How to Become an MRI Tech After X-Ray: ARRT Postprimary and Other Paths

If you are already registered in radiography, there is more than one way to become an MRI tech after X-ray. ARRT's postprimary pathway is one of the most common: 16 hours of structured education, 125 documented clinical repetitions, then the MRI certification exam. Plan for the clinical side to take the longest, because you need real scan time on real patients under a verifier.

It is not the only route. You can also earn MRI certification through ARMRIT, or complete a primary MRI education program. Which one fits depends on your schedule, where you can get scan time, and what employers and states in your area accept. We cover those options further down.

This guide walks through each ARRT postprimary requirement, how to find clinical time, and what to learn about MR safety before you start. Requirements change, so confirm the current rules on the ARRT MRI postprimary page before you log anything.

Why X-ray techs cross-train into MRI

MRI is one of the harder seats for imaging departments to fill. In the 2025 ASRT staffing survey, imaging managers reported an MRI vacancy rate of 17.4 percent, up from 16.2 percent in 2023. Radiography came in at 15.6 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects MRI technologist employment to grow 8 percent from 2025 to 2035, compared with 5 percent for radiologic technologists and 3 percent for all occupations. BLS also notes that MRI technologists may start out as radiologic technologists, which is the route this guide covers.

ARRT MRI requirements at a glance

Requirement	What ARRT asks for
Supporting credential	Radiography, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy or sonography
Structured education	At least 16 hours, with at least one credit in each of four content categories
Clinical procedures	At least 21 different procedures from a list of 49
Repetitions	3 to 6 of each procedure, 125 in total
Quality control	7 activities
MRI safety training	8 areas verified
Time window	Education and clinical work within 24 months of applying

The ARRT postprimary pathway, step by step

1. Confirm your supporting credential

You need current certification and registration in one of the supporting disciplines. Radiography qualifies directly. Keep your ARRT registration in good standing while you work through the rest.

2. Complete 16 hours of structured education

ARRT requires at least one credit in each of four categories: Patient Care, Safety, Image Production and Procedures. The other 12 hours can come from any MRI content area.

Activities need to be approved by a CE approver or state entity, or be an academic course from an accredited institution. One academic quarter credit counts as 12 hours, and one semester credit counts as 16, so a single semester course can cover the total if its content hits all four categories.

Save time by mapping your courses against ARRT's structured education requirements before you pay for anything. Physics courses alone will not cover Patient Care or Procedures.

3. Log your clinical procedures

The clinical list has 49 procedures in six groups: head and neck, spine, thorax, abdomen and pelvis, musculoskeletal, and additional imaging procedures. You choose at least 21 different procedures and document 3 to 6 repetitions of each. Fewer than 3 of a procedure does not count.

The math matters here:

• If you pick exactly 21 procedures, you need nearly the maximum of 6 on every one to reach 125. Picking more than 21 gives you room.
• ARRT counts no more than one procedure per patient per day.
• The online worksheet allows a maximum of seven entries per day, so 125 repetitions takes at least 18 separate clinical days.
• Remote scanning is not accepted.
• Procedures done with PET or radiation therapy planning are not eligible.

Spread your list across body regions early. Routine brain and spine studies come easily in most departments. Abdomen, pelvis and joint work can depend on what your site schedules, so track your gaps every couple of weeks.

4. Finish your QC activities and safety training

Alongside procedures, ARRT requires seven quality control activities, the first four on a QC phantom, and verification of eight MRI safety training areas. Ask early who at your site can sign off on QC, because it may not be the person who verifies your scans.

5. Get everything verified

A verifier can be an ARRT-certified and registered technologist (they do not need the MRI credential themselves), a medical physicist for safety and QC, or an interpreting physician. Verifiers may sign off remotely, even though the scanning itself has to be done in person.

6. Apply and sit for the exam

You log activities in ARRT's online postprimary tool, apply online, then schedule the exam. Watch the clock: education and clinical items older than 24 months expire automatically before you apply. Once you apply and are assigned an exam window, they are locked in.

