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Staff radiographer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a staff radiographer. Staff radiographers usually study medical technician, nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies, or military technology. 70% of staff radiographers hold a associate degree, and 16% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 549 real staff radiographer resumes to see exactly what staff radiographer education sections show.

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

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

There are certain staff radiographer certifications that you should consider. These staff radiographer certifications include Certified MRI Technologists and Registered Technologist - Radiography (RTR).

What education do you need to become a staff radiographer?

What degree do you need to be a staff radiographer?

The most common degree for staff radiographers is associate degree, with 70% of staff radiographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 16% and bachelor's degree degree at 6%.
  • Associate, 70%
  • Bachelor's, 16%
  • Diploma, 6%
  • Master's, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a staff radiographer?

You should major in medical technician to become a staff radiographer. 48% of staff radiographers major in medical technician. Other common majors for a staff radiographer include nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies and military technology.

Most common colleges for staff radiographers

Staff radiographers often get their degrees at University of St. Francis, Midwestern State University, and Santa Fe College. Here are the most common colleges for staff radiographers in the US based on their resumes.
Staff radiographer common collegePercentages
University of St. Francis12.77%
Midwestern State University10.64%
Santa Fe College8.51%
Northeastern University8.51%
North Central College6.38%

Best majors for staff radiographers

Best colleges for staff radiographers

The best colleges for staff radiographers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.

A staff radiographer 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 radiographers. 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 radiographers.

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 staff radiographers

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1. Visualizing the Living Body: Diagnostic Imaging

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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...

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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...

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Master reading CXR entirely from the very basics until professionality with tens of examples & quizzes...

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5. The Critical Role of IT Support Staff in Healthcare

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Top 10 most affordable universities for staff radiographers

The most affordable schools for staff radiographers are Brigham Young University, minot state university, and florida international university.

If the best universities for staff radiographers 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 radiographers.

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 staff radiographers

The hardest universities for staff radiographers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.

Some great schools for staff radiographers 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 radiographers 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 staff radiographers

The easiest schools for staff radiographers 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 a staff radiographer 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 radiographers.

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 staff radiographer salary by education level

According to our data, staff radiographers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $70,905 annually. Staff radiographers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $67,142.
Staff radiographer education levelStaff radiographer salary
Master's Degree$70,905
Bachelor's Degree$67,142
Some College/ Associate Degree$61,814

Staff radiographer 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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