healthcare · United States edition
It’s easy to be a Radiologic Technologist.
Radiologic technologists take X-rays and other diagnostic images under a doctor's order. The fastest route is a two-year associate degree from a JRCERT-accredited program, then the ARRT certification exam — no bachelor's degree required. About 37 states also require a separate state license. US techs earned a median $80,110 in May 2025, per BLS, with MRI specialization paying more.
Last verified Version 1By Editorial Team
Key facts
United States- Median salary (2025)
$80,110/yr
Range $55,980 – $118,660
- Time to qualify
2–3 years
Two years for the JRCERT-accredited associate degree program itself, assuming you meet prerequisites going in. Three is more typical once you count the 1-2 semesters of prerequisite coursework — anatomy & physiology, algebra, sometimes medical terminology — that most competitive programs require before you're even eligible to apply.
- Cost to qualify
$7,052 – $30,000
$7,052 is the full estimated in-state cost (tuition, fees, books, uniforms, background check, drug screen) for Bakersfield College's two-year Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology — representative of the community-college route most US students take. $30,000 is the upper end of the range aggregators report across private and out-of-state programs; costs climb further for a hospital-based certificate program or a bachelor's-completion track, neither of which is required by ARRT's primary eligibility pathway.
- Job outlook (2024-2034)
+4% growth
About 12,900 openings per year
All figures apply to United States. Salaries, licensing, and timelines differ by country — where other editions exist, switch between them at the top of the page.
Is it easy for you?
Tell us where you are now and get a personalized gap analysis for becoming a Radiologic Technologist — what you’ve already met, what’s left, and your likely remaining time. Computed from the sourced requirements on this page; nothing is stored unless you explicitly ask us to introduce you to a programme afterwards.
How to become a Radiologic Technologist — step by step
- 1
Complete prerequisite coursework 1-2 semesters
Most competitive radiography programs require college-level anatomy & physiology, algebra and sometimes medical terminology before you can apply, on top of a high school diploma or GED.
- 2
Apply to a JRCERT-accredited radiography program One admissions cycle
Only graduates of a JRCERT-accredited program are eligible to sit the ARRT exam, so confirm accreditation before applying — status is checkable directly on JRCERT's site, and seats are frequently oversubscribed.
- 3
Complete the associate degree program 2 years full-time
Combines classroom radiologic-science coursework with clinical rotations — typically 1,000+ hours — in hospital and outpatient imaging settings under supervision.
- 4
Apply for and pass the ARRT certification exam Within 3 years of graduating
A computer-based exam covering entry-level radiography competencies. You must also clear ARRT's ethics requirement, which reviews criminal history and professional conduct.
- 5
Apply for state licensure, if your state requires one Days to a few weeks
About 37 states license radiographers separately from ARRT certification; 11 states plus DC don't, though most employers there still require ARRT certification as the hiring standard.
- 6
Start practicing and begin your CE biennium Ongoing, every 2 years
ARRT registration requires 24 continuing-education credits every two-year biennium, tracked to your birth month; missing the deadline puts you on CE probation with a fee.
- 7
Add specialty credentials as you gain experience Ongoing
Many technologists later add ARRT credentials in CT, MRI or mammography. MRI technologists alone earned a median $95,480 in May 2025, well above general radiography pay.
Requirements to be a Radiologic Technologist
- Associate degree or highereducationRequired
ARRT's primary eligibility pathway requires at least an associate degree, earned before, during or after your radiologic-sciences program — it does not have to be in the radiologic sciences itself, as long as it comes from an ARRT-recognized accreditor.
- JRCERT-accredited radiography programeducationRequired
You must complete an educational program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, demonstrating competencies in both didactic coursework and clinical procedures. Graduates of non-accredited programs are not eligible to sit the ARRT exam, regardless of the coursework covered.
- ARRT certification exam (Radiography)certificationRequired
A computer-based exam of entry-level radiography tasks. You have a three-year window after completing your program to establish eligibility and apply.
- ARRT ethics requirementcertificationRequired
Demonstrating good moral character alongside education and examination; ARRT offers a pre-application ethics review for candidates who want to check a past issue before applying.
- State license, in most stateslicenseOptional
About 37 states require a separate state radiography license beyond ARRT certification. Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and the District of Columbia do not issue one — though most employers there still require ARRT certification as the de facto hiring standard. In license states such as California, Texas and New York, ARRT certification is necessary but not sufficient; expect a state-specific application, and sometimes a jurisprudence exam or fingerprinting.
- Continuing education (24 credits per 2-year biennium)certificationRequired
Required to maintain ARRT registration. Your biennium ends the month before your birth month; miss the deadline and you're placed on CE probation with a fee rather than losing the credential outright.
- Physical stamina and radiation-safety disciplineskillRequired
The job involves regularly lifting and repositioning patients who cannot move themselves, standing or walking most of a shift, and following ionizing-radiation shielding protocols exactly, every time — not occasionally.
