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Imaging technologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an imaging technologist. Imaging technologists usually study medical technician, business, or health care administration. 39% of imaging technologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 36% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 3,009 real imaging technologist resumes to see exactly what imaging technologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for imaging technologists are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online imaging technologist courses to help get the education required to be an imaging technologist.
There are certain imaging technologist certifications that you should consider. These imaging technologist certifications include Certified Radiological Technologist and Registered Technologist - Radiography (RTR).
What education do you need to become an imaging technologist?
What degree do you need to be an imaging technologist?
- Bachelor's, 39%
- Associate, 36%
- High School Diploma, 12%
- Diploma, 4%
- Other Degrees, 9%
What should I major in to become an imaging technologist?
- Medical Technician, 19%
- Business, 15%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for imaging technologists
| Imaging technologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 13.29% |
| Pima Medical Institute | 6.96% |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 6.33% |
| DeVry University | 6.33% |
| University of Nevada - Las Vegas | 5.70% |
Best majors for imaging technologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Technician | 19.2% |
| 2 | Business | 14.5% |
| 3 | Health Care Administration | 5.8% |
| 4 | Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies | 5.1% |
| 5 | Computer Information Systems | 5.0% |
Best colleges for imaging technologists
The best colleges for imaging technologists are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.
An imaging technologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for imaging technologists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become imaging technologists.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
8. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
9. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$15,094
Enrollment
32,974
10. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
20 best online courses for imaging technologists
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1. Trauma Emergencies and Care
Welcome to Trauma Emergencies and Care. In this course, you will learn about some of the mechanics and physics of trauma on the human body, and how this can cause injury. You will continue to expand your new vocabulary with medical terminology, and learn how to describe the different injuries you may see. You will also learn about the trauma system itself- and when it is important to transport patients to a trauma center. Then we will dive into specific injuries based on what part of the body...
2. Visualizing the Living Body: Diagnostic Imaging
This course teaches learners the underlying principles behind conventional radiography, computerized axial tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and ultrasound. The radiology of chest, abdomen, pelvis, extremities, spine and brain are taught in this course using a combination of lectures and extensive practical activities and assessments. By the end of the course you will be able to: Describe the principles of conventional radiography, CT MRI and ultrasound Describe systematic...
3. Introduction to Medical Imaging
Your guide to the history, science, math, and economics of medical imaging systems (e.g., X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound)...
4. Deep Learning with PyTorch for Medical Image Analysis
Learn how to use Pytorch-Lightning to solve real world medical imaging tasks!...
5. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: 1) assess a basic medical patient 2) describe general pharmacologic principles and the skills associated with medication administration, 3) explain airway physiology, the assessment of the airway and available interventions for airway management, 4) identify, assess and formulate a plan to stabilize a patient with a...
6. MRI Fundamentals
Welcome! In this course learners will develop expertise in basic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) physics and principles and gain knowledge of many different data acquisition strategies in MRI. In particular, learners will get to know what is magnetic resonance phenomenon, how magnetic resonance signals are generated, how an image can be formulated using MRI, how soft tissue contrast can change with imaging parameters. Also introduced will be MR imaging sequences of spin echo, gradient echo,...
7. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
8. Data Entry Skills: A Complete Data Entry Course from Scratch
A Complete Guide to Data Entry Skills: Learn Data Entry Skills and become a Data Entry Pro & Get a Online Data Entry Job...
9. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale
Acute stroke is a time-dependent medical emergency. In acute ischemic stroke, the first objective is to restore brain flow using sistemic thrombolytic treatment and, in patients with large vessel occlusion, by endovascular treatment. In hemorrhagic stroke there are also specific treatments that can improve the clinical outcome. The sooner the initiation of all these therapies the higher the clinical benefit. Thus, the organization of Stroke Code systems coordinated between emergency medical...
10. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR...
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12. Complete Python Based Image Processing and Computer Vision
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13. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children
Welcome to the final course of lectures in your quest to master EMT basics. In this course, we will cover some of the highest-stress patient populations: pregnant patients and kids, also known as pediatrics. To wrap up your EMT knowledge we will end this course with information about hazmat situations, extricating patients from tight spots and finally how you write a note about your patient care. You will learn to ensure it communicates what your assessment of the patient was, what...
14. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff
Now that you've been introduced to the world of Health IT and the important role played by electronic health records (EHRs), we'll focus on other technologies that play a role in maintaining ongoing operations in healthcare. Telemedicine, patient portals, barcode scanners, printers, and medical devices are just some of the technologies that impact providers and patients. As an IT support specialist, you’ll be asked to troubleshoot issues with a wide variety of tools. You'll see a scenario with...
15. Learn Computer Vision and Image Processing in LabVIEW
Learn Computer Vision and Image Processing From Scratch in Lab VIEW and build 9 Vision-based Apps...
16. Complete Data Entry Skills Course - Learn Data Entry Skills
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17. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer
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18. Adobe Photoshop CC For Photographers
An essential Photoshop course for all photographers. Learn how to edit and manipulate your images with Photoshop CC...
19. Adobe Photoshop CC For Beginners: Main Features Of Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop CC For Beginners: Resize Images, Add Text & Effects, Remove Acne or Objects, Delete Backgrounds & More...
20. Data Entry Course for Beginners
Learn from a Successful Data Entry Professional!...
Top 10 most affordable universities for imaging technologists
The most affordable schools for imaging technologists are SUNY Farmingdale, brigham young university, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for imaging technologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for imaging technologists.
1. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
7. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
8. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for imaging technologists
The hardest universities for imaging technologists to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.
Some great schools for imaging technologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for imaging technologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
7. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
8. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
10. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for imaging technologists
The easiest schools for imaging technologists to get into are D'Youville College, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an imaging technologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for imaging technologists.
1. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
5. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
6. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
7. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
8. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
9. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
10. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
Average imaging technologist salary by education level
| Imaging technologist education level | Imaging technologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $57,610 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,386 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $52,177 |
Imaging technologist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025