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Radiology assistant education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a radiology assistant. Radiology assistants usually study medical technician, business, or medical assisting services. 36% of radiology assistants hold a bachelor's degree, and 29% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,893 real radiology assistant resumes to see exactly what radiology assistant education sections show.

The most common colleges for radiology assistants are the Weber State University and the Weber State University.

There are also many online radiology assistant courses to help get the education required to be a radiology assistant.

There are certain radiology assistant certifications that you should consider. These radiology assistant certifications include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

What education do you need to become a radiology assistant?

What degree do you need to be a radiology assistant?

The most common degree for radiology assistants is bachelor's degree, with 36% of radiology assistants earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 29% and associate degree degree at 18%.
  • Bachelor's, 36%
  • Associate, 29%
  • High School Diploma, 18%
  • Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 11%

What should I major in to become a radiology assistant?

You should major in medical technician to become a radiology assistant. 15% of radiology assistants major in medical technician. Other common majors for a radiology assistant include business and medical assisting services.

Most common colleges for radiology assistants

Radiology assistants often get their degrees at Weber State University, University of Phoenix, and Monroe College. Here are the most common colleges for radiology assistants in the US based on their resumes.
Radiology assistant common collegePercentages
Weber State University20.43%
University of Phoenix7.53%
Monroe College5.38%
Alcorn State University4.30%
Missouri State University4.30%

Best majors for radiology assistants

Best colleges for radiology assistants

The best colleges for radiology assistants are Northwestern University, New York University, and Emory University.

A radiology assistant with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for radiology assistants. 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 radiology assistants.

1. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

2. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

7. SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Alfred, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,570

Enrollment

3,721

8. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

9. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

10. Andrew College

Cuthbert, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$17,388

Enrollment

292

20 best online courses for radiology assistants

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1. Visualizing the Living Body: Diagnostic Imaging

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6. Medical Emergencies: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation

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Top 10 most affordable universities for radiology assistants

The most affordable schools for radiology assistants are SUNY Farmingdale, university of florida, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for radiology assistants 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 radiology assistants.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

9. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for radiology assistants

The hardest universities for radiology assistants to get into are Northwestern University, New York University, and Emory University.

Some great schools for radiology assistants 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 radiology assistants 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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

3. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

8. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for radiology assistants

The easiest schools for radiology assistants to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and gwynedd mercy university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a radiology assistant 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 radiology assistants.

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. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

4. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

5. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

6. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

7. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

8. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

9. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average radiology assistant salary by education level

Radiology assistants with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $43,980 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, radiology assistants earn a median annual income of $35,946 compared to $31,081 for radiology assistants with an Associate degree.
Radiology assistant education levelRadiology assistant salary
Master's Degree$43,980
High School Diploma or Less$27,228
Bachelor's Degree$35,946
Some College/ Associate Degree$31,081

Radiology assistant 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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