Radiology Technician Schools in California
Receiving your Radiologic Technologist Training in California
If you are a California resident who wants to pursue a career in general radiology, you will need a program certificate or an associate degree from a technical college. People who are interested in specializing in a specific field in radiology often go on to earn their bachelor degree. In an advanced degree program, you may also study nuclear imaging, abdominal imaging and diagnostic imaging. Some of the courses you can expect to complete early in your degree program include anatomy, physiology and how to operate radiology equipment.
When doctors order an X-ray for a patient, they may be trying to locate a cancerous tumor, a break in a bone, a foreign substance that is causing an infection or any number of possibilities. While patients are often nervous about the procedure, they are probably even more anxious about what the X-ray may find. A large part of your job as a radiology technician is to comfort patients and explain to them in layman’s terms what to expect from the procedure. You also help to prepare the patient for the X-ray according to specific instructions from the ordering doctor.
Licensing Requirements for Radiology Technicians in California
The State of California Employment Development Department issues the following credentials in radiology:
- Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist Certificate
- Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist Certificate
- Mammographic Radiologic Technologist Certificate
- Radiologic Technologist Fluoroscopy Permit
You must pay an application fee of $75 for each exam that you wish to take. You are also required to pay a $70 fee every two years to renew your qualifications. A certified copy of your diploma or degree from an accredited radiology program must accompany your fee and completed application form. All exams are administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technicians.
California Radiologic Technology Association
California Society of Radiologic Technologists
Career Outlook for Radiology Technicians in California
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that 194,790 people in the United States are employed as radiologic technologists. The nationwide median salary is $56,450. In California, the average radiology technician salary is $70,590 per year. There are 14,820 people licensed as radiology techs in the state. This means that for every 1,000 residents in California, 1.04 works as a radiology technologist. California has the highest number of people employed in this position as well as the highest median salary in the country.
The metropolitan region that includes Los Angeles, Long Beach and Glendale has the third-highest concentration of radiology technicians in the United States. The only other populated areas ahead of it are New York City and Chicago. No matter where you end up working, the demand for people with radiology technician training is expected to grow 28 percent annually through 2020. The BLS states that the primary reason for this is that aging baby boomers will require more medical care overall and a higher percentage of X-rays to determine the cause of their specific issues.