Adding CT or MRI to your radiography credential is one of the most common ways for rad techs to grow their skills and pay. You don’t need to go back to school for two years. Through ARRT’s postprimary pathway, you can earn the credential with structured education and documented clinical experience, often while you keep working. Here’s how it works, step by step.
[TU EXPERIENCIA: 2–3 sentences on how you learned CT or MRI in practice, noting that in Spain imaging technologists work across modalities without a separate credential.]
Key takeaways
- If you hold an ARRT radiography credential, R.T.(R), you can add CT, R.T.(CT), or MRI, R.T.(MR), through ARRT’s postprimary pathway.
- You need 16 hours of structured education and a set number of clinical procedures, both completed within 24 months before you apply.
- CT requires at least 125 repetitions of 25 or more different procedures. MRI requires at least 125 repetitions of 21 or more procedures.
- The ARRT application fee for each postprimary exam is $225.
- A formal CT or MRI certificate program is another option, especially if you can’t get scanning experience at work.
Two ways to get there
1. The postprimary pathway (most common). You earn the clinical experience at your job, complete the structured education, log everything in your ARRT account and then take the exam. This works well if your employer lets you train on the CT or MRI scanner.
2. A formal certificate program. Many community colleges and hospitals offer CT or MRI programs for registered technologists. They usually include classes and arranged clinical rotations. This is helpful if you can’t get scanner time where you work.
Both lead to the same ARRT exam.
Step 1: Make sure you’re eligible
You need an ARRT credential in a supporting discipline. For most rad techs, that’s radiography, R.T.(R). Nuclear medicine and radiation therapy technologists can also qualify, and ARRT accepts some credentials from other organizations as supporting credentials. Check ARRT’s postprimary requirements for your discipline.
Your ARRT credential must stay active throughout.
Step 2: Complete 16 hours of structured education
ARRT requires 16 hours of structured education for postprimary candidates. The rules:
- The activities must cover the topics in the exam content specifications for CT or MRI, with at least one credit in each major content category.
- They must be approved for continuing education credit, or be academic courses from an accredited institution.
- You must complete them within the 24 months before you apply.
- They can also count toward your regular continuing education requirement.
You log each activity in your ARRT account. ARRT usually reviews them within about two business days.
Step 3: Complete the clinical experience
This is the biggest part of the process. You perform real procedures on patients, and a qualified person verifies each one.
| CT | MRI | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum total repetitions | 125 | 125 |
| Minimum different procedures | 25 (3 to 5 repetitions each) | 21 |
| Special requirement | At least 30 repetitions with iodinated IV contrast | Total spine and soft tissue procedures added in 2025 |
| Maximum entries logged per day | 9 | 7 |
| Remote scanning allowed? | No | No |
Key rules:
- You must be physically present at the facility where the patient and scanner are.
- Each procedure must be verified by an ARRT-certified and registered technologist or an interpreting physician.
- Procedures must be performed within the 24 months before you apply. Older ones expire automatically until you apply.
Tip: Ask your manager early about scanner time. Many techs build experience by working shifts in CT or MRI under a registered technologist.
Step 4: Apply and take the exam
Once your structured education and clinical experience are complete and verified:
- Apply online through your ARRT account. The postprimary application fee is $225.
- After approval, you’ll get a 90-day window to schedule your exam.
- Study the content specifications for your exam, and take practice tests.
When you pass, you add the credential to your name, for example R.T.(R)(CT) or R.T.(R)(MR).
Step 5: Check your state’s rules
Most states cover CT under your radiography license. A few states license MRI technologists separately, including Florida, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia, according to the ASRT. Check with your state board before you start working in MRI.
What about ARMRIT for MRI?
The American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (ARMRIT) offers a separate MRI certification. It’s mainly designed for people who train specifically in MRI, and its requirements include a large number of supervised clinical hours. Some employers and states accept either ARRT or ARMRIT. If you’re already an R.T.(R), the ARRT postprimary pathway is usually the more direct route, but check what employers in your area prefer.
How much more can you earn?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median pay in May 2025 was $95,480 for MRI technologists, compared with $80,110 for radiologic technologists. BLS includes CT technologists in the radiologic technologist group.
The ASRT’s 2024 wage survey also found higher average pay for CT and MRI technologists than for radiographers. Pay varies by state, setting and shift.
Extra credentials can also make you more flexible for scheduling and travel jobs.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get CT or MRI certified? It depends on how quickly you can complete the clinical procedures. Many techs finish in several months to a year. Everything must be done within a 24-month window.
Can I do the clinical requirements at my current job? Yes, if your facility has the scanner and a registered technologist or interpreting physician can verify your work.
Do I need to take a course? You need 16 hours of structured education, which you can complete through approved CE courses or college classes. A full certificate program is optional.
Can I add both CT and MRI? Yes. Each one is a separate postprimary credential with its own requirements and exam.
Sources
- American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): Structured Education Requirements for Postprimary Candidates.
- ARRT: Clinical Experience Requirements (postprimary); Computed Tomography Clinical Experience Requirements (effective July 1, 2022).
- ARRT: Updated MRI Clinical Experience Requirements Document (effective February 1, 2025).
- ARRT: Application fees.
- American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT): Individual state licensure; 2024 wage survey.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Radiologic and MRI Technologists.
Requirements can change. Always check ARRT’s current requirements documents for your discipline before you start logging procedures.