MRI Technologist Training

MRI Tech Programs in Louisiana

Tesla MR's hybrid MRI program takes 12 to 18 months and needs no prior imaging credential: coursework is online, and our site team arranges your clinical training. Every other program a Louisiana resident can attend is compared below.

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
$78K Avg. Salary
23 Affiliated Sites
12-18 mo Program Length
Starting at $11,500 Tuition
Already in imaging?

Already working in an imaging department in Louisiana?

X-ray, CT, and nuclear medicine techs, MRI aides, transporters, schedulers, and nurses who work around a scanner do not need a second degree or an X-ray license to move into MRI. The coursework is online, so you keep your job, and clinical hours can happen at a facility you already know.

Train where you work.

If your department has an MRI scanner and will host you, our site team asks them first. Your employer signs a site agreement and names an ARRT or ARMRIT mentor.

How clinicals at your current facility work

Keep your paycheck.

The online phases fit around a hospital schedule. Clinicals are the squeeze, and we show the schedules other hospital employees have used.

MRI school while working full time

Ask your employer to pay.

Some employers cover part of tuition, and we can invoice them directly. Here is what to ask HR before you pay a deposit.

Employer tuition reimbursement
Tell us where you work

Already ARRT registered? Compare ARRT (MR) and ARMRIT before you choose a route.

Program at a glance

  • 12-18 month program
  • No prerequisites: a high school diploma or GED
  • 100% online coursework
  • Our site team handles clinical placement
  • Eligible to sit the ARMRIT exam on completion

Start your MRI career in Louisiana

No application fee. Rolling admissions year-round.

View Program Details Or talk to an advisor
Your options

MRI programs available to Louisiana 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
Delgado Community College (Radiologic Technology) New Orleans, LA JRCERT accredited for 8 years (2022 to 2030). Application deadline February 15. Page lists MRI as an option after further training and certification.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic TechnologyARRT (R)
24 months
No
In-person classroom and clinical instruction, with on-campus energized X-ray facilities
Not published
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (Radiologic Technology) Baton Rouge, LA JRCERT accredited, 8-year award. A class of 28 may be accepted. Application deadline May 1, August start.
X-ray first
Associate of Science in Radiologic TechnologyARRT (R)
Approximately 2.5 years: 24 credit hours over 2 semesters, then 53 credit hours over 5 consecutive full-time semesters
No
In-person didactic, laboratory, and clinical rotations
Not published
Louisiana State University Eunice (Radiologic Technology) Eunice, LA Selective admission. Page links the JRCERT standards but does not state an accreditation term, deadline, or seat count.
X-ray first
Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology (92 total required credits)ARRT (R)
2 years
No
In-person lecture, laboratory, and clinical rotations
Not published
Southern University at Shreveport (Radiologic Technology) Shreveport, LA Articulation agreements with Northwestern State University and LSU Shreveport for bachelor's completion. Page does not state accreditation, deadline, or seats.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic TechnologyNot stated
Not stated
No
In-person classroom and clinical settings
Not published
University of Mississippi Medical Center (Master of Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Jackson, MS Out of state (Mississippi). Requires R.T.(R)(ARRT), a bachelor's degree, 3.0 GPA, and 8 hours of MRI observation. Program data reported to JRCERT. Summer start referenced.
MRI after X-ray
Master of Science in Magnetic Resonance ImagingARRT (MR)
Not stated
Yes
Classroom and clinical education, as stated; online or in-person split not stated
Not published
Galveston College (AAS in MRI) Galveston, TX Out of state (Texas). AAS applications September 15 to May 15, 2.5 GPA and prerequisites required. Certificate track requires ARRT, NMTCB, or ARDMS registry. Limited enrollment.
MRI direct
Associate of Applied Science in MRI; a separate Certificate in MRI is for registered technologists onlyARRT (MR)
Not stated
No
Not stated
Not published

Verified against each program's own website between Sep 18, 2026 and Oct 14, 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 Louisiana

Five steps, the same in Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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

    Louisiana does not require a state license for MRI technologists. 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 Louisiana, and which ones are in our clinical network

Tesla MR has 23 affiliated clinical sites in Louisiana. An affiliated site is a facility in our clinical network where students can be placed. The others are places MRI techs work in Louisiana that we have not affiliated with yet.

