minnesota www.northlandcollege.edu 16
Owens Community College Perrysburg Ohio www.owens.edu 16
Parkland College Champaign Illinois www.parkland.edu 16
Wenatchee Valley College Wenatchee Washington www.wvc.edu 16
Blinn College Brenham Texas www.blinn.edu 15
Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.ccp.edu 15
Crafton Hills College Yucaipa California www.craftonhills.edu 15
Dalton State College Dalton Georgia www.daltonstate.edu 15
Fortis Institute-Cookeville Cookeville Tennessee www.fortis.edu 15
Grayson College Denison Texas grayson.edu 15
Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Kansas www.hutchcc.edu 15
Jefferson College Hillsboro Missouri www.jeffco.edu 15
Lincoln Land Community College Springfield Illinois www.llcc.edu 15
Louisiana State University-Alexandria Alexandria Louisiana www.lsua.edu 15
Madisonville Community College Madisonville Kentucky madisonville.kctcs.edu 15
North Central State College Mansfield Ohio www.ncstatecollege.edu 15
Rush University Chicago Illinois www.rushu.rush.edu 15
South Texas College McAllen Texas www.southtexascollege.edu 15
Southern Vermont College Bennington Vermont svc.edu 15
State Fair Community College Sedalia Missouri www.sfccmo.edu 15
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred Alfred New York www.alfredstate.edu 15
West Virginia University Hospital Departments of Rad Tech and Nutrition Morgantown West Virginia www.wvuhradtech.com 15
Olney Central College Olney Illinois www.iecc.edu 14
Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences Canton Ohio www.aultmancollege.edu 14
Baton Rouge General Medical Center-School of Nursing Baton Rouge Louisiana www.brgeneral.org/medical-education/school-of-nursing 14
Cape Fear Community College Wilmington North Carolina www.cfcc.edu 14
Carolinas College of Health Sciences Charlotte North Carolina www.carolinascollege.edu 14
Dixie State University Saint George Utah dixie.edu 14
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Dothan Alabama www.wallace.edu 14
H Councill Trenholm State Community College Montgomery Alabama www.trenholmstate.edu 14
Kankakee Community College Kankakee Illinois www.kcc.edu 14
Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield Maine www.kvcc.me.edu 14
Mercy College of Health Sciences Des Moines Iowa www.mchs.edu 14
Montana State University Billings Billings Montana www.msubillings.edu 14
Northeast Iowa Community College Calmar Iowa www.nicc.edu 14
Oakland University Rochester Hills Michigan www.oakland.edu 14
Odessa College Odessa Texas www.odessa.edu 14
Quinsigamond Community College Worcester Massachusetts www.qcc.edu 14
Riverland Community College Austin Minnesota www.riverland.edu 14
South Plains College Levelland Texas www.southplainscollege.edu 14
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College Cumberland Kentucky southeast.kctcs.edu 14
Southern Maine Community College South Portland Maine www.smccme.edu 14
West Kentucky Community and Technical College Paducah Kentucky westkentucky.kctcs.edu 14
Baptist Health College Little Rock Little Rock Arkansas www.bhclr.edu 13
Champlain College Burlington Vermont www.champlain.edu 13
College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick Georgia www.ccga.edu 13
Eastern Maine Community College Bangor Maine www.emcc.edu 13
Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville North Carolina www.faytechcc.edu 13
Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown North Carolina www.gtcc.edu 13
Hazard Community and Technical College Hazard Kentucky hazard.kctcs.edu 13
Itawamba Community College Fulton Mississippi www.iccms.edu 13
MCPHS University Boston Massachusetts www.mcphs.edu 13
Metro Technology Centers Oklahoma City Oklahoma www.metrotech.edu 13
North Shore Community College Danvers Massachusetts www.northshore.edu 13
Northern Michigan University Marquette Michigan www.nmu.edu 13
Sandhills Community College Pinehurst North Carolina www.sandhills.edu 13
Southwest University at El Paso El Paso Texas southwestuniversity.edu 13
Wharton County Junior College Wharton Texas www.wcjc.edu 13
Universidad Central Del Caribe Bayamon Puerto Rico www.uccaribe.edu 12
Allen College Waterloo Iowa www.allencollege.edu 12
Carl Sandburg College Galesburg Illinois www.sandburg.edu 12
Central Virginia Community College Lynchburg Virginia www.centralvirginia.edu 12
Coastal Bend College Beeville Texas www.coastalbend.edu 12
Coastal Pines Technical College Waycross Georgia www.coastalpines.edu 12
College of Southern Idaho Twin Falls Idaho www.csi.edu 12
Columbia Basin College Pasco Washington www.columbiabasin.edu 12
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Wesson Mississippi www.colin.edu 12
