MRI Technologist Training

MRI Tech Programs in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania 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
$91K Avg. Salary
112 Affiliated Sites
12-18 mo Program Length
Starting at $11,500 Tuition
Already in imaging?

Already working in an imaging department in Pennsylvania?

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 Pennsylvania

No application fee. Rolling admissions year-round.

View Program Details Or talk to an advisor
Your options

MRI programs available to Pennsylvania residents

8 in-person or regional programs plus Tesla MR's hybrid option. 2 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
Thomas Jefferson University (BS Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, MRI concentration) Philadelphia, PA One-year format requires 50 prerequisite credits plus a bachelor's degree or a completed accredited imaging program; JRCERT accredited
MRI direct
Bachelor of Science, MRI concentration (44 credits in the one-year concentration)ARRT (MR)
1 year (12 consecutive months, full time); a 2-year dual-concentration format also exists
No
On campus in Center City
2026-2027: $49,943 per year full-time tuition, plus $1,277 general fee and $1,720 departmental fee
Geisinger School of Medical Imaging (Primary Pathway MRI Program) Central Pennsylvania (Geisinger) Requires an associate degree (2.75 minimum GPA) plus anatomy and physiology I and II, college math, English and medical terminology; spring 2027 class applications ran June 29 to August 14
MRI direct
Certificate (4-semester primary MRI program)ARRT (MR)
4 semesters
No
Classroom instruction with hands-on clinical training at Geisinger sites
Not published
UPMC Advanced Imaging Technologist Training Program (MRI Certificate) Seneca, PA Applicants must hold R.T.(R), R.T.(N), CNMT or R.T.(T); tuition forgiveness requires a 2-year UPMC work commitment
MRI after X-ray
MRI CertificateARRT (MR) post-primary
6 months full time or 11 months part time; about 576 clinical hours
Yes
Online self-study coursework with a clinical internship at UPMC facilities
Tuition $2,600, plus $240 to $1,200 in online courses, $100 review books and $100 Trajecsys (year not stated)
Bucks County Community College (MRI Certificate) Bristol, PA Requires ARRT, ARDMS or NMTCB registration; applications accepted March 1 to March 31; seats equal available clinical spaces
MRI after X-ray
Certificate in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (17 credits)ARRT (MR) post-primary
Two semesters
Yes
Online coursework with a clinical practicum
2026-2027: $170 per credit for Bucks County residents, $340 out of county, plus per-credit fees; no program total published
Penn State Schuylkill (MRI Post-Primary Certification) Schuylkill Haven, PA Open to people with a radiological sciences associate degree or a post-primary certification; clinical sites in Coaldale, Hazleton, Lebanon, Lehighton, Orwigsburg and Pottsville
MRI after X-ray
Non-credit continuing education sequence (Theory I and II, Clinical I and II)ARRT (MR) post-primary
Fall and spring semesters
Yes
Online coursework with a facilitator, plus at least 16 hours a week of on-site clinical training
$3,000 total ($750 for each of four courses), 2026-27
Holy Family University (Post-Primary Certification, MR track) Philadelphia, PA Open to radiologic technologists with current ARRT certification
MRI after X-ray
Certificate, MR track (15 credits)ARRT (MR) post-primary
6 to 10 months
Yes
Online courses in 8-week sessions with clinical placement; part time
Not published
Community College of Philadelphia (Diagnostic Medical Imaging) Philadelphia, PA JRCERT accredited; starts once a year in July; priority deadline January 1
X-ray first
AAS in Diagnostic Medical Imaging (73 credits)ARRT (R)
24 months (eight consecutive semesters including summers)
No
Classroom and laboratory at the college with clinical education at an affiliate hospital
Fall 2026: $174 per credit for Philadelphia residents, $348 for other Pennsylvanians, plus $34 per credit in fees
Johnson College (Radiologic Technology) Scranton, PA JRCERT accredited; limited to 23 new students a year; fall or spring start
X-ray first
Associate degree in Radiologic Technology (71 credits)ARRT (R)
Two years
No
In-person with clinical practicum at approved sites
2026-2027: $19,700 per academic year full-time tuition, plus $1,700 program fee and $1,500 technology and facilities fee

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 Pennsylvania

Five steps, the same in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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

    Pennsylvania does not license 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 Pennsylvania, and which ones are in our clinical network

Tesla MR has 112 affiliated clinical sites in Pennsylvania. An affiliated site is a facility in our clinical network where students can be placed. The others are places MRI techs work in Pennsylvania that we have not affiliated with yet.

