Radiology Technician Classes Near Me in Miami
Working as a radiology technician in Miami means meeting Florida's own certification rules, not just holding a national credential. Florida requires a state certificate to operate X-ray equipment on patients, issued through the Department of Health, and it offers separate certificate categories: a full-scope General Radiographer certificate that follows a two-year accredited program, and a limited Basic X-Ray Machine Operator certificate for a narrower set of imaging. Radiologic technologists in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro earn a median of $78,890 a year, about $37.93 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. Most people reach the full credential through a two-year radiography program that pairs classroom work with clinical hours completed in person.
Key Points
- A radiologic technologist, often called a radiology or X-ray technician, runs X-ray and other imaging equipment and positions patients so physicians can read clear diagnostic images.
- Florida requires a state certificate to operate X-ray equipment, offering a full-scope General Radiographer credential and a separate, limited Basic X-Ray Machine Operator credential.
- Radiologic technologists in the Miami metro earn a median of $78,890 a year, about $37.93 an hour, as of May 2025.
- The General Radiographer path runs about two years through an accredited radiography program, followed by a state certification exam that the ARRT administers for Florida.
- ARRT certification is not legally required in Florida, but someone who already holds an ARRT Radiography credential can usually get the state certificate by endorsement.
Radiology Technician Licensing in Florida
Florida certifies radiologic technologists directly, so a Florida certificate, not only a national credential, is generally required to use ionizing radiation on patients. The state runs this through the Department of Health's Bureau of Radiation Control, under Chapter 468 of the Florida Statutes.
Florida offers several certificate categories. The General Radiographer certificate is the full-scope path: it requires completion of a two-year accredited radiologic technology program and a passing score on a state certification exam that the ARRT administers for Florida. Nuclear medicine and radiation therapy have their own certificates. A separate Basic X-Ray Machine Operator certificate covers a narrower set of X-ray procedures under direct supervision, in limited settings, and does not require a two-year program. It is an entry point for specific roles rather than a substitute for the general credential.
ARRT certification is not legally required for Florida's examination route, but the two are related. The state exam is administered by the ARRT, and someone who already holds a current ARRT Radiography credential can generally apply for the equivalent Florida General Radiographer certificate by endorsement rather than taking the state exam again. Florida certificates generally renew every two years and require 12 hours of approved continuing education.
What Radiology Technician Classes in Miami Involve
Radiology technician classes in Miami center on an accredited radiologic technology program, which usually takes about two years of full-time study for the general credential. Coursework covers anatomy, patient positioning, radiation safety, and imaging physics, while the clinical side places you in a hospital or imaging center to build supervised clinical competencies. Some didactic coursework may be online, but radiography programs require supervised, hands-on clinical education that cannot be completed entirely online.
Florida and the ARRT have related but separate requirements. To qualify for the Florida General Radiographer certificate by examination, you generally complete a two-year accredited radiologic technology program and pass Florida's state certification exam, which the ARRT administers. If you also want ARRT certification, you meet ARRT's own requirements separately, including an associate degree or higher in any subject and completion of an ARRT-approved radiography program. Length, cost, and schedule differ from one school to the next, so comparing a few is worth the time.
Dreambound lets you line up radiography programs open to Miami-area students and sort them by schedule and format, so the differences are easy to see in one place.
What Radiology Technicians Earn in the Miami Area
Radiologic technologists in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro earn a median of $78,890 a year, about $37.93 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. That sits just below the national median of $80,110 for the occupation in the same period.
Employment of radiologic technologists and technicians is projected to grow about 4% nationally from 2024 to 2034, with many openings expected as workers transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force, including through retirement. Earning credentials in areas such as CT or mammography can broaden the roles you qualify for, and each of those specialties has its own certification path.
If those numbers fit your plans, you can compare radiography programs open to Miami-area students on Dreambound by schedule and length.
Where Radiology Technicians Work in Miami
Radiology jobs in the Miami area are spread across large hospital systems, children's and specialty hospitals, and independent imaging centers. Jackson Health System, Baptist Health South Florida, the University of Miami Health System, Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, and Nicklaus Children's Hospital are among the major healthcare employers in the metro, along with HCA Florida hospitals such as HCA Florida Kendall Hospital.
Freestanding imaging and diagnostic centers add another set of roles, and specialty practices in fields like cardiology and orthopedics often run imaging on site. The range gives technologists a choice between large academic medical centers and smaller community settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to get certified as a radiology technician in Florida?
Florida charges a $40 application fee plus a state examination fee, $200 for the General Radiographer exam and $150 for the Basic X-Ray Machine Operator exam, as of 2026. These state fees are separate from program tuition, and the state can change them over time.
Can you get a Florida radiology certificate if you trained or were certified in another state?
Often, yes. Florida offers certification by endorsement to people who hold a current ARRT Radiography credential, and it recognizes certain out-of-state credentials it considers substantially equivalent. If your credential does not qualify, you would take Florida's state certification exam instead. If you still need the training, you can compare Florida radiography programs on Dreambound.
Does a Basic X-Ray Machine Operator certificate let you do the same work as a General Radiographer?
No. The Basic X-Ray Machine Operator certificate authorizes a narrower set of X-ray procedures under direct supervision and is limited to certain settings. The General Radiographer certificate covers the full scope of diagnostic radiography and opens a much wider range of roles. They are separate credentials, not two steps on the same ladder.
Choosing Your Radiology Technician Path in Miami
What sets Miami apart is Florida's own certification system. Before you plan a program, it helps to know whether you are aiming for the full-scope General Radiographer certificate or the limited Basic X-Ray Machine Operator path, because they call for different training and allow different work. Either way, the state certificate, not just a national credential, is what lets you work.
The training for the full credential is consistent: an accredited two-year radiography program with clinical hours you complete in person. Compare radiography programs open to Miami-area students on Dreambound to see how schedules and formats line up with the credential you want.