ARRT lists the postprimary application fee at $225 for radiography-based candidates. Check ARRT's application fees page for the current amount.

Where to find MRI clinical time

Most techs get scan time one of three ways:

• Your current employer. Ask your manager whether you can shadow and scan on slower shifts or swap some X-ray hours for MRI. A department short on MRI coverage has a reason to say yes, especially if you commit to staying after you pass.
• A formal postprimary program. These pair coursework with a clinical placement. One university program, for example, runs over the fall and spring semesters with at least 16 hours of on-site clinical training a week. Ask any program whether it arranges your site or expects you to find one.
• A second site. Outpatient centers sometimes take cross-training techs. Get the scope, schedule and supervision in writing, and confirm who will verify your procedures before your first day.

Keep your own running list of procedures, dates and verifiers in addition to the ARRT worksheet. If a verifier leaves the department, you will want that record.

Other pathways into MRI

ARRT postprimary is one option. Depending on your situation, these may fit better:

• ARMRIT certification. The American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists offers its own MRI certification, built around completing an MRI training program and documented clinical scanning experience. Its requirements differ from ARRT's, so check the current eligibility rules on the ARMRIT website before you start logging hours.
• ARRT primary MRI pathway. ARRT also offers a primary route through an accredited MRI education program, with separate requirements listed on its MRI credential page.
• A formal MRI program. Some colleges and hospitals run MRI certificate programs that include coursework and a clinical placement. Ask which credential exam the program prepares you for.

Before you choose, check what the employers you want to work for accept, and what your state requires. Some facilities list ARRT (MR), some accept either ARRT or ARMRIT, and a few states regulate MRI technologists directly.

Learn MR safety first

Coming from X-ray, MRI safety is the biggest mental shift. The magnet is always on, and screening becomes part of every exam.

The ACR publishes a Manual on MR Safety, with a 2026 edition now available. As Applied Radiology's coverage of the manual explains, both Level 1 and Level 2 personnel need to understand general magnetic field safety and emergency procedures, while Level 2 personnel also need thermal burn prevention and cryogen and quench safety. The same coverage says the manual recommends annual training for Level 1 and Level 2 staff, and it quotes a radiologist saying no technologist should work alone, including in off-hours situations.

Before your first day in the suite, know how your site handles screening forms, implant lookups, Zone IV access and a quench. Ask what level your site considers you to be while you train, and who is responsible for you in the room.

Licensing after you pass

BLS notes that few states require licensure for MRI technologists, though most require it for radiologic technologists, and that employers typically require or prefer certification either way. If you plan to move or take contract work, check the state board first. Our guide to rad tech license requirements by state covers what to look for.

If you are weighing MRI against CT, our CT after X-ray guide walks through that postprimary path too.

FAQ

How long does it take to become an MRI tech after X-ray?

There is no set timeline. It depends on how much scan time you can get. Your education and clinical work must fall within the 24 months before you apply, and 125 repetitions takes at least 18 clinical days under the seven-entry daily limit. Plan on months of part-time scanning, not weeks.

Do I need a degree to add MRI?

ARRT's postprimary pathway is built on your supporting credential and the education and clinical requirements above. BLS says an associate's degree is typically required for radiologic and MRI technologists, and individual employers or programs may set their own requirements.

Can remote scanning count toward my clinical repetitions?

No. ARRT does not accept remote scanning for the clinical requirement, although verifiers may verify your work remotely.

Is ARRT the only way to become an MRI tech?

No. ARRT postprimary is one pathway. ARMRIT offers a separate MRI certification, and ARRT also has a primary MRI pathway through an accredited program. Check what your target employers and state accept before you choose.

Ready for your next step in imaging?

Imaging Diversified Staffing works with radiologic technologists in every modality, including MRI techs and techs building toward it. Sign up as a professional so our team can match you with roles that fit your credentials, or browse open jobs to see what facilities are asking for now.