Radiation Therapy Programs 2026: JRCERT, ARRT (T) & Pay

Radiation therapists earn a median salary of $105,310 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), and the BLS projects roughly 900 openings each year from 2024 to 2034 as therapists retire or move into other roles. Radiation therapy programs train students to deliver prescribed doses of radiation to cancer patients using linear accelerators and other treatment equipment, working under the direction of a radiation oncologist. Programs are offered as post-primary certificates for practicing radiologic technologists, two-year associate degrees, and four-year bachelor’s degrees, and every route combines classroom study in radiation physics and oncology with supervised clinical hours in a radiation oncology department.

What Is a Radiation Therapy Program?

A radiation therapy program prepares students to administer radiation treatments to patients with cancer and certain other diseases. Unlike diagnostic imaging, where the goal is to produce a picture, radiation therapy delivers a carefully planned dose of ionizing radiation to a tumor while sparing the healthy tissue around it. The therapist positions the patient at every session, verifies the setup against the plan, and operates the linear accelerator.

The curriculum builds from anatomy, physics, and pathology into treatment-specific coursework in radiation oncology, treatment planning, dosimetry, and quality assurance. Programs should hold accreditation from the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), which is the accreditor recognized for radiation therapy education. Graduating from a JRCERT-accredited program, or from a program that otherwise meets ARRT educational requirements, is what makes you eligible to sit for the ARRT Radiation Therapy (T) certification exam. Confirm accreditation status directly with JRCERT when comparing schools.

What You’ll Learn

• Radiation physics, radiobiology, and how ionizing radiation interacts with tissue
• Oncology fundamentals: cancer types, staging, and how treatment intent shapes a plan
• Treatment planning basics and how a plan moves from simulation to delivery
• Dosimetry concepts, dose distribution, and reading a treatment plan
• Operation of linear accelerators, CT simulators, and related treatment equipment
• Patient positioning, immobilization devices, and image-guided setup verification
• Radiation safety and protection for patients, staff, and the public
• Quality assurance procedures and daily equipment checks
• Patient assessment, side-effect management, and communication with patients under stress
• Medical ethics, documentation, and professional practice standards

How Long Does Training Take?

Radiation therapy has three main entry routes.

Certificate programs are designed for people who already hold ARRT certification in radiography (R.T.(R)) and often for those with a related imaging credential. Because foundational sciences and patient care are already covered, these programs focus on radiation oncology content and clinical hours and typically run about a year of full-time study.

Associate degree programs typically take two years and admit students without a prior imaging credential. They combine general education, foundational sciences, and the full radiation therapy sequence with clinical rotations.

Bachelor’s degree programs typically take four years and add coursework in research methods, healthcare management, or education that can support later moves into supervision, dosimetry, or teaching.

All routes include substantial supervised clinical hours in radiation oncology departments, where you practice setups, immobilization, image verification, and treatment delivery on real patients under credentialed therapists. When comparing programs, ask how many clinical sites are used and how placements are assigned.

Admissions & Requirements

• High school diploma or GED; college prerequisites in anatomy and physiology, algebra or higher math, physics, and English are common
• For certificate programs: current ARRT certification in radiography or another primary pathway, and often a minimum period of clinical work experience
• Background check and drug screening for clinical placement
• Current immunization records and TB screening as required by clinical sites
• CPR/BLS certification (American Heart Association) before clinical rotations begin
• Physical ability to assist patients onto treatment tables, handle immobilization devices, and stand for extended periods
• Observation hours in a radiation oncology department are required or strongly recommended by many programs
• Competitive, cohort-based admission is typical; programs often use GPA in prerequisite courses, interviews, and essays to select students

Licensing & Certification

Graduates of accredited radiation therapy programs are eligible to take the ARRT Radiation Therapy exam and earn the R.T.(T) credential. The exam covers radiation protection and quality assurance, clinical concepts in radiation oncology, treatment planning, treatment delivery, and patient care. Candidates must also meet ARRT ethics requirements, and the program director verifies completion of clinical competencies.

Most states require a license to practice radiation therapy, and state boards generally accept ARRT (T) certification as the basis for licensure along with state-specific applications and fees. A minority of states do not license radiation therapists, but employers in those states still typically require ARRT certification. Check the licensing board in the state where you plan to work before you enroll.

ARRT certification is renewed annually and requires 24 continuing education credits every two years. After gaining experience, some therapists pursue the Certified Medical Dosimetrist (CMD) credential through the Medical Dosimetrist Certification Board, which usually involves additional education in a dosimetry program.

Career Outlook & Salary

Radiation therapists earn a median annual salary of $105,310, with the lowest 10 percent earning below $80,560 and the highest 10 percent earning above $156,710 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The BLS counted 17,070 radiation therapists employed nationally in May 2025, which makes this a small occupation compared with diagnostic imaging.

Employment is projected to grow 1.9 percent from 2024 to 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34), which is slower than the average for all occupations. Even so, the BLS projects about 900 openings per year over the decade, most of them from workers retiring or leaving the occupation rather than from new positions.

