Best degree programs for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists, ranked by enrollment
1 college programs and 62 schools train Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $95,480 median wage, 43,390 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
1 college programs at 62 schools train magnetic resonance imaging technologists, graduating 1,327 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology/Technician. The job pays a median of $95,480 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About magnetic resonance imaging technologists
Operate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Monitor patient safety and comfort, and view images of area being scanned to ensure quality of pictures. May administer gadolinium contrast dosage intravenously. May interview patient, explain MRI procedures, and position patient on examining table. May enter into the computer data such as patient history, anatomical area to be scanned, orientation specified, and position of entry.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
1 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 51.0920 | 1,327 | 100.0% | 62 | $53,520 | $20,250 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What magnetic resonance imaging technologists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,000 | 3,570 | 0.70× | 8 | 881 |
| Illinois | $95,380 | 2,760 | 1.62× | 5 | 56 |
| Floridalimited | $84,330 | 2,860 | 1.03× | 2 | 48 |
| Ohiomoderate | $87,670 | 1,840 | 1.19× | 4 | 41 |
| New Jerseylimited | $103,930 | 1,250 | 1.04× | 1 | 37 |
| Michigan | $84,620 | 1,270 | 1.04× | 7 | 33 |
| North Carolinamoderate | $85,120 | 1,180 | 0.86× | 4 | 32 |
| Indianalimited | $86,880 | 1,030 | 1.15× | 2 | 17 |
| Texaslimited | $96,780 | 2,930 | 0.75× | 1 | 17 |
| Minnesotalimited | $100,900 | 710 | 0.87× | 2 | 16 |
| Massachusettslimited | $110,600 | 1,490 | 1.47× | 1 | 15 |
| Tennesseelimited | $78,610 | 1,350 | 1.47× | 2 | 13 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $106,330 | 450 | 0.96× | 3 | 12 |
| Georgia | $92,060 | 1,800 | 1.32× | 5 | 12 |
| Marylandlimited | $105,230 | 770 | 1.00× | 1 | 9 |
| Kansaslimited | $82,670 | 330 | 0.82× | 1 | 7 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $105,060 | 140 | 0.99× | 1 | 7 |
| Nevadalimited | $98,260 | 340 | 0.79× | 1 | 6 |
| Missourilimited | $83,110 | 1,040 | 1.27× | 1 | 5 |
| Nebraskalimited | $82,710 | 290 | 1.03× | 1 | 5 |
| Coloradolimited | $105,380 | 670 | 0.83× | 1 | 4 |
| Mississippilimited | $71,710 | 250 | 0.78× | 1 | 4 |
| West Virginialimited | $80,490 | 190 | 0.97× | 1 | 4 |
| Iowalimited | $81,420 | 220 | 0.52× | 1 | 3 |
| South Carolinalimited | $83,550 | 730 | 1.14× | 1 | 3 |
| New Mexicolimited | $87,850 | 140 | 0.58× | 1 | 2 |
| Louisianalimited | $77,510 | 510 | 0.95× | 1 | 1 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams.
- Conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos.
- Select appropriate imaging techniques or coils to produce required images.
- Operate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
- Provide headphones or earplugs to patients to improve comfort and reduce unpleasant noise.
- Position patients on cradle, attaching immobilization devices, if needed, to ensure appropriate placement for imaging.
- Take brief medical histories from patients.
- Inspect images for quality, using magnetic resonance scanner equipment and laser camera.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Monitoring3.8
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.6
- Critical Thinking3.4
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Science2.8
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.2
- English Language4.0
- Physics4.0
- Computers and Electronics3.6
- Medicine and Dentistry3.5
- Public Safety and Security3.5
Abilities
- Near Vision4.0
- Oral Expression4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Written Comprehension3.9
- Problem Sensitivity3.6
- Written Expression3.5
Core activities
- Working with Computers4.5
- Documenting/Recording Information4.5
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.4
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.2
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.2
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.2
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience needed
- Less than 5 years
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 1 majors mapped to Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists1 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.0920Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology/Technician
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist?+
Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology/Technician, which awarded 1,327 degrees in 2024-25, 100.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 1 programs to this occupation. The largest are Allied Health Diagnostic. Together they graduate about 1,327 people a year.
How much do magnetic resonance imaging technologists earn?+
The median is $95,480 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $68,890 at the 10th percentile to $127,670 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for magnetic resonance imaging technologists growing?+
BLS projects a +7.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, faster than average, with roughly 2,600 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
62 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 1 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do magnetic resonance imaging technologists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records MRI Tech (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technician), MRI Coordinator (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Coordinator), MRI Technologist (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist), MRI QA Coordinator (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quality Assurance Coordinator) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-2035.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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