undergradly.
Major · Health Professions

Imaging the body, treating it with precision

Medical Radiologic Technology — Radiation Therapist programs train you to plan and deliver prescribed radiation treatments, manage oncology patients, and run the imaging tools that guide care. With 237 colleges awarding both associate’s and bachelor’s credentials, this is a clinical, license-driven path into hospital and cancer-center work.

Schools offering
237
Annual completions
3,612
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$67k

About this major

Medical Radiologic Technology — Radiation Therapist (CIP 51.0907) prepares you to administer prescribed radiation treatments, manage patients moving through oncology care, and keep the records that govern dose accuracy. Coursework spans applied anatomy, radiation biology, oncologic pathology, dosimetry, tumor localization, treatment planning, and the regulatory standards that govern every beam delivered.

This is a hands-on clinical major. Most programs combine classroom science with extensive supervised hospital rotations, because the day-to-day job is calibrating linear accelerators, positioning patients within millimeters of a treatment plan, and communicating with oncologists, dosimetrists, and physicists. It suits students who want healthcare work without medical school, and who are comfortable with technology, radiation safety, and patients during a hard stretch of their lives.

The field is mid-sized and credential-driven. Across 237 colleges, students complete roughly 3,612 degrees a year, split between associate’s and bachelor’s tracks. Median earnings five years after graduation sit at about $67,139, with radiation therapists themselves reaching a $101,990 median wage and medical dosimetrists climbing to $138,110 once they add a bachelor’s and dosimetry-specific training. ARRT certification and state licensure are the gatekeepers — the diploma alone does not put you in a treatment room.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $106k +17.3% Doctoral or professional degree
Radiologic technologists and technicians $78k +4.3% Associate's degree
Health technologists and technicians, all other $49k +5.2% Postsecondary nondegree award
Radiation therapists $102k +1.9% Associate's degree
Medical dosimetrists $138k +3.5% Bachelor's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$67k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$65k

Bachelor's

$71k

Who this major is for

This path suits students who are steady under pressure, comfortable around medical technology, and willing to work shifts in a hospital or cancer center. If you have done well in anatomy, physics, or chemistry, you can tolerate the emotional weight of oncology care, and you would rather operate sophisticated equipment than sit behind a desk, the fit is strong. The 237 college options across both associate’s and bachelor’s levels mean you can match cost and geography to your situation, and the relatively narrow earnings gap — about $5,400 between the two credential levels — gives you flexibility to start cheaper and stack credentials later.

Reconsider if you dislike repetitive technical procedures, are uncomfortable around very sick patients, or want a degree that opens many unrelated career doors. The major is occupation-specific: it points hard at imaging and radiation therapy roles, and projected job growth is single-digit (1.9 percent for radiation therapists, 4.3 percent for radiologic technologists), so this is a steady niche, not a fast-expanding one. If you are unsure between treatment work and broader diagnostic imaging, look at the Radiographer (CIP 51.0911) and Diagnostic Medical Sonography tracks before committing.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
Connecticut State Community College New Britain, CT 102 0 102
Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL 35 57 92
Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA 0 86 86
CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY 55 23 78
Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology Delray Beach, FL 59 0 59
Morehead State University Morehead, KY 24 26 50
Clarkson College Omaha, NE 27 23 50
Kent State University at Salem Salem, OH 22 23 45
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH 0 43 43
University of Nevada-Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV 0 43 43
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer

9,572 completions/yr

Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist

6,344 completions/yr

Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician

5,766 completions/yr

Surgical Technology/Technologist

5,490 completions/yr

Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)

3,988 completions/yr

Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist

1,133 completions/yr

Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other

869 completions/yr

Athletic Training/Trainer

812 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What jobs does this major actually lead to?
Graduates most often become radiologic technologists and technicians (median wage $77,660), radiation therapists ($101,990), or move into specialty roles like medical dosimetrists ($138,110) after additional credentials. Some progress to imaging supervisor or modality specialist roles in MRI, CT, or mammography. The work is bedside and equipment-based, not desk-based.
Do I need a bachelor’s, or is an associate’s enough?
BLS lists an associate’s as the typical entry credential for both radiologic technologists and radiation therapists, and 237 colleges offer this major across both levels. The bigger gate is the ARRT certification plus state licensure. The earnings split is narrow: about $65,449 at the associate’s level versus $70,854 at the bachelor’s level five years out, so the bachelor’s premium is roughly $5,400.
How strong is the job market?
Steady rather than explosive. Radiologic technologists are projected to grow 4.3 percent and radiation therapists 1.9 percent, while medical dosimetrists sit at 3.5 percent. Demand is real because of an aging population and ongoing cancer care needs, but it is not a boom field. Geographic flexibility helps: most openings are in hospitals and outpatient imaging centers spread across every state.
How does this differ from related imaging majors?
Radiation Therapist programs (CIP 51.0907) focus on delivering prescribed radiation treatments to cancer patients, including dosimetry and tumor localization. The closely related Radiographer track (CIP 51.0911) is broader diagnostic X-ray imaging with 9,572 completions nationally. Diagnostic Medical Sonography (5,766 completions) uses ultrasound instead of ionizing radiation. Pick based on whether you want oncology treatment work, general diagnostic imaging, or a non-radiation modality.
What does specialty stacking look like in this field?
Entry-level techs frequently add credentials in CT, MRI, mammography, or nuclear medicine to raise pay and shift roles. Medical dosimetry — at $138,110 median — typically requires a bachelor’s plus a post-graduate certificate and is a common ceiling-raiser for radiation therapists. The career ladder rewards stacking certificates more than chasing a higher initial degree.
Where are the largest programs?
The biggest single producer is Connecticut State Community College with 102 associate-level completions. Southern Illinois University-Carbondale awards both associate’s (35) and bachelor’s (57) degrees for 92 total. Georgia Southern University runs a bachelor’s-only program with 86 completions, and CUNY New York City College of Technology mixes both levels for 78. Total annual completions across the major sit at 3,612.