MRI Technologist Training

MRI Tech Programs in Ohio

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 Ohio 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
$88K Avg. Salary
22 Affiliated Sites
12-18 mo Program Length
Starting at $11,500 Tuition
Already in imaging?

Already working in an imaging department in Ohio?

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 Ohio

No application fee. Rolling admissions year-round.

View Program Details Or talk to an advisor
Your options

MRI programs available to Ohio residents

11 in-person or regional programs plus Tesla MR's hybrid option. 3 of them train 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
Owens Community College (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program, AAS) Toledo area, OH JRCERT accredited. Selective admission on a point system (GPA plus bonus points for MRI general education courses). Nurse assistant training and AHA BLS required. Five eight-week clinical courses at about 25 affiliate sites in Ohio and Michigan. Toledo-area Campus.
MRI direct
Associate of Applied Science in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (65 to 66 credit hours)ARRT (MR)
2-year program
No
In-person, with lab simulations in a simulation MRI environment and clinical rotations
$11,400 tuition cost for 2-year program, additional lab/certifications not included (as stated on program page, no academic year given)
Cleveland Clinic School of Health Professions (Primary Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program) Beachwood, OH JRCERT accredited. Requires at minimum an associate degree plus Anatomy and Physiology I and II and Medical Terminology; no prior registry required. Begins late August each year; application deadline February 1.
MRI direct
Certificate in Magnetic Resonance ImagingARRT (MR)
16 months or four semesters (Fall, Spring, Summer and Fall)
No
In-person, full-time Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with clinical rotations at four sites
$14,050 program tuition and fees for the 2025-2026 academic year (2026-2027 figure for this program not posted)
University of Cincinnati (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Certificate) Cincinnati, OH JRCERT accredited (8-year award in 2025, renewal due 2033). For post-associate degree students, baccalaureate preferred, with college chemistry, physics, math, and anatomy and physiology prerequisites. Starts fall semester; seats depend on clinical site capacity.
MRI direct
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) certificate (also offered within the BS in Advanced Medical Imaging Technology)ARRT (MR)
12 consecutive months
No
Combination of classroom, online learning, and clinical instruction; distance learning option with in-person clinicals
Not published
Kent State University at Salem (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Salem, OH Applicants must be ARRT registered in radiography, nuclear medicine (ARRT or NMTCB), radiation therapy, or sonography (ARRT or ARDMS). Fall start; application deadline July 1.
MRI after X-ray
MRI Certificate, or MRI coursework within the Bachelor of Radiologic and Imaging Sciences TechnologyARRT (MR) post-primary
Certificate: 2 semesters; bachelor degree MRI coursework: 3 semesters
Yes
Didactic component 100% online; clinical component completed at a healthcare facility
Not published
Cleveland Clinic School of Health Professions (Post-Primary Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program) Beachwood, OH Must be a registered technologist in radiography, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy or ultrasound. Capacity 25 students. Begins mid to late August; applications accepted until July 31. Approved by the Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools.
MRI after X-ray
Diploma, Post-Primary Magnetic Resonance ImagingARRT (MR) post-primary
9 months
Yes
Classroom and clinical; evening but not weekend classes, some online classes available, variable clinical hours
$3,450 total program cost, tuition and fees, 2026-2027 academic year
Sinclair Community College (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Short-term Certificate) Dayton, OH Designed for radiographers certified by the ARRT. Department approval required for entry.
MRI after X-ray
Short-term Certificate in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (5 credit hours)ARRT (MR) post-primary
One semester
Yes
Online didactic classes with clinical education
Not published
Kettering College (Advanced Imaging Certificate, MRI) Kettering, OH Requires evidence of current ARRT, ARDMS, or NMTCB certification. Sectional Anatomy is a prerequisite. Courses meet ARRT structured education requirements; the college states it cannot guarantee exam eligibility.
MRI after X-ray
Advanced Imaging certificate in MRI (seven to nine credit hours)ARRT (MR) post-primary
One 16-week semester, offered in Spring
Yes
Online only
Not published
Shawnee State University (MRI Certificate) Portsmouth, OH Requires current ARRT certification. Fall start, page says now accepting applications. Clinical sites are assigned by the clinical coordinator; students cannot choose their own.
MRI after X-ray
Post-primary Certificate in MRI (9 credit hours: 6 didactic, 3 clinical)ARRT (MR) post-primary
One fall semester (two 7-week online courses plus a 15-week clinical course)
Yes
Online asynchronous didactic (Blackboard) with in-person clinical experience at assigned affiliated sites
Not published
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (MRI Educational Program) Columbus, OH For registered radiologic, nuclear medicine or radiation therapy technologists. Accepts seven students per year. Applications July 1 to April 1, acceptance notices by June 1.
MRI after X-ray
Hospital-based MRI Educational Program (non-credit; about 350 didactic hours and 1,000 clinical hours)ARRT (MR) post-primary
6 months (second week of July to second week of January); a 12-week didactic-only course is offered when the 6-month class is not in session
Yes
In-person classroom and clinical education at OSU Wexner Medical Center
Not published on the program page; the linked program brochure (undated) states tuition is $1,000, which includes books
Cuyahoga Community College (Radiography AAS) Parma, OH JRCERT accredited. Waitlist program: page states it is now accepting for spring 2030 for students with all six prerequisites complete. 56 to 64 students accepted per year. Western Campus.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science Degree in Radiography (64 credit hours)ARRT (R)
Admission requirements semester plus four semesters and two summer sessions
No
On-campus didactic and lab instruction with off-campus clinical rotations; daytime and evening/weekend tracks
Not published on program page; college tuition for 2026-2027 is $139.54 per credit hour for Cuyahoga County residents and $169.08 for other Ohio residents
Columbus State Community College (Medical Imaging, Radiography AAS) Columbus, OH JRCERT accredited. Capacity 32 students, competitive admission. Starts every Autumn Semester; application deadline February 26, 2027 for the Autumn 2027 cohort.
X-ray first
Associate of Applied Science in Medical Imaging (radiography)ARRT (R)
5 consecutive semesters
No
Not stated
Not published on program page; college tuition is $202.93 per credit hour for Ohio residents, Autumn 2026

