MRI Technologist Training

MRI Tech Programs in New Mexico

7 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
$88K Avg. Salary
0 Affiliated Sites
12-18 mo Program Length
Starting at $11,500 Tuition
Your options

MRI programs available to New Mexico residents

7 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
University of New Mexico, Advanced Certificate in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Albuquerque, NM Eligibility: certified or eligible for certification in ARRT, ARDMS, or NMTCB, cumulative GPA 2.5 or higher, program advisement required. Can be combined with the online BSRS in Medical Imaging.
MRI after X-ray
Advanced Certificate in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (20 credit hours)ARRT (MR) post-primary
Three semesters (fall, spring, summer)
Yes
Not stated (three semesters of clinical training plus physics/instrumentation coursework)
Not published
Southwest University at El Paso, AAS in Magnetic Resonance Imaging El Paso, TX Neighboring state option about 45 miles from Las Cruces. Background check required. School's 2022 catalog insert lists admission via a Southwest University AAS allied health program or a bachelor's degree, no imaging registry required. Listed on ARRT's recognized MRI program list as of 2026-09-18.
MRI direct
Associate of Applied Science in Magnetic Resonance ImagingNot stated
96 weeks
No
Not stated on program page (school's 2022 catalog insert describes blended residential and online delivery with externship)
Not published
Central New Mexico Community College, Radiologic Technology Albuquerque, NM JRCERT accredited, 8-year award. Limited seating, screening through Coordinated Program Entry required before registering.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic TechnologyARRT (R)
18-month program upon acceptance
No
In-person labs and clinic rotations (clinic begins in term 3); evening lab sessions possible
Not published
Pima Medical Institute, Radiography (Albuquerque campus) Albuquerque, NM JRCERT accredited. Students may be required to travel more than 60 miles for clinical externship and train evening or weekend shifts.
X-ray first
Associate Degree in RadiographyARRT (R)
Approximately 24 months (90 weeks, 2,378 program hours)
No
On campus with clinical externship
$53,781.00 total program cost for Albuquerque (listed as current in the school's Additional Tuition Disclosure PDF, no academic year stated)
Dona Ana Community College (NMSU), Radiologic Technology Las Cruces, NM JRCERT accredited, 8-year award. Starts fall only, application deadline April 1, 25 students selected from about 80 applicants, TEAS test required. Also offers a CT certificate, no MRI program.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic TechnologyARRT (R)
21 continuous months
No
In-person, full-time, with clinical sites in Las Cruces and southern New Mexico and El Paso in year two
Not published on program page (links to DACC tuition rates page)
Clovis Community College, Radiologic Technology Clovis, NM JRCERT accredited, 8-year award. Fall start only, application deadline July 1, acceptance based on prerequisite GPA. Cost figures from https://www.clovis.edu/radtech/schedules-tuition-fees.aspx
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Radiologic Technology (72 credits)ARRT (R)
Five semesters
No
In-person classroom instruction with clinical education, some evening and weekend clinical hours
Estimated program total $6,593.00 NM resident in-district ($48.00 per semester hour for 55 program hours, plus fees and other costs), $7,198.00 out-of-district, $10,608.00 non-resident; excludes 17 prerequisite credit hours; academic year not stated
University of New Mexico, BS in Radiologic Sciences, Radiologic Technology concentration Albuquerque, NM New program: pilot cohort graduates July 2027; page does not state JRCERT accreditation status. Applications due the first Friday of April for fall entry, GPA 3.0 or greater, HESI A2 or prior bachelor's degree.
X-ray first
Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Sciences, concentration in Radiologic TechnologyARRT (R)
Not stated
No
Combination of face-to-face courses and labs, online asynchronous courses, and clinical externship experiences
Not published

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 New Mexico

Five steps, the same in New Mexico 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 New Mexico 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

    New Mexico licenses MRI technologists through its Environment Department and accepts either 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 New Mexico, and which ones are in our clinical network

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

Affiliated site Employer, not yet affiliated

We have not mapped New Mexico 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 · New Mexico

We are still building our network in New Mexico. 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 New Mexico

New Mexico licenses magnetic resonance technologists through the Environment Department’s Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Program under Sections 61-14E-1 to 12 NMSA 1978 and 20.3.20 NMAC. The rule makes it unlawful for an unlicensed person to use ionizing or non-ionizing radiation on humans for diagnostic purposes, and it accepts either ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification for the magnetic resonance license.

New Mexico’s rule accepts either registry, so both ARRT (MR) and ARMRIT graduates can apply for the state license. Employers list their own requirements in each job posting.

💡

Key Takeaway

New Mexico licenses MRI technologists through its Environment Department and accepts either ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification.

MRI technologist salary in New Mexico

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $87,850 for MRI technologists in New Mexico, with about 140 employed statewide (BLS OEWS, state estimates). The national median is $95,480. For comparison, New Mexico radiologic technologists, which includes X-ray and CT, have a median of $79,940.

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 New Mexico

Major healthcare employers in New Mexico include Presbyterian Healthcare Services, University of New Mexico Health, Lovelace Health System, Christus St. Vincent, San Juan Regional Medical Center. These systems operate hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and specialty clinics across the state.

New Mexico’s MRI market is concentrated in the Albuquerque metro area, where Presbyterian Healthcare Services and UNM Health collectively employ most of the state’s imaging professionals. Large portions of the state are federally designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs), creating significant demand for MRI techs willing to work in rural and tribal communities. The Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal health facilities across the state add unique federal employment opportunities. New Mexico’s cultural richness, outdoor recreation, and relatively affordable housing attract lifestyle-oriented healthcare workers.

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 New Mexico 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 Southwest University at El Paso, AAS in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in El Paso, 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 New Mexico median of $79,940 versus $87,850 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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico 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 Southwest University at El Paso, AAS in Magnetic Resonance Imaging in El Paso, TX. Tesla MR's hybrid certificate accepts students with no prior imaging credential and places clinicals at affiliated New Mexico 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 New Mexico health systems are listed on this page.

MRI tech schools in nearby cities and states

Albuquerque, New Mexico$88KArizonaColoradoOklahomaTexasUtah
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MRI Training in New Mexico 12-18 months · No prerequisites
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