How do you find out about college degrees you know nothing about? You search for an all-in-one guidebook to the education required and employment possibilities after graduation. That search may lead you to earning a radiologic technology degree – one of the best and quickest ways to get into the growing healthcare jobs sector.
Think of radiologic technology as the formal name for a healthcare role you probably already know about. If someone in your family has had an X-ray, an MRI, or other diagnostic scans, those images from inside the body were produced by a radiologic technologist, also known as a rad tech.
In earning the radiologic technology degree, students become specialists on a healthcare team, responsible for
Students who excel in the diagnostic imaging profession are those rare individuals who like interacting with patients as much as they do operating sophisticated equipment.
One health sciences university, Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC), seems to understand that prospective rad tech students want to learn as much as they can about the radiologic technology degree and the profession.
The University researched and compiled a 43-page eBook that answers nearly every question a prospective student could ask. The eBook covers:
Here are some of the questions the CUKC eBook helps answer:
There are many reasons to consider earning a radiologic technology degree. Here are four reasons why this healthcare support profession is growing in importance. (A blog
1. It’s a 2-year Degree.
Going to college takes time and money, so today’s associate degrees (2-year degrees) make sense. The associate in applied science (A.A.S.) is a highly technical mix of classes, labs, and hands-on experiences, plus an emphasis on the soft skills needed for effective patient interaction.
The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Radiologic Technology delivers all the skills and knowledge a rad tech needs to become immediately employable. Most A.A.S. students earn their degree in as little as two years.
In the annual ranking by U.S. News and World Report, rad techs are in the top-15 of healthcare support jobs. That ranking considers salary, workplace conditions, employability, and future job growth.
2. Diagnostic medical imaging leads to better patient outcomes.
The preferred way to “see” inside a human body is through diagnostic medical imaging, which eliminates the risks of exploratory surgeries or other invasive techniques. Physicians today turn to those with a radiologic technology degree to produce detailed scans that can reveal any number of conditions or diseases.
3. Radiologic technologists are in demand.
While many radiologic technologists (60+%) work in hospital imaging centers, rad techs are increasingly found in physician offices, outpatient care centers, medical/diagnostic labs, and federal and community health agencies.
In 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected a 9% job growth from 2020-30
4. Salaries of radiologic technology degree grads are competitive.
A newly graduated radiologic technologist working in a Midwestern U.S. city can earn an annual salary between $43,827 and $48,000.
Of all radiologic technologists working today, the median salary is $59,901, according to Salary.com.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) — a nonprofit, private, healthcare-focused university — offers an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S. degree) in Radiologic Technology. The program aims to prepare students for the national certifying exam administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
Features of the 2-year rad tech program at CUKC:
How to become a radiologic technologist? Start by contacting an admissions advisor to get your copy of this free eBook: Your Complete Guide to a Career as a Radiologic Technologist.
