MRI Technologist Training

MRI Tech Programs in Arizona

6 in-person or regional programs plus Tesla MR's hybrid option, compared side by side below. One local program and Tesla MR admit you without a prior X-ray credential.

Comparing programs nationally? See MRI tech school formats, costs, and certification paths. Checking accreditation? See every accredited MRI tech certification program.

View Program Details Compare every program near you
MRI technologist student training at a clinical site
$101K Avg. Salary
0 Affiliated Sites
12-18 mo Program Length
Starting at $11,500 Tuition
Your options

MRI programs available to Arizona residents

6 in-person or regional programs plus Tesla MR's hybrid option. Only one of them trains you in MRI directly without a prior X-ray credential. Facts come from each school's published pages. Confirm with the school before you apply.

Published cost is what each school states on its own site. Some schools publish tuition only; others include fees, books, or uniforms; public colleges often distinguish in-district from out-of-district rates. Each row says which. For the national list with accreditor and entry requirement for every program, see accredited MRI tech certification programs.

Program Path Credential Length Prior X-ray? Format Published cost
Tesla MR Online coursework, clinicals near you
MRI direct
Certificate (ARMRIT exam eligibility)ARMRIT
12 to 18 months
No
Hybrid: online lectures, in-person clinicals
$11,500 to $13,400 by payment plan
Smith Chason College, Phoenix campus (Academic Associate of Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Phoenix, AZ Programmatically accredited by ARMRIT; page states no prerequisites required; Wonderlic entrance exam with minimum score of 25; multiple start dates per year; tuition is listed only in the school catalog. Phoenix campus (3110 North Central Avenue) lists this program at https://smithchason.edu/locations/phoenix/
MRI direct
Academic Associate of Science in Magnetic Resonance ImagingARRT (MR) or ARMRIT
21 months
No
Hybrid: online lecture with in-person labs and clinicals, including 6 months of externship
Not published
GateWay Community College (Certificate of Completion in Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Phoenix, AZ Catalog year 2026-2027; admission requires ARRT certification in radiography or radiation therapy, ARRT or NMTCB in nuclear medicine, or ARDMS or ARRT in sonography; limited spaces with a queue for cohort seats; Washington Campus. Cost estimate is shown at https://www.gatewaycc.edu/degrees-certificates/magnetic-resonance-imaging
MRI after X-ray
Certificate of Completion (CCL) in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (19 credits)ARRT (MR) post-primary
3 terms in the suggested full-time course sequence
Yes
Not stated
Program cost estimate $2,765 to $3,430 (academic year not stated on the page)
Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Internship, Arizona) Phoenix, AZ 3 students per cohort, 2 cohorts per year; must be ARRT registered and Arizona licensed before starting; apply Sept. 14 to Oct. 16 for January start or Feb. 1 to March 1 for July start.
MRI after X-ray
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Internship (credential type not stated)ARRT (MR) post-primary
6 months
Yes
In-person clinical and didactic training at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix
No tuition fees; interns receive a stipend of $28,704 (academic year not stated)
GateWay Community College (Radiologic Technology AAS) Phoenix, AZ JRCERT accredited; approximately 48 students accepted each fall; page states it is the only Maricopa Community College offering Radiologic Technology; Washington Campus. Credits and catalog year 2026-2027 are from https://www.gatewaycc.edu/degrees-certificates/health-sciences/radiologic-technology-3582-aas
X-ray first
Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Radiologic Technology (84 to 93.5 credits)ARRT (R)
Not stated
No
Full-time program with hands-on clinical experiences
Program cost estimates $9,068 to $13,682, in-county tuition, books not included (academic year not stated)
Pima Community College (Radiologic Technology AAS) Tucson, AZ JRCERT accredited; program has additional admission requirements. Cost sheet is at https://www.pima.edu/academics-programs/degrees-certificates/health-sciences/radiologic-technology/aas/costs.html
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic TechnologyARRT (R)
2+ years, including summers (full-time)
No
In person, West Campus
2026-27 estimated program total $17,114.10, based on in-state tuition for a full-time student
Arizona Western College (Radiologic Technology AAS) Yuma, AZ JRCERT accredited, current award 8 years; application window January 4, 2027 to February 25, 2027; ATI TEAS exam required; prerequisite courses must be completed within 5 years of applying. Cost sheet is at https://www.azwestern.edu/sites/default/files/programs/radiology/Estimated_Program_Costs_2026.pdf
X-ray first
Radiologic Technology A.A.S. Occupational DegreeARRT (R)
Not stated on the program page; the program cost sheet lists 6 terms across 2 years, including summers
No
In-person academic and clinical courses
Total estimated program cost $18,140, at $105 per credit, per the Estimated Program Costs sheet revised 04/2026

