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Staff radiation therapist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a staff radiation therapist. Staff radiation therapists usually study medical technician, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, or health sciences and services. 43% of staff radiation therapists hold a associate degree, and 35% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 513 real staff radiation therapist resumes to see exactly what staff radiation therapist education sections show.

The most common colleges for staff radiation therapists are the University of St. Francis and the University of St. Francis.

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

There are certain staff radiation therapist certifications that you should consider. These staff radiation therapist certifications include Radiation Therapy and Certification of Radiation Oncology.

What education do you need to become a staff radiation therapist?

What degree do you need to be a staff radiation therapist?

The most common degree for staff radiation therapists is associate degree, with 43% of staff radiation therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 35% and bachelor's degree degree at 2%.
  • Associate, 43%
  • Bachelor's, 35%
  • Master's, 2%
  • Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 18%

What should I major in to become a staff radiation therapist?

You should major in medical technician to become a staff radiation therapist. 38% of staff radiation therapists major in medical technician. Other common majors for a staff radiation therapist include biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and health sciences and services.

Most common colleges for staff radiation therapists

Staff radiation therapists often get their degrees at University of St. Francis, University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center, and Ohio State University. Here are the most common colleges for staff radiation therapists in the US based on their resumes.
Staff radiation therapist common collegePercentages
University of St. Francis7.25%
University of Oklahoma - Health Sciences Center7.25%
Ohio State University5.80%
Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis5.80%
Washburn University of Topeka5.80%

Best majors for staff radiation therapists

Best colleges for staff radiation therapists

The best colleges for staff radiation therapists are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University.

A staff radiation therapist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for staff radiation therapists. 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 staff radiation therapists.

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 staff radiation therapists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for staff radiation therapists

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

If the best universities for staff radiation therapists 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 staff radiation therapists.

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 staff radiation therapists

The hardest universities for staff radiation therapists to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University.

Some great schools for staff radiation therapists 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 staff radiation therapists 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 staff radiation therapists

The easiest schools for staff radiation therapists 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 staff radiation therapist 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 staff radiation therapists.

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 staff radiation therapist salary by education level

According to our data, staff radiation therapists with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $96,611 annually. Staff radiation therapists with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $88,125.
Staff radiation therapist education levelStaff radiation therapist salary
Master's Degree$88,125
Bachelor's Degree$85,165
Doctorate Degree$96,611

Staff radiation therapist 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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