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Mri technologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an mri technologist. Mri technologists usually study medical technician, nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies, or military technology. 56% of mri technologists hold a associate degree, and 27% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 6,554 real mri technologist resumes to see exactly what mri technologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for mri technologists are the West Coast Ultrasound Institute and the West Coast Ultrasound Institute.
There are also many online mri technologist courses to help get the education required to be an mri technologist.
There are certain mri technologist certifications that you should consider. These mri technologist certifications include Certified MRI Technologists and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist.
What education do you need to become an mri technologist?
What degree do you need to be an mri technologist?
- Associate, 56%
- Bachelor's, 27%
- Diploma, 3%
- Master's, 2%
- Other Degrees, 12%
What should I major in to become an mri technologist?
- Medical Technician, 52%
- Business, 4%
- Other Majors, 21%
Most common colleges for mri technologists
| Mri technologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| West Coast Ultrasound Institute | 8.95% |
| Keiser University | 8.31% |
| Pima Medical Institute | 7.03% |
| Quinnipiac University | 6.71% |
| Southern Illinois University Carbondale | 6.07% |
Best majors for mri technologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Technician | 51.9% |
| 2 | Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies | 14.5% |
| 3 | Military Technology | 7.7% |
| 4 | Business | 4.4% |
| 5 | Health Sciences And Services | 3.4% |
Best colleges for mri technologists
The best colleges for mri technologists are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.
An mri 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 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 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 technologists
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1. 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,...
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. Providing Trauma-Informed Care
Exploring psychological trauma and how to provide care and compassion to trauma survivors...
4. Introduction to Medical Imaging
Your guide to the history, science, math, and economics of medical imaging systems (e.g., X-ray, CT, MRI, Ultrasound)...
5. 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...
6. Introduction to Neurohacking In R
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...
7. Trauma Treatment for Children
Calming the Dragon, Using the Body to Improve Care...
8. Certified Manager of Quality Training
Certified Manager of Quality and Organizational Excellence (CMQ/OE) Exam Preparation Course...
9. 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...
10. Palliative Care Always Capstone Course
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...
11. Quality Management for Business Excellence
Lead Quality Management in the Organization • Transform the Organization to Become the Best-in-Class...
12. Motivational Enhancement Techniques: Working with Patients with Opioid & Substance Use Disorders or High Risk Use MAT Waiver Training S...
WORKING WITH PATIENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS OR HIGH RISK This optional online course opportunity is made possible through a joint partnership with University of Virginia School of Medicine (UVASOM) and Nursing (SON) and the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP), DATA 2000 sponsor. This content was created by the AAAP and has been used with permission. The course consists of one 1-hour session for healthcare providers who wish to enhance their effectiveness in treating high-risk...
13. Value-Based Care: Managing Processes to Improve Outcomes
COURSE 3 of 7. This course is designed to introduce you to critical office-based processes that a value-based practice must manage in the drive towards improved patient outcomes. In Module 2, we’ll focus on office-based and clinical patient-based supporting functions. At every level in healthcare, guidelines, processes, and functions exist to improve outcomes, and following a consistent process will return the best effect. Refine your understanding of value and learn strategies to provide real...
14. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
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...
15. 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...
16. Prepare for the EMT Certification Test
Welcome to your final course in Become and EMT! Prepare for the National Registry exam. The title for this course is a little bit misleading. We do hope that at the completion of this course that you feel more prepared to take the skills portion as well as the written portion of the national registry exam. More than anything else, however, our greatest hope is that we have given you the knowledge and tools to provide high quality patient care once you are certified as an EMT or once you achieve...
17. Fundamental Neuroscience for Neuroimaging
Neuroimaging methods are used with increasing frequency in clinical practice and basic research. Designed for students and professionals, this course will introduce the basic principles of neuroimaging methods as applied to human subjects research and introduce the neuroscience concepts and terminology necessary for a basic understanding of neuroimaging applications. Topics include the history of neuroimaging, an introduction to neuroimaging physics and image formation, as well as an overview...
18. 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...
19. Traditional herbal medicine in supportive cancer care: From alternative to integrative
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...
20. Health for All Through Primary Health Care
This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
Top 10 most affordable universities for mri technologists
The most affordable schools for mri technologists are Brigham Young University, minot state university, and florida international university.
If the best universities for mri 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 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 technologists
The hardest universities for mri technologists to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for mri 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 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 technologists
The easiest schools for mri 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 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 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 technologist salary by education level
| Mri technologist education level | Mri technologist salary |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $92,413 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $74,622 |
Mri technologist education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025