Verified against each program's own website between Sep 18, 2026 and Oct 31, 2026. Tuition, length, and admission rules change; the school's page is the authority. Tesla MR is not a degree-granting institution and does not participate in federal financial aid. See accreditation. The schools named here are not affiliated with Tesla MR and do not endorse it; their names belong to their owners. Spot an error? Email info@teslamr.com and we will review it within 10 business days.

The path

How to become an MRI tech in Arizona

Five steps, the same in Arizona as anywhere else. Where you do step four is what changes by city.

  1. Confirm you are eligible

    A high school diploma or GED is the floor. You do not need a prior X-ray, radiography, or healthcare credential for the ARMRIT route. Some of the in-person programs in the table above do require one.

  2. Pick the credential you are aiming for

    Employers in Arizona hire both ARRT (MR) and ARMRIT technologists. ARRT usually means a two-year degree or a prior radiography license. ARMRIT is the certificate route for career changers.

  3. Choose a program format that fits your life

    Full-time campus programs are faster if you can stop working. Hybrid programs put the coursework online and the clinical hours at a facility near you, which is how most working adults finish.

  4. Complete supervised clinical hours

    Every path ends at a scanner. Clinical training is the part that depends on local capacity, so ask any program how placement works before you enroll. Ours is explained below.

  5. Pass the registry exam and get hired

    Arizona certifies technologists who use ionizing radiation, and its statute names no MRI category. Employers require ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification. Once certified, you can apply to the hospital systems and imaging groups listed further down this page.

Where you would train and work

MRI employers in Arizona, and which ones are in our clinical network

We are still building our network in Arizona. An affiliated site is a facility in our clinical network where students can be placed. The others are places MRI techs work in Arizona that we have not affiliated with yet.

Affiliated site Employer, not yet affiliated

We have not mapped Arizona employers yet. Tell us where you live and our site team will do it for your application.

Pulled from Tesla MR's site database on October 31, 2026. Affiliations are added and change over time; the assessment you receive during admissions is the one that applies to you.

Clinical placement

How clinical placement works

Our Clinical Sites team leads placement. You are not expected to find or negotiate your own clinical site. We look for a facility within a reasonable commute of your home and widen the search only if we need to.

Timing depends on facilities having capacity when you reach clinicals. If your area is thin, we tell you during admissions, not after you enroll, and we talk through the options with you.

Growing here · Arizona

We are still building our network in Arizona. If you apply, the site team maps your area first and tells you what to expect before you commit.

  1. We look at your area during admissions

    If you already have a facility in mind, maybe where you work, we reach out and see whether you can train there. If not, our site team maps the hospitals and imaging centers near your home and starts the conversation.

  2. You get a straight answer before you enroll

    Clinicals are still months away at this point, so a site's answer is usually "we expect so, check back closer to the date." We tell you what we heard and what it means for your timeline.

  3. You start the coursework while the site work continues

    Most students begin Phase I and Phase II before a specific facility is named. That is normal, and the site team keeps working your area in the background.

