Radiology Technician Classes Near Me in Tucson
In the Tucson metro, radiology technicians have a median wage of $83,290 a year, about $40.04 an hour, as of May 2025. Earning it in Arizona takes more than a national exam: the state issues its own certificate through the Arizona Department of Health Services, and it accepts a current ARRT credential directly, so an ARRT-certified tech converts to the Arizona certificate instead of testing again. Full training generally takes at least two years, and Arizona also offers a shorter, limited certificate for a narrower scope of work. Knowing how the state handles the credential before you pick a program keeps your plan on track.
Key Points
- In the Tucson metro, the median wage for the role is about $83,290 a year, based on May 2025 BLS data.
- Arizona requires a state certificate issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), not just a national credential.
- You can qualify three ways: hold current ARRT (or NMTCB) certification, finish a Department-approved program and pass a Department-approved exam, or transfer an out-of-state credential.
- Arizona also offers a limited Certified Practical Technologist in Radiology (CPTR) certificate for a narrower scope, earned through the ARRT Limited Scope exam.
- Full training generally takes at least two years, and many programs award an associate degree.
- The certificate renews every two years and requires 24 continuing-education hours; current ARRT certification in good standing satisfies that requirement.
Radiology Technician Salary in Tucson
In the Tucson metro, radiology technicians earn a median of $83,290 a year, or about $40.04 an hour. Pay varies by experience, employer, specialty, and work setting.
Nationally, the field is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, a modest pace where much of the hiring comes from replacing techs who retire or move into other work. In Tucson, that hiring concentrates in a few large systems: Banner University Medical Center Tucson, the academic hospital tied to the University of Arizona; Tucson Medical Center; Northwest Medical Center; and Carondelet's St. Joseph's and St. Mary's hospitals.
Arizona Radiologic Technologist Certification Requirements
Arizona is one of the states that requires its own credential rather than relying on a national one alone. The Arizona Department of Health Services, through its Bureau of Special Licensing, certifies radiologic technologists under Arizona Revised Statutes Title 32, Chapter 28. The former Medical Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners was dissolved in 2018, and ADHS now handles certification directly.
There are three ways to qualify for the full Certified Radiologic Technologist certificate. You can hold a current ARRT (or NMTCB) certification, which Arizona accepts directly, so ARRT holders apply to ADHS without sitting a separate state exam. You can complete a Department-approved radiography program and pass a Department-approved examination. Or you can transfer a credential you already hold in another state through Arizona's out-of-state recognition process.
Arizona also issues a limited Certified Practical Technologist in Radiology (CPTR) certificate. It covers a narrower, defined scope of X-ray work, does not require full ARRT certification, and is earned by completing an approved program and passing the ARRT Limited Scope of Practice exam, which is a state licensing exam rather than national ARRT certification.
The full certificate renews every two years and requires 24 hours of continuing education, and a technologist with current ARRT certification in good standing can meet that requirement with the credential itself. The CPTR renews on the same two-year cycle with 6 continuing-education hours.
Radiologic Technology Programs Near Tucson
Radiography training in the Tucson area usually takes about two years and leads to an associate degree, once prerequisites and the clinical sequence are counted. When you compare programs, check that the program is Department-approved or ARRT-recognized, since your Arizona certificate route depends on meeting one of those standards. Expect the clinical portion to be in person no matter the school: coursework can be partly online, but the supervised hours on real imaging equipment cannot.
On Dreambound, you can filter radiology technician programs by location and format and compare the Tucson-area choices side by side before you commit.
How to Become a Radiology Technician in Tucson
The full-credential path in Arizona breaks down like this:
- Finish a radiography program that is Department-approved or ARRT-recognized, with supervised clinical rotations, usually about two years.
- Earn ARRT Radiography certification, or pass the Department-approved examination.
- Apply to the Arizona Department of Health Services for your Certified Radiologic Technologist certificate.
If you already hold ARRT certification, you skip the exam step and apply straight to ADHS. For the limited Certified Practical Technologist certificate, you complete an approved program and pass the ARRT Limited Scope exam before applying. Most students reach the full credential in about two years of full-time study, plus time for testing and processing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you work in radiography in Arizona without full ARRT certification?
Yes, through Arizona's limited Certified Practical Technologist in Radiology certificate. You finish a Department-approved program, pass the ARRT Limited Scope of Practice exam, and apply to ADHS. That exam is for state licensing only and does not give you national ARRT certification. The CPTR covers a narrower range of X-ray work than the full Certified Radiologic Technologist credential, so it is a limited entry point rather than a shortcut to the full scope.
Do you still need an Arizona certificate if you already hold ARRT?
Yes. ARRT is one of the credentials Arizona accepts, but you still apply to the Arizona Department of Health Services for the state certificate before you practice. The advantage is that Arizona recognizes a current ARRT certification directly, so you do not take a separate state exam to convert it.
Can a radiology technician move into MRI in Arizona?
Often, yes, but it is a separate step. MRI is its own specialty and does not use the ionizing radiation the radiography certificate covers. A radiographer moving into MRI commonly completes additional clinical and educational requirements and earns an MRI credential, rather than shifting over automatically.
How do you get certified in Arizona if you trained or worked in another state?
Arizona has an out-of-state recognition process for people who have held an equivalent radiologic technologist license or certificate elsewhere, generally for at least a year and in good standing. The state also asks for proof of Arizona residency. This is a separate route from the ARRT pathway: if you hold a current ARRT credential, you can instead qualify directly under Arizona's standard certification rules.
Choosing Your Arizona Certification Route
Arizona's twist is worth planning around: your ARRT credential is accepted directly, but you still need the state certificate from the Arizona Department of Health Services before you can work, and the state runs a separate limited certificate for a narrower scope. Deciding which path fits you, full or limited, before you pick a program keeps your training aligned with what Arizona actually requires. With an academic medical center and several large hospital systems, Tucson gives certified technologists a broad set of places to build a career. Compare radiology technician programs near Tucson on Dreambound by location and format to find one that fits your schedule and Arizona's certification path.