Danville Area Community College Danville Illinois www.dacc.edu 12
DLP Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center Johnstown Pennsylvania www.conemaugh.org 12
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Teaneck New Jersey www.fdu.edu 12
Florida Career College-Orlando Orlando Florida www.floridacareercollege.edu 12
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome Georgia www.gntc.edu 12
Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center Muhlenberg Harold B Dorothy A Snyder Schools-School of Imaging Plainfield New Jersey www.jfkmuhlenbergschools.org 12
ICPR Junior College-Mayaguez Mayaguez Puerto Rico www.icprjc.edu 12
Jones County Junior College Ellisville Mississippi www.jcjc.edu 12
Labette Community College Parsons Kansas www.labette.edu 12
Lawrence Memorial Hospital School of Nursing Medford Massachusetts www.lmregis.org 12
Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell Pennsylvania www.mc3.edu 12
Owensboro Community and Technical College Owensboro Kentucky owensboro.kctcs.edu 12
Randolph Community College Asheboro North Carolina www.randolph.edu 12
Reading Hospital School of Health Sciences Reading Pennsylvania www.readinghealth.org 12
Roxbury Community College Roxbury Crossing Massachusetts www.rcc.mass.edu 12
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Louisiana www.susla.edu 12
St Luke's College Sioux City Iowa www.stlukescollege.edu 12
Stanly Community College Albemarle North Carolina www.stanly.edu 12
Trinity College of Nursing & Health Sciences Rock Island Illinois www.trinitycollegeqc.edu 12
Union County College Cranford New Jersey www.ucc.edu 12
University of Holy Cross New Orleans Louisiana uhcno.edu 12
University of Rio Grande Rio Grande Ohio www.rio.edu 12
Yavapai College Prescott Arizona www.yc.edu 12
Indiana University-South Bend South Bend Indiana www.iusb.edu 11
Alvernia University Reading Pennsylvania www.alvernia.edu 11
Bellin College Green Bay Wisconsin www.bellincollege.edu 11
Indiana University-Kokomo Kokomo Indiana www.iuk.edu 11
Kishwaukee College Malta Illinois www.kish.edu 11
Meridian Technology Center Stillwater Oklahoma www.meridiantech.edu 11
Mineral Area College Park Hills Missouri www.mineralarea.edu 11
Minnesota State College Southeast Winona Minnesota www.southeastmn.edu 11
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls Minnesota www.mnwest.edu 11
Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield Missouri www.missouristate.edu 11
Pioneer Pacific College Beaverton Oregon www.pioneerpacific.edu 11
Sanford Medical Center Sioux Falls South Dakota www.sanfordhealth.org 11
Springfield Technical Community College Springfield Massachusetts www.stcc.edu 11
University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences San Juan Puerto Rico www.rcm.upr.edu 11
Washington State Community College Marietta Ohio www.wscc.edu 11
Albany State University Albany Georgia www.asurams.edu 10
Avera McKennan Hospital School of Radiologic Technology Sioux Falls South Dakota www.avera.org 10
Catawba Valley Community College Hickory North Carolina www.cvcc.edu 10
CHI Health School of Radiologic Technology Omaha Nebraska www.chihealth.com/school-of-radiologic-technology 10
Cleveland Community College Shelby North Carolina www.clevelandcc.edu 10
Concordia College-New York Bronxville New York www.concordia-ny.edu 10
Elgin Community College Elgin Illinois www.elgin.edu 10
Laredo College Laredo Texas www.laredo.edu 10
Macomb Community College Warren Michigan www.macomb.edu 10
Mercy-St Luke's School of Radiologic Technology Cedar Rapids Iowa www.unitypoint.org/cedarrapids/school-of-radiologic-technology.aspx 10
Mississippi Delta Community College Moorhead Mississippi www.msdelta.edu 10
Northeast Mississippi Community College Booneville Mississippi www.nemcc.edu 10
Robeson Community College Lumberton North Carolina www.robeson.edu 10
Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences Cape Girardeau Missouri www.sehcollege.edu 10
St Clair County Community College Port Huron Michigan www.sc4.edu 10
State Technical College of Missouri Linn Missouri www.statetechmo.edu 10
Florida Career College-Margate Margate Florida www.floridacareercollege.edu 9
Gannon University Erie Pennsylvania www.gannon.edu 9
Highlands College of Montana Tech Butte Montana www.mtech.edu 9
John Wood Community College Quincy Illinois www.jwcc.edu 9
Lake Michigan College Benton Harbor Michigan www.lakemichigancollege.edu 9
Morgan Community College Fort Morgan Colorado www.morgancc.edu 9
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Johnstown Pennsylvania www.pennhighlands.edu 9
Richland Community College Decatur Illinois www.richland.edu 9
Southeastern Technical College Vidalia Georgia www.southeasterntech.edu 9
