MRI Technologist Training

MRI Tech Programs in District of Columbia

Every MRI technologist program a District of Columbia resident can attend, compared side by side, plus which District of Columbia health systems are in Tesla MR's clinical network and exactly how placement works.

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
$129K Avg. Salary
6 Affiliated Sites
12-18 mo Program Length
Starting at $11,500 Tuition
The path

How to become an MRI tech in District of Columbia

Five steps, the same in District of Columbia 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 in-person programs below do require one, so check the table.

  2. Pick the credential you are aiming for

    Employers in District of Columbia 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

    The District of Columbia lists magnetic resonance technology among the health occupations that require a District license. Check with DC Health how the license applies to your credential before you enroll anywhere. Once certified, you can apply to the hospital systems and imaging groups listed further down this page.

Your options

MRI programs available to District of Columbia residents

7 in-person or regional programs plus Tesla MR's hybrid option. None of them train you in MRI directly without a prior X-ray credential; the local route is X-ray first, then MRI. 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
MedStar Washington Hospital Center Medical Imaging School of Radiology (Radiography) Washington, DC JRCERT accredited (8 year award). Applications accepted January 1 to April 1 for Fall (August) start. An associate degree minimum is required to sit for the ARRT exam; HESI A2 exam and prerequisite courses required. Also runs a CT program for certified technologists; no MRI program listed.
X-ray first
Certificate in Radiologic Technology (70 credit hours per the school's tuition schedule)ARRT (R)
22 months
No
In-person classroom and clinical training at the hospital
$175 per credit hour effective January 1, 2026; 70 credit hours, $12,250.00 total tuition for the Class of 2028 (school tuition notice PDF)
Trinity Washington University (Radiography, A.A.S.) Washington, DC Offered in partnership with MedStar Washington Hospital Center; page states the clinical program is JRCERT accredited and licensed by the DC Higher Education Licensure Commission. An optional B.S. in Radiography (120 credits) is also described.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiography (83 credits)ARRT (R)
Two years of coursework at Trinity followed by a two-year clinical program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center Medical Imaging School of Radiology
No
In-person at Main Campus, Washington, DC, with clinical rotations at healthcare facilities
Not published
Northern Virginia Community College (Radiography: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, C.S.C.) Springfield, VA Medical Education Campus. Applicants must be eligible for or registered with ARRT (RT(R), RT(T), RT(CT)) or RT(N)-NMTCB with a 3.0 minimum GPA. Accepts 12 students; application window June 1 to 15. Tuition figures from https://www.nvcc.edu/admissions/tuition/index.html
MRI after X-ray
Career Studies Certificate in Radiography: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (9 credits)ARRT (MR) post-primary
Two semesters
Yes
Not stated
Not published on program page; college tuition page lists $232.05 per credit for Virginia residents and $480.40 per credit out-of-state, including fees, for Fall 2026 through Summer 2027
Howard Community College (MRI Technologist, continuing education) Columbia, MD Applicants must currently be ARRT registered in Sonography, Radiography, Radiation Therapy, or Nuclear Medicine Technology. Page states applications are not currently being accepted and to check back in September 2026.
MRI after X-ray
Certificate of Completion (noncredit)ARRT (MR) post-primary
eight to 15 months
Yes
Hybrid: on-campus classes plus clinical rotations one weekday per week and Saturday sessions at clinical sites
Not published
Montgomery College (Radiologic (X-Ray) Technology, A.A.S.) Takoma Park/Silver Spring, MD JRCERT accredited. Selective admission through the Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus; TEAS exam required. Tuition figures from https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/paying-for-college/tuition/current-rates.html
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic (X-Ray) Technology (66 credit hours)ARRT (R)
a minimum of two years of didactic and clinical experience
No
In-person didactic coursework with clinical experience
Not published on program page; college tuition page lists 2026-2027 tuition and fees for 15 credit hours of $2,769.00 for Montgomery County residents, $5,343.00 for Maryland residents, and $7,341.00 for non-Maryland residents
Prince George's Community College (Radiography, A.A.S.) Largo, MD JRCERT accredited (5 year award October 2022, 3 year extension June 2023). Tuition figures from https://www.pgcc.edu/paying-for-college/tuition-and-costs/
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiography (66 credits)ARRT (R)
Not stated
No
Not stated
Not published on program page; college tuition page lists Fall 2026 rates of $119 per credit hour for county residents, $214 for other Maryland residents, and $316 for out-of-state residents
Northern Virginia Community College (Radiography associate degree) Springfield, VA Medical Education Campus. JRCERT accredited (current award 3 years). Tuition figures from https://www.nvcc.edu/admissions/tuition/index.html
X-ray first
Associate Degree in Radiography (70 credits including 14 prerequisite credits)ARRT (R)
Two years
No
Not stated
Not published on program page; college tuition page lists $232.05 per credit for Virginia residents and $480.40 per credit out-of-state, including fees, for Fall 2026 through Summer 2027

