Radiology Technician Classes Near Me in Tampa
Working as a radiology technician in Tampa means earning a Florida certificate from the Department of Health, and there are two ways to get one. If you are entering the field, you finish a two-year accredited radiography program and then take Florida's state certification exam. If you already hold ARRT certification, you can skip that exam and apply by endorsement instead. The Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro pays a median of $77,430 for the work, close to $37.23 an hour, and the region's hospitals and cancer centers anchor a large base of imaging jobs. Training usually runs about two years, and knowing how Florida handles the credential before you pick a program keeps your plan on track.
Key Points
- Florida requires its own state certificate from the Department of Health, not just an ARRT credential, to work as a general radiographer.
- Examination route: finish a two-year accredited radiography program, apply to Florida, then pass the ARRT-administered Florida state exam.
- Endorsement route: if you already hold a current ARRT Radiography credential, you can apply for Florida certification by endorsement instead.
- Florida also issues a limited Basic X-Ray Machine Operator (BXMO) certificate for a narrower, supervised scope.
- BLS puts the Tampa metro median at about $77,430 a year for the role, based on May 2025 data.
- Certificates renew every two years, with 12 continuing-education hours per cycle.
Radiologic Technology Programs Near Tampa
Radiography training in the Tampa area typically leads to an associate degree and takes about two years once prerequisites and the professional sequence are counted. When you compare programs, confirm the program meets Florida's education requirements for General Radiographer certification. If you also want national ARRT certification, check separately that the program satisfies ARRT's own eligibility rules, since those are set by ARRT rather than the state. Fully online radiography is not realistic: some lecture work may run online, but the supervised clinical hours on real imaging equipment have to be completed in person.
Dreambound lets you line up radiology technician programs by location and format, so you can see which options near Tampa fit your schedule before you settle on one.
Florida Radiologic Technologist License Requirements
Florida is one of the states that issues its own credential rather than relying on a national one. The Florida Department of Health, through its Bureau of Radiation Control, certifies general radiographers under Chapter 468, Part IV of the state statutes. The credential is a certificate, and holders use the title Certified Radiologic Technologist.
There are two ways in. The examination route is for people entering the field: you complete a qualifying two-year accredited radiologic-technology program, apply to the Department of Health, and once it confirms your eligibility, it directs you to register for the Florida state certification exam, which ARRT administers on the state's behalf. Passing that state exam is what earns the certificate, and it is a separate thing from earning national ARRT certification.
The endorsement route is for people who already hold a qualifying credential. If you hold a current ARRT Radiography certification, or another exam Florida deems equivalent, you apply for certification by endorsement instead of sitting the state exam. This is the common path for technologists moving to Tampa from another state.
Florida also issues a separate Basic X-Ray Machine Operator certificate for a limited scope of practice. It is a narrower credential rather than a faster version of the full one.
Radiology Technician Salary in Tampa
In the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro, radiographers earn a median of $77,430 a year, or about $37.23 an hour. Within that range, experience and the type of facility you work in usually make the biggest difference.
Nationally, employment of radiologic technologists and technicians is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, with many openings expected as workers move into other occupations or leave the labor force, including through retirement. Major Tampa-area imaging employers include Tampa General Hospital, the region's academic and Level I trauma center; Moffitt Cancer Center, with its extensive diagnostic and interventional imaging; BayCare's St. Joseph's Hospital; and AdventHealth Tampa.
How to Become a Radiology Technician in Tampa
Here is the examination route to a Florida General Radiographer certificate.
- Finish a qualifying two-year accredited radiography program with supervised clinical rotations.
- Apply to the Florida Department of Health for certification by examination.
- After Florida confirms your eligibility, register for and pass the ARRT-administered Florida state exam.
- Florida processes the result and issues your Certified Radiologic Technologist certificate.
If you already hold a current ARRT Radiography credential, you skip the state exam and apply for certification by endorsement instead. Most students complete the program itself in about two years of full-time study, with added time for application processing and the exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to become a radiology technician in Florida?
For the examination route, plan on about two years in an accredited radiography program, which is the core requirement. After that, you apply to Florida, sit the state exam once the Department clears you, and wait for the result to post, which Florida says usually takes around two weeks. The limited Basic X-Ray Machine Operator route can be shorter, since it does not require the two-year program.
What is a Basic X-Ray Machine Operator license in Florida?
It is a limited Florida certificate that authorizes a defined, narrower set of X-ray procedures under direct supervision. It does not require a two-year radiography program and is earned through a separate state exam. Because it carries scope and facility restrictions, it is not a substitute for the General Radiographer certificate.
Does Florida require continuing education to keep a radiographer certificate active?
Yes. Florida certificates renew every two years, expiring on the last day of your birth month, and each cycle requires 12 continuing-education hours. One of those is a state-required HIV/AIDS hour, which you can meet with an approved course or by reading Florida's designated guide for health care professionals. Keeping your ARRT credential current helps, since much of the same coursework counts.
Is a radiology technician the same as an MRI technologist?
No. A radiology technician, also called a radiographer, mainly performs X-ray imaging and often adds CT or mammography. MRI is a separate specialty with its own training and credential, and Florida does not issue a state MRI certificate, so a radiographer moving into MRI usually earns a national MRI credential rather than doing it as part of the base role.
Planning Your Radiology Technician Path in Florida
Florida's extra step is the piece many near-me searches miss: passing the state exam earns a Department of Health certificate, and that state exam is separate from national ARRT certification. If you already hold ARRT, you come in by endorsement and skip the exam entirely. Sorting out which route fits you before you pick a program keeps your training pointed at what the state actually requires. With an academic trauma center, a major cancer center, and several large health systems, Tampa Bay gives certified technologists a broad set of places to build a career. Compare radiology technician programs near Tampa on Dreambound by format and location to find one that fits your schedule and Florida's certification path.