University of Central Missouri Warrensburg Missouri www.ucmo.edu 9
Xavier University Cincinnati Ohio www.xavier.edu 9
Albany Technical College Albany Georgia www.albanytech.edu 8
Antelope Valley College Lancaster California www.avc.edu 8
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins Colorado www.colostate.edu 8
CVPH Medical Center School of Radiologic Technology Plattsburgh New York www.cvph.org 8
El Paso Community College El Paso Texas www.epcc.edu 8
Fortis College-Columbus Westerville Ohio www.fortiscollege.edu 8
Fortis College-Grand Prairie Grand Prairie Texas www.fortis.edu 8
Great Basin College Elko Nevada www.gbcnv.edu 8
Gwynedd Mercy University Gwynedd Valley Pennsylvania www.gmercyu.edu 8
Herzing University-Winter Park Winter Park Florida www.herzing.edu 8
Howard College Big Spring Texas www.howardcollege.edu 8
Meridian Community College Meridian Mississippi www.meridiancc.edu 8
O C Collins Career Center Chesapeake Ohio www.collins-cc.edu 8
Oconee Fall Line Technical College Sandersville Georgia www.oftc.edu 8
Presentation College Aberdeen South Dakota www.presentation.edu 8
Southwest Virginia Community College Cedar Bluff Virginia sw.edu 8
Southwestern Community College Sylva North Carolina www.southwesterncc.edu 8
Wilkes Community College Wilkesboro North Carolina www.wilkescc.edu 8
York College of Pennsylvania York Pennsylvania www.ycp.edu 8
Fortis College-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Louisiana www.fortis.edu 7
Heartland Community College Normal Illinois www.heartland.edu 7
Henderson State University Arkadelphia Arkansas www.hsu.edu 7
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German San German Puerto Rico www.sg.inter.edu 7
Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon Iowa www.nwicc.edu 7
Texas Southmost College Brownsville Texas www.tsc.edu 7
Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Georgia atlantatech.edu 7
Arnot Ogden Medical Center Elmira New York www.arnothealth.org 7
Atlantic Cape Community College Mays Landing New Jersey www.atlantic.edu 7
Florida Career College Pembroke Pines Florida www.floridacareercollege.edu 7
Autry Technology Center Enid Oklahoma autrytech.edu 6
Avera Sacred Heart Hospital Yankton South Dakota www.averasacredheart.org 6
Butler County Community College Butler Pennsylvania www.bc3.edu 6
Florida Career College-Hialeah Hialeah Florida www.floridacareercollege.edu 6
Hudson County Community College Jersey City New Jersey www.hccc.edu 6
ICPR Junior College-Arecibo Arecibo Puerto Rico www.icprjc.edu 6
ICPR Junior College-Manati Manatí Puerto Rico www.icprjc.edu 6
Lenoir Community College Kinston North Carolina www.lenoircc.edu 6
Mount Marty College Yankton South Dakota www.mtmc.edu 6
Purdue University Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Indiana www.pfw.edu 6
River Valley Community College Claremont New Hampshire www.rivervalley.edu 6
Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Salisbury North Carolina www.rccc.edu 6
Virginia Highlands Community College Abingdon Virginia www.vhcc.edu 6
St Francis Medical Center-School of Radiologic Technology Trenton New Jersey www.stfrancismedical.org/education-programs/school-of-radiologic-technology 5
Bellevue College Bellevue Washington bellevuecollege.edu 5
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute Hudson North Carolina www.cccti.edu 5
Flathead Valley Community College Kalispell Montana www.fvcc.edu 5
Northwest Missouri State University Maryville Missouri www.nwmissouri.edu 5
Santa Fe Community College Santa Fe New Mexico www.sfcc.edu 5
University of St Francis Joliet Illinois www.stfrancis.edu 5
North Iowa Area Community College Mason City Iowa www.niacc.edu 4
Portland Community College Portland Oregon www.pcc.edu 4
Washington Hospital School of Radiologic Technology Washington Pennsylvania www.washingtonhospital.org 4
Abdill Career College Inc Medford Oregon www.abdill.com 3
Manhattan College Riverdale New York www.manhattan.edu 3
Quinnipiac University Hamden Connecticut www.qu.edu 3
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Little Rock Arkansas www.uams.edu 3
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord North Carolina atriumhealth.org/education/cabarrus-college-of-health-sciences 2
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College Chicago Illinois www.ccc.edu/colleges/malcolm-x 1
Lewis University Romeoville Illinois www.lewisu.edu 1
Mount Mary University Milwaukee Wisconsin www.mtmary.edu 1
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona Minnesota www.smumn.edu 1
San Joaquin Delta College Stockton California www.deltacollege.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Online Programs in Radiologic Technology