Affiliated site Employer, not yet affiliated

Diagnostic Imaging Services (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Covington Covington, LA
  • Covington Open MRI Covington, LA
  • Houma Boulevard MRI Metairie, LA
  • Marrero Marrero, LA
  • Slidell Slidell, LA
  • Thibodaux Thibodaux, LA
  • +1 more locations

Advanced Imaging of Lafayette (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Advanced Imaging of Lafayette Lafayette, LA

Ascension Open MRI (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Ascension Open MRI Gonzales, LA

Baton Rouge Imaging Center (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Baton Rouge Imaging Center Baton Rouge, LA

Bluebonnet Imaging Center (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Bluebonnet Imaging Center Baton Rouge, LA

Central Imaging Center (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Central Imaging Center Baton Rouge, LA

Doctors Imaging (Capitol Imaging)

Affiliated site
  • Doctors Imaging Metairie, LA

FMOL Health

Affiliated site
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center Lafayette, LA

Plus 16 more imaging groups in the area.

Pulled from Tesla MR's site database on October 14, 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.

Established network · Louisiana

We have 23 affiliated sites in Louisiana. Most students here are placed within that network, and the site team adds facilities as students need them.

  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 Louisiana

Louisiana does not require a state license for MRI technologists. The Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners FAQ states its licensing law addresses ionizing radiation only, and that MRI does not need a license because it uses magnetism and no ionizing radiation. Radiography, CT, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy do require a state license.

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.

đŸ’¡

Key Takeaway

Louisiana does not require a state license for MRI technologists. Employers require ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification.

MRI technologist salary in Louisiana

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $77,510 for MRI technologists in Louisiana, with about 510 employed statewide (BLS OEWS, state estimates). The national median is $95,480. For comparison, Louisiana radiologic technologists, which includes X-ray and CT, have a median of $63,680.

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 Louisiana

Major healthcare employers in Louisiana include Ochsner Health, LCMC Health, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, Willis-Knighton Health System, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System. These systems operate hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and specialty clinics across the state.

Louisiana’s MRI job market is dominated by Ochsner Health, the Gulf South’s largest nonprofit health system, which has aggressively expanded across the state and now operates imaging centers in most major markets. New Orleans serves as the state’s healthcare hub, with Ochsner, LCMC Health, and Tulane Medical Center anchoring the market. Louisiana’s oil and gas industry creates demand for occupational imaging services, and the state’s coastal communities face unique healthcare access challenges that drive demand for imaging professionals willing to work in underserved areas.

MRI programs by city in Louisiana

Looking for MRI training in a specific Louisiana city? See our detailed guide:

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 Louisiana MRI program we verified asks for an existing imaging registry first, so the local route starts with X-ray. The nearest campus option we found is Galveston College (AAS in MRI) in Galveston, TX. 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 Louisiana median of $63,680 versus $77,510 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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. The nearest campus option we found is Galveston College (AAS in MRI) in Galveston, TX. Tesla MR's hybrid certificate accepts students with no prior imaging credential and places clinicals at affiliated Louisiana 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 Louisiana health systems are listed on this page.

MRI tech schools in nearby cities and states

New Orleans, Louisiana12Texas
Take the next step

Ready to start your MRI career in Louisiana?

Join hundreds of students training at clinical sites across the country. No prerequisites, no application fee, rolling admissions.

View Program Details Talk to an advisor

Related guides

For Students
MRI Tech Programs for Alabama: Birmingham, Florence, Tuscaloosa, Prattville, and Statewide Options
Every MRI technologist program a Alabama resident can attend, compared side by side, plus which Alabama health systems are in Tesla MR's clinical network and exactly how placement works.
For Students
MRI Tech Programs for Alaska: Anchorage, Palmer, and Statewide Options
Every MRI technologist program a Alaska resident can attend, compared side by side, plus which Alaska health systems are in Tesla MR's clinical network and exactly how placement works.
For Students
MRI Tech Programs for Arizona: Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, Gilbert, and Statewide Options
Every MRI technologist program a Arizona resident can attend, compared side by side, plus which Arizona health systems are in Tesla MR's clinical network and exactly how placement works.
For Students
MRI Tech Programs for Colorado: 35+ Clinical Sites, $72K-$100K Salary, No Prerequisites
Every MRI technologist program a Colorado resident can attend, compared side by side, plus which Colorado health systems are in Tesla MR's clinical network and exactly how placement works.
MRI Training in Louisiana 12-18 months · No prerequisites
Apply Now