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Radiation technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a radiation technician. Radiation technicians usually study medical technician, business, or electrical engineering. 31% of radiation technicians hold a associate degree, and 30% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 239 real radiation technician resumes to see exactly what radiation technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for radiation technicians are the East Tennessee State University and the East Tennessee State University.
There are also many online radiation technician courses to help get the education required to be a radiation technician.
What education do you need to become a radiation technician?
What degree do you need to be a radiation technician?
- Associate, 31%
- Bachelor's, 30%
- High School Diploma, 26%
- Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 10%
What should I major in to become a radiation technician?
- Medical Technician, 22%
- Business, 9%
- General Studies, 6%
- Other Majors, 55%
Most common colleges for radiation technicians
| Radiation technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| East Tennessee State University | 11.54% |
| Santa Fe College | 7.69% |
| Weber State University | 7.69% |
| Loma Linda University | 7.69% |
| Old Dominion University | 7.69% |
Best majors for radiation technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Technician | 22.1% |
| 2 | Business | 9.1% |
| 3 | Electrical Engineering | 7.8% |
| 4 | General Studies | 6.5% |
| 5 | Kinesiology | 5.2% |
Best colleges for radiation technicians
The best colleges for radiation technicians are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University.
A radiation technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for radiation technicians. 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 radiation technicians.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
3. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
In-state tuition
$53,430
Enrollment
5,963
4. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
6. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
7. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$54,104
Enrollment
7,089
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
9. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,382
Enrollment
5,597
10. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
20 best online courses for radiation technicians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for radiation technicians
The most affordable schools for radiation technicians are University of Florida, brigham young university, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for radiation technicians 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 radiation technicians.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
8. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
9. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for radiation technicians
The hardest universities for radiation technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University.
Some great schools for radiation technicians 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 radiation technicians 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. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,517
4. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
5. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,456
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for radiation technicians
The easiest schools for radiation technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, thomas more university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a radiation technician 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 radiation technicians.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
5. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
6. Clarke University
Dubuque, IA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,058
7. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
8. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
9. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
10. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
Average radiation technician salary by education level
| Radiation technician education level | Radiation technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $51,934 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,944 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $43,983 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $46,317 |
Radiation technician education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025