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 Ohio

Five steps, the same in Ohio 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 Ohio 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

    Ohio's radiologic license covers ionizing-radiation roles, and its statute does not mention MRI. 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 Ohio, and which ones are in our clinical network

Tesla MR has 22 affiliated clinical sites in Ohio. An affiliated site is a facility in our clinical network where students can be placed. The others are places MRI techs work in Ohio that we have not affiliated with yet.

Affiliated site Employer, not yet affiliated

University Hospitals

Affiliated site
  • Ahuja Medical Center Beachwood, OH
  • Bedford Campus Bedford, OH
  • Cleveland Medical Center Cleveland, OH
  • Conneaut Medical Center Conneaut, OH
  • Elyria Medical Center Elyria, OH
  • Geauga Medical Center Chardon, OH
  • +7 more locations

OhioHealth

Affiliated site
  • Grove City Methodist Hospital Grove City, OH
  • Pickerington Methodist Hospital Pickerington, OH

WVU Medicine

Affiliated site
  • Barnesville Hospital Barnesville, OH
  • Harrison Community Hospital Cadiz, OH

Mary Rutan Health

Affiliated site
  • Mary Rutan Health Bellefontaine, OH

Mercy Health (OH)

Affiliated site
  • Mercy Health (OH) Cincinnati, OH

MetroHealth

Affiliated site
  • Main Campus Cleveland, OH

ProScan Imaging

Affiliated site
  • ProScan Imaging Cincinnati, OH

Wooster Community Hospital Health System

Affiliated site
  • Wooster Hospital Wooster, OH

Plus 5 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 · Ohio

We have 22 affiliated sites in Ohio. 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 Ohio

Ohio’s radiologic license, issued by the Ohio Department of Health under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4773, covers four categories: radiographer, nuclear medicine technologist, radiation therapist and general X-ray machine operator. The statute’s definitions are tied to ionizing radiation and do not mention magnetic resonance imaging.

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

Ohio’s radiologic license covers ionizing-radiation roles, and its statute does not mention MRI. Employers require ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification.

MRI technologist salary in Ohio

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $87,670 for MRI technologists in Ohio, with about 1,840 employed statewide (BLS OEWS, state estimates). The national median is $95,480. For comparison, Ohio radiologic technologists, which includes X-ray and CT, have a median of $78,320.

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 Ohio

Major healthcare employers in Ohio include Cleveland Clinic, Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, OhioHealth, UC Health, ProMedica, Kettering Health, Mercy Health (Ohio). These systems operate hospitals, outpatient imaging centers, and specialty clinics across the state.

Ohio is home to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the most prestigious medical institutions in the world and a global leader in diagnostic imaging, making the Cleveland area a premier destination for MRI technologists seeking access to cutting-edge technology and clinical protocols. The state’s three major metros, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, each support robust healthcare ecosystems with multiple competing health systems. Ohio’s affordable cost of living and the sheer density of healthcare employers give MRI technologists strong job mobility and negotiating power within the state.

MRI programs by city in Ohio

Looking for MRI training in a specific Ohio 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. 3 of the Ohio programs in the table above take students with no imaging credential; their lengths are 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 Ohio median of $78,320 versus $87,670 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 Ohio 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. Owens Community College (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Program, AAS) 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 Ohio health systems are listed on this page.

MRI tech schools in nearby cities and states

Cincinnati, Ohio4+Cleveland, Ohio13IndianaKentuckyMichiganPennsylvania
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Join hundreds of students training at clinical sites across the country. No prerequisites, no application fee, rolling admissions.

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