  4. Your site is confirmed as clinicals approach

    Once clinicals are weeks away rather than months, facilities can commit to dates. We work to have your placement set before Phase III begins. Which facility and which shift depends on who has capacity at that time.

MRI technologist licensing in Arizona

Arizona certifies technologists through the Arizona Department of Health Services under A.R.S. Title 32, Chapter 28. The definitions in A.R.S. 32-2801 cover people who apply ionizing radiation (radiologic, computed tomography, mammographic, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy, and practical technologists) and do not name an MRI technologist category. The ADHS Medical Radiologic Technology pages likewise list no MRI certificate.

Employers set the credential requirement. Most postings ask for ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT, the two national MRI certifications, and both are valid in all 50 states.

💡

Key Takeaway

Arizona certifies technologists who use ionizing radiation, and its statute names no MRI category. Employers require ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification.

MRI technologist salary in Arizona

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $100,600 for MRI technologists in Arizona, with about 730 employed statewide (BLS OEWS, state estimates). The national median is $95,480. For comparison, Arizona radiologic technologists, which includes X-ray and CT, have a median of $89,200.

Entry-level pay sits below the median. Shift differentials, specialty work such as cardiac or breast MRI, and 3 to 5 years of experience push experienced technologists above it. See the MRI technologist salary guide and salary by state for the full breakdown.

Where MRI techs work in Arizona

Major healthcare employers in Arizona include Banner Health, HonorHealth, CommonSpirit Health (Dignity Health), Mayo Clinic Arizona, Abrazo Health, Valleywise Health. These systems operate hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and specialty clinics across the state.

Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S., and its healthcare infrastructure is expanding rapidly to keep pace with population growth, particularly in the Phoenix metro area and suburban communities like Gilbert, Chandler, and Surprise. The Mayo Clinic’s Phoenix campus and Banner Health’s extensive network create strong demand for MRI technologists. Arizona’s large retirement population drives significant outpatient imaging volume, and the state’s warm climate makes it an attractive relocation destination for travel techs and permanent hires alike.

MRI programs by city in Arizona

Looking for MRI training in a specific Arizona city? See our detailed guides:

More resources

ARMRIT Accredited Nationally recognized certification
334+ Clinical Sites Partner network in 38 states
Starting at $11,500 Payment plans available

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the path. The X-ray-first route is a 2-year radiography degree followed by an MRI certificate, often about another year. One Arizona program in the table above, Smith Chason College, Phoenix campus (Academic Associate of Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging), takes students with no imaging credential; its length is listed in the Length column. Tesla MR's hybrid certificate takes most students 12 to 18 months.

BLS does not break CT out separately; it reports radiologic technologists and technicians, which includes X-ray and CT, at a Arizona median of $89,200 versus $100,600 for MRI technologists (May 2025). Nationally the figures are $80,110 and $95,480. MRI is the higher-paid modality in both sets of numbers.

The coursework is real: MRI physics, cross-sectional anatomy, pulse sequences, and safety around a magnet that is always on. Most students who put in steady weekly hours pass. In Arizona the harder part is often getting a seat, since campus MRI cohorts are small and most admit once a year. Every path ends with a national registry exam, ARRT or ARMRIT.

Yes. Smith Chason College, Phoenix campus (Academic Associate of Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and Tesla MR's hybrid certificate both accept students with no prior imaging credential. The post-primary certificates in the table require an existing ARRT, ARDMS, or NMTCB registry, so check the prior X-ray column before you apply anywhere.

Our Clinical Sites team leads placement. You are not expected to secure your own site. If you know a facility, you can propose it, but we review it, confirm capacity, sign the agreement, and approve it. The affiliated Arizona health systems are listed on this page.

MRI tech schools in nearby cities and states

Phoenix, ArizonaTucson, Arizona3+ColoradoNevadaNew MexicoUtah
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MRI Training in Arizona 12-18 months · No prerequisites
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