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Radiation therapy technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a radiation therapy technician. Radiation therapy technicians usually study medical technician, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or health/medical preparatory programs. 49% of radiation therapy technicians hold a associate degree, and 36% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 107 real radiation therapy technician resumes to see exactly what radiation therapy technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for radiation therapy technicians are the The University of Tennessee - Martin and the The University of Tennessee - Martin.

There are also many online radiation therapy technician courses to help get the education required to be a radiation therapy technician.

What education do you need to become a radiation therapy technician?

What degree do you need to be a radiation therapy technician?

The most common degree for radiation therapy technicians is associate degree, with 49% of radiation therapy technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 36% and bachelor's degree degree at 4%.
  • Associate, 49%
  • Bachelor's, 36%
  • Master's, 4%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a radiation therapy technician?

You should major in medical technician to become a radiation therapy technician. 25% of radiation therapy technicians major in medical technician. Other common majors for a radiation therapy technician include biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and health/medical preparatory programs.

Most common colleges for radiation therapy technicians

Radiation therapy technicians often get their degrees at The University of Tennessee - Martin, Broward College, and Laboure College. Here are the most common colleges for radiation therapy technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Radiation therapy technician common collegePercentages
The University of Tennessee - Martin11.11%
Broward College11.11%
Laboure College7.41%
Wayne State University7.41%
Emory University7.41%

Best majors for radiation therapy technicians

Best colleges for radiation therapy technicians

The best colleges for radiation therapy technicians are Vanderbilt University, Duke University, and Yale University.

A radiation therapy 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 therapy 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 therapy 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. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

5. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

6. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

7. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

8. University of Texas at Austin

Austin, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$10,610

Enrollment

40,329

9. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

20 best online courses for radiation therapy technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for radiation therapy technicians

The most affordable schools for radiation therapy technicians are University of Florida, california state university - long beach, and brigham young university.

If the best universities for radiation therapy 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 therapy technicians.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

3. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

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. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

8. 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

9. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

10. California State University - Northridge

Northridge, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,893

Cost of attendance

18,870

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for radiation therapy technicians

The hardest universities for radiation therapy technicians to get into are Vanderbilt University, Duke University, and Yale University.

Some great schools for radiation therapy 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 therapy 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. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

2. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

3. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

4. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

5. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

6. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

10. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for radiation therapy technicians

The easiest schools for radiation therapy technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a radiation therapy 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 therapy technicians.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

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. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

6. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

9. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average radiation therapy technician salary by education level

Radiation therapy technicians with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $75,076 annually. With a Master's degree, radiation therapy technicians earn a median annual income of $65,473 compared to $62,227 for radiation therapy technicians with an Bachelor's degree.
Radiation therapy technician education levelRadiation therapy technician salary
Master's Degree$65,473
Bachelor's Degree$62,227
Doctorate Degree$75,076

Radiation therapy technician 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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