Verified against each program's own website between Sep 18, 2026 and Sep 21, 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.

Where you would train and work

MRI employers in District of Columbia, and which ones are in our clinical network

Tesla MR has 6 affiliated clinical sites in District of Columbia. An affiliated site is a facility in our clinical network where students can be placed. The others are places MRI techs work in District of Columbia that we have not affiliated with yet.

Affiliated site Employer, not yet affiliated

MedStar Health

Affiliated site
  • Georgetown University Hospital Washington
  • Washington Hospital Center Washington

Solis

Affiliated site
  • Foxhall (DC) Washington
  • Washington Radiology Washington

George Washington University Hospital

Affiliated site
  • George Washington University Hospital Washington

Luminis Health

Affiliated site
  • Doctors Community Medical Center Washington

Apprenta

Employer, not yet affiliated
  • Apprenta Funding Washington

Children's National Medical Center

Employer, not yet affiliated
  • Children's National Medical Center Washington

Pulled from Tesla MR's site database on September 21, 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 · District of Columbia

We have 6 affiliated sites in District of Columbia and are actively adding more. If you apply, the site team looks at your specific location first and tells you what to expect.

  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 District of Columbia

D.C. Official Code section 3-1205.01(a)(1) lists “magnetic resonance technology” among the health occupations for which a District license is required, alongside computed tomography technology, mammography, and nuclear medicine technology. Section 3-1201.02 defines the practice of magnetic resonance technology as a category of medical radiation technology.

Because the District licenses this work, ask DC Health which certifications it accepts, ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT, before you commit to a program. Maryland and Virginia, where many DC-area imaging jobs are, do not name MRI in their licensing rules. Employers then set their own requirements.

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Key Takeaway

The District of Columbia lists magnetic resonance technology among the health occupations that require a District license. Check with DC Health how the license applies to your credential before you enroll anywhere.

MRI technologist salary in District of Columbia

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $128,710 for MRI technologists in District of Columbia, with about 150 employed statewide (BLS OEWS, state estimates). The national median is $95,480. For comparison, District of Columbia radiologic technologists, which includes X-ray and CT, have a median of $102,770.

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 District of Columbia

Major healthcare employers in District of Columbia include MedStar Health, George Washington University Hospital, Georgetown University Hospital, Children’s National Hospital, Howard University Hospital, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. These systems operate hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and specialty clinics across the state.

The DC metro area is one of the highest-paying markets for MRI technologists in the country, fueled by a dense concentration of academic medical centers, federal hospitals, NIH research facilities, and VA medical centers. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the NIH Clinical Center in nearby Bethesda create unique federal imaging positions. The area’s exceptionally high cost of living, particularly in housing, offsets much of the salary premium, but federal positions often come with benefits packages that rival or exceed private-sector total compensation.

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. Every District of Columbia MRI program we verified asks for an existing imaging registry first, so the local route starts with X-ray. 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 District of Columbia median of $102,770 versus $128,710 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 District of Columbia the harder part is often the entry requirement, since every MRI program we verified in the state asks for an existing imaging registry first. Every path ends with a national registry exam, ARRT or ARMRIT.

Not through a District of Columbia campus program that we could verify: each MRI program in the state asks for an existing ARRT, ARDMS, or NMTCB registry, so the local route is X-ray first. Tesla MR's hybrid certificate accepts students with no prior imaging credential and places clinicals at affiliated District of Columbia sites. Check the prior X-ray column in the table above 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 District of Columbia health systems are listed on this page.

MRI tech schools in nearby cities and states

Washington, District of Columbia4MarylandVirginia
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MRI Training in District of Columbia 12-18 months · No prerequisites
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