Best degree programs for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians, ranked by enrollment
3 college programs and 655 schools train Radiologic Technologists and Technicians. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $80,110 median wage, 230,490 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
3 college programs at 655 schools train radiologic technologists and technicians, graduating 17,424 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer. The job pays a median of $80,110 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About radiologic technologists and technicians
Take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient's bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Includes radiologic technologists and technicians who specialize in other scanning modalities.
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.
3 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 51.0911 | 13,035 | 74.8% | 502 | $53,520 | $20,250 |
| 2 | CIP 51.0907 | 4,302 | 24.7% | 212 | $53,520 | $20,250 |
| 3 | CIP 51.0919 | 87 | 0.5% | 18 | $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 radiologic technologists and technicians 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $78,630 | 20,250 | 0.97× | 52 | 2,346 |
| California | $121,260 | 20,900 | 0.77× | 39 | 1,397 |
| Florida | $76,750 | 16,470 | 1.12× | 32 | 1,377 |
| New York | $98,470 | 13,450 | 0.94× | 31 | 790 |
| Illinois | $79,930 | 7,650 | 0.85× | 32 | 789 |
| Indiana | $77,640 | 5,470 | 1.15× | 11 | 613 |
| Ohio | $78,320 | 9,570 | 1.16× | 28 | 602 |
| Georgia | $74,550 | 7,540 | 1.04× | 27 | 597 |
| Pennsylvania | $76,050 | 8,090 | 0.90× | 28 | 504 |
| Arizona | $89,200 | 4,670 | 0.97× | 9 | 478 |
| North Carolina | $74,450 | 9,250 | 1.26× | 24 | 452 |
| Tennessee | $64,630 | 4,660 | 0.96× | 13 | 419 |
| Utahmoderate | $81,000 | 1,780 | 0.69× | 4 | 391 |
| Michigan | $76,420 | 7,220 | 1.11× | 25 | 377 |
| Minnesota | $83,400 | 4,910 | 1.12× | 14 | 350 |
| Virginia | $80,670 | 5,140 | 0.84× | 13 | 338 |
| Kentucky | $69,670 | 3,630 | 1.22× | 16 | 318 |
| Louisiana | $63,680 | 3,370 | 1.18× | 11 | 302 |
| New Jersey | $95,000 | 6,320 | 0.99× | 15 | 273 |
| Missouri | $73,080 | 5,170 | 1.19× | 17 | 265 |
| Arkansas | $63,640 | 2,210 | 1.14× | 12 | 257 |
| Nebraska | $72,860 | 1,670 | 1.10× | 7 | 244 |
| Wisconsin | $79,140 | 5,010 | 1.15× | 12 | 240 |
| Alabama | $60,700 | 3,500 | 1.12× | 9 | 238 |
| Colorado | $87,760 | 3,960 | 0.93× | 10 | 215 |
| Maryland | $85,890 | 3,370 | 0.82× | 11 | 213 |
| Washington | $102,090 | 4,130 | 0.79× | 8 | 210 |
| Massachusetts | $103,620 | 5,500 | 1.02× | 16 | 207 |
| South Carolina | $69,600 | 3,630 | 1.06× | 13 | 198 |
| Iowa | $65,930 | 2,550 | 1.11× | 13 | 191 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $91,970 | 3,230 | 1.29× | 4 | 189 |
| Idaho | $80,080 | 1,490 | 1.17× | 5 | 186 |
| Kansas | $76,070 | 2,270 | 1.06× | 7 | 176 |
| Nevada | $82,910 | 1,840 | 0.80× | 6 | 167 |
| Oklahoma | $74,160 | 3,640 | 1.44× | 11 | 160 |
| Mississippi | $59,300 | 2,510 | 1.45× | 11 | 159 |
| West Virginia | $74,150 | 1,810 | 1.74× | 8 | 132 |
| Oregonmoderate | $102,290 | 2,700 | 0.93× | 4 | 115 |
| New Mexico | $79,940 | 1,150 | 0.89× | 5 | 101 |
| Maine | $80,080 | 1,050 | 1.10× | 5 | 95 |
| North Dakotamoderate | $67,790 | 740 | 1.17× | 3 | 63 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $65,240 | 980 | 1.45× | 4 | 61 |
| Montanamoderate | $77,070 | 850 | 1.12× | 4 | 56 |
| New Hampshirelimited | $84,910 | 1,240 | 1.23× | 2 | 50 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $85,330 | 660 | 0.88× | 2 | 50 |
| Delawarelimited | $84,210 | 650 | 0.91× | 1 | 29 |
| Alaskalimited | $98,920 | 370 | 0.77× | 2 | 25 |
| Wyominglimited | $77,860 | 430 | 1.03× | 2 | 22 |
| Hawaiilimited | $101,700 | 690 | 0.74× | 1 | 21 |
| Vermontlimited | $94,540 | 470 | 1.04× | 2 | 21 |
| District of Columbialimited | $102,770 | 660 | 0.63× | 1 | 5 |
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
- Position imaging equipment and adjust controls to set exposure time and distance, according to specification of examination.
- Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.
- Monitor patients' conditions and reactions, reporting abnormal signs to physician.
- Explain procedures and observe patients to ensure safety and comfort during scan.
- Use radiation safety measures and protection devices to comply with government regulations and to ensure safety of patients and staff.
- Review and evaluate developed x-rays, video tape, or computer-generated information to determine if images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes.
- Determine patients' x-ray needs by reading requests or instructions from physicians.
- Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
Skills
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.5
- Reading Comprehension3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Writing3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.8
Knowledge areas
- Medicine and Dentistry4.3
- Customer and Personal Service4.2
- English Language4.1
- Computers and Electronics3.9
- Administrative3.5
- Education and Training3.4
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity4.0
- Oral Comprehension4.0
- Near Vision4.0
- Oral Expression3.9
- Deductive Reasoning3.6
- Information Ordering3.6
Core activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.9
- Working with Computers4.3
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.0
- Documenting/Recording Information4.0
- Controlling Machines and Processes4.0
- Handling and Moving Objects4.0
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Radiologic Technologist
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
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 3 majors mapped to Radiologic Technologists and Technicians3 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.0907Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
- 51.0911Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer
- 51.0919Mammography 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 Radiologic Technologist?+
Associate's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer, which awarded 13,035 degrees in 2024-25, 74.8% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Radiologic Technologist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 3 programs to this occupation. The largest are Allied Health Diagnostic. Together they graduate about 17,424 people a year.
How much do radiologic technologists and technicians earn?+
The median is $80,110 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $55,980 at the 10th percentile to $118,660 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 radiologic technologists and technicians growing?+
BLS projects a +4.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 12,900 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
655 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 3 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 radiologic technologists and technicians work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Radiographer, Radiologic Technologist (RT), X-Ray Technologist (X-Ray Tech), Computed Tomography Technologist (CT Tech) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 29-2034.
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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