While there’s a wealth of accredited educational programs across the country, for students located in more rural regions or with temporal constraints, enrolling in an online or hybrid (i.e., blended online and on-campus) program may be preferable. These flexible programs typically involve the completion of online classes and in-person clinical practicums at approved facilities near a student’s home.

Please note that due to state-based restrictions on distance-based education, residents from some states may not be authorized to receive online instruction from another state. Be sure to ask coordinators of online programs about the school’s “state authorization” status.

For students seeking this convenient learning format, here are some online or hybrid radiologic technologist schools:

Indian Hills Community College

Indian Hills Community College’s hybrid two-year associate program in radiologic technology offers online learning during the second year. Students in this program will demonstrate clinical competence as radiologic technologists, develop communication skills, and possess problem-solving and critical thinking skills. After graduating, students are eligible to sit for the ARRT exam. Between 2016 and 2020, the five-year passing rate among students was an impressive 96 percent.

Comprising 83 credits, the program includes courses such as human anatomy, medical terminology, radiology & medical imaging, positioning & film critique, human physiology, introduction to psychology, diagnostic imaging protection, and radiographic legal and ethical aspects.

To get accepted into the program, prospective students must submit a completed application, a high school transcript or its equivalent, college transcripts, and take one of the following tests: (ACT, SAT, or Accuplacer). Students must pass a criminal background check, drug screen, provide physical and immunization records.

