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Associates Degree Facts
Time To Complete
1.5 – 2 Years
Common Degree Names
Radiography,
Radiographic Technology,
Radiation Therapy,
Radiological Sciences
Admission Requirements
GED or High School Diploma
Associates X-Ray Tech Degree
An associates x-ray technician degree is offered in a few forms, the most common of which are an Associates in Radiography or Associates in Radiographic Technology degree. This is a two year associates level degree that prepares someone to enter the field of radiography and become an x-ray technologist or radiologic technologist.
Program Requirements
An associates x-ray tech degree is a degree program that typically requires no previous work experience or education in the field to be admitted. Typically a college requires a high school diploma or GED. Admissions requirements also include reviewing a student’s high school GPA, some require adequate pre-requisite high school or college level courses in science, math and english. And some x-ray tech associates programs require national standardized testing results such as the SAT or ACT and evidence of extra curricular activities that demonstrate an interest in healthcare.
Curriculum
An AS or AAS degree in radiologic technology typically consists of a relatively standard list of classroom and clinical course work. These include courses on radiographic procedures, radiographic safety, anatomy, biology, patient care, positioning and management, bio-chemistry, diagnostic concepts, and pathology among others.
Online Options
An increasing number of associates in radiographic technology programs offer online courses. These courses enable students the flexibility to complete coursework on their own schedule, which is often particularly appealing to working students and students who are parents.
Most associate x-ray tech degree programs (AS or AAS) require a clinical component, however, meaning that there are few, if any, completely online x-ray tech degree programs. Instead, students can, however, complete most or all of their coursework online, while completing their clinical hours in-person in healthcare settings pre-arranged by their x ray tech school.
Salary Statistics
It is difficult to provide a single average salary for X Ray Techs with an Associate’s degree as statistics do not differentiate between certificate, associates and bachelors degree x-ray tech salary levels. In general, however, X Ray Techs earned a median annual salary of $61,980 in 2021. Hourly, that comes out to $29.80 per hour. The highest paid 10% of x-ray technicians earned over $100,870, whereas the lowest paid 10% earned $59,110. That translates to an hourly pay range of $28.42 to $48.50 for the lowest and highest 10% of xray techs respectively. (source: BLS.gov – 2021)
Associate Degree Common Career Paths
An associates degree in radiologic technology can lead to a wide array of careers. Most commonly, however, graduates are employed in full-time positions as a:
- radiographer,
- radiology technologist,
- x-ray tech,
- radiology technician, or
- x-ray technologist.
Best Online X-Ray Tech Programs
X Ray Tech programs include certificate, associates, and bachelors degree programs. For students interested in pursuing an online x-ray tech degree program, the following accredited schools offer such options: