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Mri and ct technologist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an mri and ct technologist. Mri and ct technologists usually study medical technician, nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies, or military technology. 61% of mri and ct technologists hold a associate degree, and 27% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 1,233 real mri and ct technologist resumes to see exactly what mri and ct technologist education sections show.

The most common colleges for mri and ct technologists are the Pima Medical Institute and the Pima Medical Institute.

There are also many online mri and ct technologist courses to help get the education required to be an mri and ct technologist.

There are certain mri and ct technologist certifications that you should consider. These mri and ct technologist certifications include Certified MRI Technologists and Certified Radiology Administrator (CRA).

What education do you need to become an mri and ct technologist?

What degree do you need to be an mri and ct technologist?

The most common degree for mri and ct technologists is associate degree, with 61% of mri and ct technologists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 27% and bachelor's degree degree at 2%.
  • Associate, 61%
  • Bachelor's, 27%
  • Diploma, 2%
  • Master's, 1%
  • Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become an mri and ct technologist?

You should major in medical technician to become an mri and ct technologist. 54% of mri and ct technologists major in medical technician. Other common majors for an mri and ct technologist include nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies and military technology.

Most common colleges for mri and ct technologists

Mri and ct technologists often get their degrees at Pima Medical Institute, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Weber State University. Here are the most common colleges for mri and ct technologists in the US based on their resumes.
Mri and ct technologist common collegePercentages
Pima Medical Institute12.50%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale9.62%
Weber State University9.62%
Tyler Junior College5.77%
Loma Linda University5.77%

Best majors for mri and ct technologists

Best colleges for mri and ct technologists

The best colleges for mri and ct technologists are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.

An mri and ct 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 mri and ct 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 mri and ct technologists.

1. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

2. Siena Heights University

Adrian, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$27,124

Enrollment

2,035

3. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

5. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

6. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

10. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

20 best online courses for mri and ct technologists

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1. MRI Fundamentals

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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,...

2. Visualizing the Living Body: Diagnostic Imaging

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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

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Your guide to the history, science, math, and economics of medical imaging systems (e.g., X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound)...

4. Providing Trauma-Informed Care

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4.7
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Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...

5. Trauma Emergencies and Care

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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...

6. Operations and Patient Safety for Healthcare IT Staff

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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...

7. ICD 10 & 11 Medical Coding and Billing

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Preparation for Medical Coding Certification Exam...

8. A Specialty Approach to Learning Medical Billing and Coding

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Volume One: Medical Hematology...

9. Introduction to Neurohacking In R

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Neurohacking describes how to use the R programming language (https://cran.r-project.org/) and its associated package to perform manipulation, processing, and analysis of neuroimaging data. We focus on publicly-available structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We discuss concepts such as inhomogeneity correction, image registration, and image visualization. By the end of this course, you will be able to: Read/write images of the brain in the NIfTI (Neuroimaging Informatics Technology...

10. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

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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...

11. Deep Learning with PyTorch for Medical Image Analysis

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Learn how to use Pytorch-Lightning to solve real world medical imaging tasks!...

12. VSD - Library characterization and modelling - Part 1

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4.2
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VLSI - The heart of STA, PNR, CTS and Crosstalk...

13. Prehospital care of acute stroke and patient selection for endovascular treatment using the RACE scale

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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...

14. Emergency Care: Pregnancy, Infants, and Children

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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...

15. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care

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This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...

16. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness

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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...

17. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative

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Please join us for an exciting and innovative journey, examining one of the most important and often overlooked aspects of the oncology setting: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Supportive Cancer Care. This course is presented with short lectures offering a wide range of issues related to the principles and practice of herbal medicine in cancer care. The course includes interviews with leading world experts from the field of Integrative Oncology, from the U.S. and Canada, as well as Europe, the...

18. Clinical Kidney, Pancreas and Islet Transplantation

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Kidney transplantation is a major advance of modern medicine which provides high-quality of life for patients with end-stage renal disease. What used to be an experimental, risky, and very limited treatment option more than 50 years ago is now routinely performed in many countries worldwide. The number of renal transplants is expected to rise sharply in the next decade since the proportion of patients with end stage renal disease is increasing. Are you interested in clinical kidney, pancreas...

19. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course

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The Palliative Care Always Capstone course is designed to let you test your knowledge about palliative and help others understand the value of palliative care, while showing your creative side. In this course, you will impact community awareness about palliative care, promote self-care and wellness, show-off your communication skills in a virtual environment, and finish the course off by proving your thoughts on ways to offer psychosocial support to a patient and family...

20. Medical Terminology II

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This is the second course of the Medical Terminology specialization. It builds on the basic concepts of medical terminology with the introduction of new roots, terms, and abbreviations specific to the endocrine system (hormones). The body's transportation and defense systems (cardiovascular, blood, and lymphatic) will also be covered as well as the respiratory system (lungs)...

Top 10 most affordable universities for mri and ct technologists

The most affordable schools for mri and ct technologists are Brigham Young University, minot state university, and florida international university.

If the best universities for mri and ct 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 mri and ct technologists.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Augusta University

Augusta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,604

Cost of attendance

20,618

7. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,283

Cost of attendance

22,243

8. Maine College of Health Professions

Lewiston, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$12,245

Cost of attendance

18,826

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Cost of attendance

24,718

10. Tarleton State University

Stephenville, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$7,292

Cost of attendance

20,387

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for mri and ct technologists

The hardest universities for mri and ct technologists to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.

Some great schools for mri and ct 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 mri and ct 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. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

4. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

7. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

8. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,326

9. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

10. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

1,291

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for mri and ct technologists

The easiest schools for mri and ct technologists to get into are AdventHealth University, life university, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an mri and ct 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 mri and ct technologists.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Canton, OH • Private

Admissions rate

75%

SAT average

1,085

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average mri and ct technologist salary by education level

Mri and ct technologists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $91,015 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, mri and ct technologists earn a median annual income of $85,937 compared to $78,774 for mri and ct technologists with an Associate degree.
Mri and ct technologist education levelMri and ct technologist salary
Master's Degree$91,015
Bachelor's Degree$85,937
Some College/ Associate Degree$78,774

Mri and ct technologist education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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