  • Location: Ottumwa, Iowa
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT); Higher Learning Commission of Colleges and Schools and a member of the North Central Association
  • Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $190 per credit

Southeast Community College

Southeast Community College’s two-year program includes a track for clinical coursework to be completed in Lincoln, but the didactic portion may be learned online or in the classroom. The program helps students develop necessary skills and prepares them to take the ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologist) Exam and apply for state licensure where they choose to work. Between 2015 and 2019, the five-year passing rate among students was 84 percent.

The program consists of 68 credits including coursework in principles of patient care, imaging procedures, radiographic physics, advanced imaging, pathology for radiographers, radiation biology, and imaging applications. Students must maintain at least a C+ in all of their program courses and those pursuing the online option must attend a multi-day workshop at the Lincoln campus at their own expense.

  • Location: Lincoln, NE
  • Accreditation: Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT); Higher Learning Commission
  • Expected Time to Completion: four semesters
  • Estimated Tuition: Resident ($114 per credit); non-resident ($135 per credit)

College of Health Care Professions

The College of Health Care Professions offers an online Associate of Applied Science degree in Radiologic Technology educating and preparing students in performing radiographic examinations, providing quality patient care, and assisting the radiologist with diagnostic procedures. The program prepares students for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists certification exam in Radiography.

Comprising eight modules, the program includes courses such as radiographic imaging and physics, patient care and pharmacology, advanced positioning and anatomy, radiology pathology, fluoroscopy, and introduction to psychology.

Graduates of the program have several job opportunities as entry-level radiologic technologists in areas such as interventional radiology, radiation therapy, mammography, nuclear medicine, magnetic resonance imaging, and travel radiologic technologist.

  • Location: Houston, TX
  • Accreditation: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
  • Expected Time to Completion: 64 weeks
  • Estimated Tuition: $24,100

St. Joseph’s College

St. Joseph’s College’s online bachelor of science (BS) in radiologic science administration program may be ideal to advance the careers of aspiring leaders in the field. The program provides students with the management expertise and related knowledge and skills needed for becoming leaders of their departments.

This flexible online program does not require on-campus residencies. The faculty of the program includes experienced professionals who have real-world practical experience in health administration.

The program consists of 120 credits. Designed to prepare supervisors and educators, this unique online program has classes in human resource management, ethics in health administration, healthcare informatics, introduction to long-term care administration, legal aspects of healthcare administration, emergency preparedness, and quality in healthcare administration. SJC also offers the option to “fast track” to a master of health administration degree program.

The program prepares professionals for opportunities in outpatient medical centers, physician offices, digital imaging system manufacturers, and research centers.

  • Location: Standish, ME
  • Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • Expected Time to Completion: 48 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $45,360

Oregon Tech Online

Oregon Tech Online offers another online bachelor of science degree. Oregon Tech’s distance-based program focuses more on the practice of radiologic science (as opposed to the administration). It integrates radiology with basic medical science courses allowing students to complete the program entirely online without ever coming to the campus.

The program provides advanced instruction in patient care, physics of medical imaging, radiographic positioning, contrast media procedures, imaging techniques, radiation protection, equipment operation & maintenance, and a hands-on radiographic science externship at an approved facility. Please note that students must already be ARRT registered radiologic technologists to qualify for admission.