Affiliated site Employer, not yet affiliated

Allegheny Health Network

Affiliated site
  • AHN Montour Health + Sports Medicine Center Coraopolis, PA
  • AHN Outpatient Center — Waterworks Pittsburgh, PA
  • AHN Premier Medical Associates — Monroeville Monroeville, PA
  • Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh, PA
  • Allegheny General Hospital — Federal North Pittsburgh, PA
  • Allegheny Health Network Pittsburgh, PA
  • +21 more locations

UPMC

Affiliated site
  • Carlisle Carlisle, PA
  • Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA
  • East Hospital Monroeville, PA
  • Hamot Hospital Erie, PA
  • Hanover Hospital Hanover, PA
  • Harrisburg Hospital Harrisburg, PA
  • +17 more locations

WellSpan Health

Affiliated site
  • Adams Gettysburg, PA
  • Apple Hill York, PA
  • Chambersburg Hospital Chambersburg, PA
  • CityGate Lancaster, PA
  • Ephrata Community Hospital Ephrata, PA
  • Ephrata Women's Health Ephrata, PA
  • +13 more locations

St. Luke's University Health Network

Affiliated site
  • Allentown Campus Allentown, PA
  • Anderson Campus Easton, PA
  • Bethlehem Campus Bethlehem, PA
  • Carbon Campus Lehighton, PA
  • East Stroudsburg Health Center East Stroudsburg, PA
  • Easton Campus Easton, PA
  • +11 more locations

Penn State Health

Affiliated site
  • Camp Hill Specialties Camp Hill, PA
  • Carlisle Outpatient Center Carlisle, PA
  • Hampden Medical Center Enola, PA
  • Hershey Medical Center Hershey, PA
  • Holy Spirit Medical Center Camp Hill, PA
  • Hope Drive Radiology Hershey, PA
  • +7 more locations

Akumin

Affiliated site
  • Andorra Philadelphia, PA
  • Chambersburg Chambersburg, PA
  • Grant Philadelphia, PA
  • Langhorne Langhorne, PA
  • Limerick Limerick, PA
  • Northeast Philadelphia, PA

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Affiliated site
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA
  • King of Prussia King of Prussia, PA
  • Main Campus Philadelphia, PA

Independence Health System

Affiliated site
  • Independence Health System PA, PA

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.

Deep network · Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is one of our larger markets, with 112 affiliated sites across several health systems. Students here are typically placed within the existing network.

  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 Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania does not issue a state license for MRI technologists. The ASRT’s state-by-state regulation list shows a requirement for radiography in Pennsylvania and no licensure entry for magnetic resonance.

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

Pennsylvania does not license MRI technologists. Employers require ARRT (MR) or ARMRIT certification.

MRI technologist salary in Pennsylvania

BLS reports a May 2025 median of $91,120 for MRI technologists in Pennsylvania, with about 2,250 employed statewide (BLS OEWS, state estimates). The national median is $95,480. For comparison, Pennsylvania radiologic technologists, which includes X-ray and CT, have a median of $76,050.

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.

Pennsylvania MRI tech job market

Pennsylvania’s MRI job market is driven by three factors:

1. Two major medical hubs. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh each anchor massive healthcare ecosystems. Philadelphia has Penn Medicine, Jefferson Health, Temple Health, and Einstein Healthcare Network. Pittsburgh has UPMC, Allegheny Health Network, and numerous community hospitals. Each system operates multiple MRI scanners across dozens of locations.

2. No state licensing barrier. The absence of state licensure means employers can hire based solely on national certification, reducing friction for new entrants. This is particularly beneficial for ARMRIT-certified technologists who face additional licensing hurdles in some other states.

3. Academic medical center density. Pennsylvania has more medical schools and teaching hospitals per capita than most states. These institutions need MRI technologists for both clinical care and research imaging, creating demand beyond what standard healthcare delivery generates.

The practical result: Pennsylvania offers a favorable job market for MRI techs, with the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metros providing the most opportunities and the highest salaries.

MRI programs by city in Pennsylvania

Looking for MRI training in a specific Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania program in the table above, Thomas Jefferson University (BS Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, MRI concentration), 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 Pennsylvania median of $76,050 versus $91,120 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 Pennsylvania 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. Thomas Jefferson University (BS Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, MRI concentration) 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 Pennsylvania health systems are listed on this page.

MRI tech schools in nearby cities and states

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania4Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania20+DelawareMarylandNew JerseyNew YorkOhio
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MRI Training in Pennsylvania 12-18 months · No prerequisites
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