MRI training for St. Louis
Tesla MR Institute has 12 clinical training sites in the St. Louis metro area, spread across the city and the suburbs where most people actually live: Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Frontenac, Ellisville, Bridgeton, St. Charles, St. Peters, O’Fallon, and Alton on the Illinois side of the river.
The program is fully hybrid: complete your didactic coursework online on your own schedule, then do hands-on clinical rotations at a facility near you. No commuting to a distant campus. No relocating. Train where you will eventually work.
Program details
- Duration: 12-18 months
- Prerequisites: None. High school diploma or GED. No prior radiology credentials required.
- Format: Online coursework + in-person clinical rotations in the St. Louis area
- Certification: ARMRIT (accepted by most St. Louis employers)
- Cost: Starting at $11,500 (payment plans available)
MRI technologist salary in St. Louis
MRI technologists in the St. Louis metro area earn approximately $66K-$88K per year. Entry-level positions start at the lower end, with experienced techs and those with specialty skills earning toward the top of the range. St. Louis pays above the Missouri state average because several large systems compete for the same imaging talent.
For detailed salary data, see our MRI technologist salary guide and Missouri MRI programs page.
How to become an MRI tech in St. Louis
- Enroll in Tesla MR Institute’s ARMRIT-approved hybrid program
- Complete coursework online at your own pace
- Do clinical rotations at a St. Louis-area facility
- Pass the ARMRIT exam and get certified
- Start working at hospitals and imaging centers in St. Louis
No prior radiology experience needed. Healthcare workers, career changers, and MRI tech aides are all strong candidates.
MRI licensing in Missouri
Missouri does not require a specific state license for MRI technologists. MRI uses magnetic fields, not ionizing radiation, so it falls outside most state radiologic technology licensing requirements. Employers require national certification through ARRT or ARMRIT.
Employers in the St. Louis area accept both ARRT(MR) and ARMRIT certification. Tesla MR Institute’s program prepares you for the ARMRIT exam, which does not require prior X-ray credentials.
Where MRI techs work in St. Louis
Major healthcare employers in the St. Louis area include BJC HealthCare (which includes Barnes-Jewish Hospital, consistently ranked among the nation’s top hospitals), Mercy Health, SSM Health, and St. Luke’s Hospital. Washington University School of Medicine anchors one of the strongest academic medicine communities in the Midwest, and the absence of a single dominant employer creates a competitive hiring environment where MRI technologists can negotiate between multiple systems. Outpatient imaging is also expanding fast in the western suburbs along the I-64 and I-70 corridors, which is where most of our clinical sites sit.
More resources
- MRI tech programs in Missouri — statewide overview
- How to become an MRI technologist — complete career guide
- MRI technologist salary guide — pay data by location
- ARRT vs ARMRIT certification — credential comparison