For context, radiologic technologists, the occupation that feeds most certificate-route radiation therapy programs, earn a median of $80,110 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), with projected growth of 4.3 percent and about 12,900 openings per year from 2024 to 2034.

Pay varies by state, employer type, and experience; see the salary-by-state table below.

Where You’ll Work

Radiation therapists work almost entirely in radiation oncology settings. Hospitals employ the largest share, including academic medical centers and community hospitals with cancer programs. Freestanding cancer treatment centers and outpatient oncology clinics, including physician-owned practices, are the other major employers.

The work is team-based. On a typical day you will coordinate with the radiation oncologist who prescribes treatment, the medical dosimetrist who designs the dose distribution, and the medical physicist who commissions the equipment and verifies plan accuracy. Radiation oncology departments usually run daytime weekday schedules because treatment courses are delivered in daily fractions over several weeks, so evening, weekend, and on-call work is less common than in diagnostic imaging. Because the same patients return daily for weeks, communication and emotional resilience matter as much as technical skill.

Online vs In-Person Options

Radiation therapy cannot be learned entirely online. Every accredited route requires supervised clinical hours in a radiation oncology department and hands-on work with treatment equipment. Some programs, particularly certificate and bachelor’s degree-completion tracks for working technologists, deliver didactic courses such as radiation physics, oncology, and treatment planning online, with clinical education arranged at an approved site near the student. If you are considering a hybrid program, confirm that the program itself arranges the clinical site and that its JRCERT accreditation covers the distance format.

Browse by Location

• View all locations: Radiation Therapy by state

Radiation therapy programs are far less common than radiography programs. The school listings on the location pages draw on radiologic-technology school data, so a school shown there may offer radiography without a radiation therapy track. Use the listings as a starting point, then verify with JRCERT and the school.

Career Guide

Radiation therapy sits at the top of the technologist pay scale and offers several directions for growth. Experienced therapists move into lead or chief therapist roles, clinical education, and department management. Many pursue medical dosimetry, which involves planning dose distributions with the physicist and oncologist and requires additional training and the CMD credential. Others move into applications roles with equipment vendors or into radiation safety positions. Our career guide covers day-to-day responsibilities, working conditions, and how the role compares with related imaging careers.

Radiation Therapist career guide

Related programs:

• Radiology Technician programs - the most common feeder credential for radiation therapy certificate programs
• Sonography / Ultrasound programs - a diagnostic imaging alternative that does not use ionizing radiation

Compare This Program

Not sure this is the right path? See how it stacks up against similar programs:

• Radiation Therapist vs Radiologic Technologist

FAQs

Do I need to be a radiologic technologist before becoming a radiation therapist?

No. Associate and bachelor’s degree programs admit students with no prior imaging credential and cover the full sequence. Certificate programs, however, are built for people who already hold ARRT certification in radiography or another primary pathway and want to add the therapy credential.

What is the difference between a radiation therapist and a dosimetrist?

The radiation therapist delivers the treatment: positioning the patient, verifying the setup with imaging, and operating the linear accelerator at each session. The medical dosimetrist designs the treatment plan, calculating how beams should be arranged to deliver the prescribed dose to the tumor while limiting dose to healthy tissue. Dosimetry usually requires additional education beyond the therapy credential and its own certification (CMD).

What does the ARRT (T) exam cover?

The ARRT Radiation Therapy exam covers radiation protection and quality assurance, clinical concepts in radiation oncology, treatment planning, treatment delivery, and patient care and education. Graduates of accredited programs become eligible after their program director verifies completion of required clinical competencies and the candidate meets ARRT ethics requirements. The exam is delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers.

Is radiation exposure a safety concern for radiation therapists?

Therapists are trained extensively in radiation protection and do not remain in the treatment room while the beam is on. Treatment vaults are shielded, equipment includes interlocks that stop the beam if a door opens, and staff wear dosimetry badges that track cumulative exposure. Radiation safety is a core part of the curriculum and of the ARRT (T) exam. Following protocols keeps occupational exposure well within regulatory limits.

Do most states require a license for radiation therapists?

Most states require a license or state certification to practice radiation therapy, and they generally issue it on the basis of ARRT (T) certification. A minority of states have no licensing requirement, but employers in those states still typically require ARRT certification. Always check with the licensing board in the state where you intend to work, since requirements and application steps differ.

Is the radiation therapy job market growing?

The BLS projects 1.9 percent employment growth for radiation therapists from 2024 to 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34), slower than average, with roughly 900 openings per year, mostly from retirements and turnover. The occupation is small, with 17,070 therapists employed nationally in May 2025 (BLS OEWS). Because programs admit limited cohorts, the supply of new graduates is also limited. Ask programs where recent graduates found positions in the region where you plan to work.

Salary data reflects U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for May 2025, and BLS Employment Projections for 2024-34. Actual salaries vary by location, experience, and employer. Program availability varies by school.

Browse Radiation Therapy Schools by State

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming

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