- CPR/BLS certificationcertificationOptional
Not an ARRT requirement, but commonly required by hospital and clinic employers before you can start clinical work.
A day in the life of a Radiologic Technologist
A hospital radiographer's shift usually starts by prepping imaging rooms and checking the day's orders from the ER and inpatient units. Much of the day is patient-facing: positioning people who may be in pain, immobile, confused or frightened, explaining what's about to happen, then stepping behind a lead shield to take the image while watching for movement or positioning errors that would mean redoing it. Images go straight into PACS for a radiologist to read, so a tech rarely sees the diagnosis their own image contributed to. Outpatient and clinic-based radiographers see a steadier, more scheduled stream of referred patients and fewer trauma cases. In hospital settings especially, on-call rotations for nights, weekends and trauma imaging are a routine part of the job, not an occasional exception, alongside the equipment checks, radiation-safety logs and cleaning between patients that fill the gaps.
Is it worth it to be a Radiologic Technologist?
Worth it if you want a hands-on clinical role with a fast, comparatively affordable route in — two years and often well under $10,000 at a community college, against six figures and years more for most other allied-health licenses — and you don't mind the job being genuinely physical rather than desk-based. It's not for you if you're uncomfortable with sustained radiation-safety discipline (the protocols work, but only if you follow them without exception, every patient, every shift), if you dislike rotating or on-call hours in hospital trauma settings, or if you're chasing a high income straight out of school: general radiography pay is a solid middle-class median, but it plateaus without adding a specialty credential like CT, MRI or mammography, each of which is its own additional exam and, often, additional clinical hours.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Assuming ARRT certification alone lets you work anywhere in the country. About 37 states require a separate state license on top of it, and moving states can mean a fresh state application even with an active, unlapsed ARRT credential.
- Picking a program without confirming JRCERT accreditation first. A non-accredited program's graduates cannot sit the ARRT exam at all, no matter how strong the coursework was.
- Budgeting for tuition only. Clinical-site requirements — background checks, immunizations, uniforms, sometimes liability insurance — are itemized separately from tuition on most programs' own cost sheets and add real money on top.
- Confusing the $80,110 radiography median with MRI technologist pay ($95,480). They're separate ARRT credentials with a real, persistent pay gap, and job postings sometimes blur the two titles.
- Letting the CE biennium lapse. Missing the 24-credit, two-year deadline puts you on CE probation with a fee, and repeated lapses put your registration itself at risk.
- Underestimating the physical demands going in. The role means regularly lifting and repositioning patients who can't move themselves, standing or walking most of a shift, and in hospital settings, rotating nights, weekends and on-call for trauma imaging.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a bachelor's degree to become a radiologic technologist?
No. ARRT's primary eligibility pathway only requires an associate degree or higher plus a JRCERT-accredited program — most technologists enter through a two-year associate program at a community college.
Is a state license required everywhere?
No. About 37 states require one, but Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and DC don't issue a separate radiography license — though employers there still expect ARRT certification as the practical hiring bar.
What's the difference between a radiologic technologist and an MRI technologist?
Radiography — general X-ray and diagnostic imaging — is the entry credential and what this page covers. MRI is a separate, usually higher-paid ARRT credential ($95,480 median in May 2025, versus $80,110 for radiography) that most MRI technologists add after gaining radiography experience, not a starting point on its own.
How competitive is admission to a radiography program?
There's no single national admission-rate figure, but programs are commonly oversubscribed relative to seats because clinical placement capacity, not classroom space, is the real constraint — apply broadly and expect a wait, especially at community colleges with strong regional reputations.
How much work is the continuing-education requirement?
24 approved CE credits every two years, reported by the deadline tied to your birth month — a modest but non-optional load. Falling short doesn't cost your registration outright, but it does put you on CE probation with a fee until you catch up.
Can I become a radiologic technologist without a two-year community college program?
Yes — some hospital-based certificate programs and bachelor's-completion tracks exist, but ARRT's minimum requirement stays an associate degree either way, so a four-year route buys you a bachelor's credential, not a lower bar to clear.
Sources
Every figure on this page traces to one of these primary sources.
- 1Continuing Education — American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) · accessed September 1, 2026
- 2Primary Eligibility Pathway Requirements — American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) · accessed September 1, 2026
- 3Radiologic and MRI Technologists — Occupational Outlook Handbook — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · accessed September 1, 2026
- 4Radiologic Technician License Requirements by State — HealthJob · accessed September 1, 2026
- 5Radiologic Technologists and Technicians (29-2034.00) summary — O*NET OnLine · accessed September 1, 2026
- 6Radiologic Technology Program Estimated Costs — Bakersfield College · accessed September 1, 2026
- 7Radiology Technician Salary: Median Pay (BLS OEWS Data) — Tesla MR Institute · accessed September 1, 2026