  • Location: Klamath Falls, OR
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
  • Expected Time to Completion: 36 to 48 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $281 per credit
School City State Website grads (2018)
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson Tucson Arizona pmi.edu 162
AdventHealth University Orlando Florida www.ahu.edu 94
The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest Houston Texas www.chcp.edu 89
Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches Louisiana www.nsula.edu 49
Siena Heights University Adrian Michigan www.sienaheights.edu 49
University of Mississippi University Mississippi www.olemiss.edu 47
East Tennessee State University Johnson City Tennessee www.etsu.edu 44
ECPI University Virginia Beach Virginia www.ecpi.edu 37
University of Nebraska Medical Center Omaha Nebraska www.unmc.edu 37
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith Fort Smith Arkansas uafs.edu 36
Lansing Community College Lansing Michigan www.lcc.edu 35
University of Southern Indiana Evansville Indiana www.usi.edu 34
University of Louisiana at Monroe Monroe Louisiana www.ulm.edu 33
Baptist Health System School of Health Professions San Antonio Texas www.bshp.edu 30
Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction Colorado www.coloradomesa.edu 29
Saint Joseph's College of Maine Standish Maine www.sjcme.edu 29
Linn-Benton Community College Albany Oregon www.linnbenton.edu 22
Marian University Fond Du Lac Wisconsin www.marianuniversity.edu 22
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska www.uaa.alaska.edu 21
Loma Linda University Loma Linda California home.llu.edu 19
Cox College Springfield Missouri coxcollege.edu 19
Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health Omaha Nebraska www.methodistcollege.edu 18
Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro Georgia www.ogeecheetech.edu 17
Bluefield State College Bluefield West Virginia www.bluefieldstate.edu 12
Illinois Central College East Peoria Illinois icc.edu 12
Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls Minnesota www.minnesota.edu 10
Presentation College Aberdeen South Dakota www.presentation.edu 8
Central Penn College Summerdale Pennsylvania www.centralpenn.edu 2
University of Alaska Southeast Juneau Alaska www.uas.alaska.edu 2
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Core & Elective Courses in Radiologic Technology Programs

According to the American Registry of Radiologic Technicians (ARRT), there are several core competencies that students must demonstrate before receiving their licensure. As of January 1, 2015, aspiring radiologic technologists must have at least an associate degree to pursue the nationally recognized ARRT-certification. In the past, a certificate was sufficient to qualify students for the ARRT board exam. Degree programs are specially designed to expose students to the didactic and clinical experiences which will prepare them for the national ARRT exam and state licensing procedures.

In addition to general education requirements, associate degree programs in radiologic technology may offer the following preparatory courses:

  • Basic radiographic procedures
  • Anatomy & radiographic positioning
  • Medical procedures for radiologic technologists
  • Imaging modalities
  • Medical terminology
  • Radiation biology & protection
  • Radiographic pathology
  • Radiographic imaging equipment
  • Specialized imaging
  • Radiation physics
  • Patient care

Bachelor’s degrees in radiologic technology typically feature the following:

  • Patient professional interaction
  • Radiographic legal & ethical aspects
  • Radiographic exposure
  • Physics in medical imaging
  • Radiologic pathophysiology
  • Radiographic technique
  • Physics of radiation protection
  • Advanced patient assessment & treatment
  • Introduction to CT
  • Introduction to MRI
  • Introduction to mammography
  • Procedures in imaging
  • Anatomy & radiation biology

In addition to field-specific coursework, students need to gain hands-on experience through supervised instruction sessions known as practicums or clinicals.

This training typically occurs in the latter half of programs after students have developed their skills and knowledge of a healthcare setting. Clinicals allow students to put their newfound abilities into practice in a real-world environment while working under the supervision of a skilled professional.

Accreditation of Radiologic Technology Schools & Programs

As mentioned in the overview of radiologic technology programs, students are encouraged to verify the accreditation status of their educational programs. The process of accreditation ensures that a school or program is meeting certain standards of quality concerning curricula, student outcomes, and facilities. Furthermore, to qualify for professional certification through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), a person must have graduated from an accredited associate, bachelor’s, or graduate-level program.

One of the popular accreditation organizations in this field is the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). According to its website, JRCERT is the only agency that is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit traditional and online learning programs in magnetic resonance, medical dosimetry, radiation therapy, and radiography. Its website lists the full set of standards used when deciding whether to grant accreditation to a school, as well as a handy search tool to organize radiologic technologist programs by state and degree level.

Search results include information on the type of degree awarded, program length, contact person, the website for the program, tuition per year, next scheduled accreditation review, and the program capacity.

While JRCERT is one program-approval option to qualify for credentialing in the field, the AART provides a full list of recognized accrediting agencies for radiologic technologist schools, including programmatic, regional, national, and faith-related institutions.

