Radiology doesn’t fall under a single major. The answer depends on which radiology career you’re pursuing. If you want to become a radiologic technologist (the person who operates imaging equipment), you’ll major in radiography or radiologic technology. If you want to become a radiologist (a physician who interprets medical images and diagnoses conditions), you’ll complete a pre-med track in college, then attend medical school and a residency program. These are very different educational paths with different timelines, costs, and outcomes.
Radiologic Technology: The Most Common Major
Most people searching this question are looking at the technologist route. The major is typically called Radiography or Radiologic Technology, though the exact name varies by school. Some colleges list it under their health sciences or allied health department. Programs are available at the associate degree level (two years) and the bachelor’s degree level (four years), and both can qualify you for certification.
To work as a radiologic technologist, you need to earn at least an associate degree from a program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). After graduating, you’ll sit for a certification exam through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Passing that exam earns you the R.T.(R) credential, which most employers require.
A bachelor’s degree in radiologic technology covers the same clinical foundations but adds coursework in management, research methods, and advanced imaging. It can open doors to supervisory roles, teaching positions, or faster advancement into specialized modalities. If your school offers both options, the bachelor’s is worth considering if you want more career flexibility down the road.
Related Imaging Majors
Radiography is the broadest starting point, but some schools offer dedicated programs in other imaging fields. The JRCERT accredits programs in several distinct specializations:
- Radiography (general X-ray imaging)
- Radiation Therapy (using radiation to treat cancer)
- Magnetic Resonance (MRI-focused programs)
- Medical Dosimetry (calculating radiation doses for treatment plans)
- Sonography (ultrasound imaging, certified through ARDMS or CCI rather than ARRT)
If you already know you want to specialize in MRI, ultrasound, or radiation therapy, look for a program in that specific discipline. Otherwise, starting with a general radiography degree is the most flexible choice. Many technologists earn their radiography credential first, then stack additional certifications in CT, MRI, or other modalities as their career progresses.
How Specializations Work After Your Degree
CT and MRI certifications are considered “post-primary” credentials through the ARRT, meaning you typically need an existing radiography certification before you can add them. The additional training runs about six to 12 months, and the ARRT exam fee averages around $225. Sonography follows a slightly different path, with its own one- to two-year program and certification through ARDMS, costing $200 to $300 per exam.
This layered system means your initial major in radiography gives you a foundation you can build on throughout your career. You don’t need to pick a narrow specialty at age 18.
The Pre-Med Path for Radiologists
A radiologist is a medical doctor, not a technologist. If that’s your goal, you won’t major in radiologic technology. Instead, you’ll follow the same path as any physician: complete a bachelor’s degree with the prerequisite courses for medical school (biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics), earn your M.D. or D.O., then complete a radiology residency.
There’s no required undergraduate major for medical school. Most aspiring radiologists choose a pre-med track or major in biology, chemistry, or a related science, but admissions committees care more about your prerequisite coursework, GPA, and MCAT score than the name of your major. The total timeline from starting college to practicing as a radiologist is roughly 13 years: four years of undergrad, four years of medical school, and a five-year radiology residency.
Choosing the Right Path
The distinction matters because the two careers differ dramatically in time, cost, and scope. A radiologic technologist can start working after a two-year associate degree program. A radiologist invests over a decade of post-secondary education. Technologists position patients, operate imaging equipment, and ensure image quality. Radiologists read those images, make diagnoses, and guide treatment decisions.
If you want to work in medical imaging without committing to medical school, look for accredited radiography or radiologic technology programs at your local community college or university. If you want to diagnose disease using imaging, you’re on a pre-med track heading toward an M.D. or D.O. Both careers put you in the radiology department, but through very different doors.