Career Outlook

As mentioned in the introduction, the outlook is bright for radiologic technologists. By illustration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2020) predicts that openings for radiologic technologists will increase 9 percent between 2020 and 2030, about as fast as the average growth projected across all occupations during that period (8 percent). With the expected addition of 18,300 positions in this field, there’s a bright outlook for aspiring radiologic technologists.

The BLS (2021) adds that a majority of radiologic technologists work in hospitals (57 percent), followed by the offices of physicians (13 percent), and medical & diagnostic laboratories (18 percent).

Furthermore, the salary prospects are also promising, particularly for a career that requires a two-year degree. The BLS (May 2020) found that radiologic technologists make an average annual salary of $64,840 with the following percentiles:

  • 10th percentile: $42,180
  • 25th percentile: $50,670
  • 50th percentile (median): $61,900
  • 75th percentile: $76,520
  • 90th percentile: $92,660

In a recent survey on compensation, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT 2019) found that the annual average salary of radiologic technologists was $69,266, a 5.3 percent increase. The highest paying specialty disciplines in this field were medical dosimetry ($114,891) and registered radiologic assistance / RPA ($108,494).

Not surprisingly, there were also regional differences in the ASRT survey. Radiologic technologists in California earn the highest annual compensation at $101,699, followed by those in Hawaii ($89,497).

Notably, the BLS (May 2020), found slightly lower averages in these regions—$95,010 and $82,990, respectively—but this may be due to the nature of data collection and the different time frames.

Finally, Payscale (2021)—an aggregator of self-reported salaries—found much lower figures among responding radiologic technicians nationwide:

  • 10th percentile: $35,000
  • 50th percentile (median): $53,999
  • 90th percentile: $89,000
Career Facts Radiologic Technologist
Related CareersDiagnostic Medical Sonographer, MRI Technologist, Neurodiagnostic Technologist, Nuclear Medical Technologist, Radiation Therapist
Common Job TitlesDiagnostic Radiographer, Radiographer, Radiologic Technologist, RT, X-Ray Technologist
Technology & EquipmentX-Ray Bone Densitometers, Medical X-Ray Darkroom Equipment, Radiographic Locators
Sourced From BLS, June 2016

Licensing & Certification of Radiologic Technologists

Radiologic technologists need to be professionally credentialed to practice in their field. The most common credentialing agency is the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), which has both generalized and specialized registration exams. There are several types of certification available through the ARRT, including nuclear medicine technology, magnetic resonance imaging, sonography, radiography, and radiation therapy.

Candidates have three attempts to pass one of the computer-based tests, and once they have received certification can use the credentials RT (radiologic technologist) after their name.

There are several types of primary certifications and registrations available, including radiography, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy, MRI, and sonography. To qualify for primary category certification and registration through the ARRT, candidates must graduate from an accredited college program (associate degree or higher), pass an ARRT examination, and pay a fee.

There are also post-primary (i.e., specialty) certifications available, including bone densitometry, breast sonography, cardiac-interventional radiography, cardiovascular-interventional radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), mammography, quality management, sonography, vascular-interventional radiography, and vascular sonography. To qualify, candidates must hold a primary certification, complete 16 hours of structured specialty education, show documentation of clinical experience, and pay a fee.

Finally, these certifications must be renewed and maintained following the completion of qualifying continuing education (CE) credits every two years and continuing qualifications requirements (CQR) every ten years. Please check out the ARRT continuing education requirements page to learn more about what’s required to maintain specific credentials.

Jocelyn Blore
Jocelyn Blore Managing Editor

After graduating from UC Berkeley, Jocelyn traveled the world for five years as freelance writer and English teacher. After stints in Japan, Brazil, Nepal, and Argentina, she took an 11-month road trip across the US, finally settling into lovely Eugene, OR. When Jocelyn isn’t writing about college programs or interviewing professors, she satirizes global politics and other absurdities at Blore’s Razor (Instagram: @bloresrazor). Thank you for being interested.

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