Graduate-level programs can prepare students for research careers in the field or clinical medical work as licensed radiologists. Interested students can choose between a wide range of schools that offer training in this field.
Top 10 Medical Schools with Radiology Programs
According to the 2020 U.S. News & World Report ranking, these are the top ten medical schools for primary care in the United States. Each school in the table offers a program in radiology.
| College/University | Location | Institution Type | Program Offered | Tuition (2019-2020)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | 4-year, public | Master's | $32,746 in-state, $60,140 out-of-state |
| University of California - San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 4-year, public | Residency | $35,649 in-state, $47,894 out-of-state |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | 4-year, public | Residency | $37,635 in-state, $67,830 out-of-state |
| Baylor College of Medicine | Houston, TX | 4-year, private | Residency | $32,525 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 4-year, public | Residency | $39,416 in-state, $59,390 out-of-state |
| University of Virginia | Charlottesville, VA | 4-year, public | Residency, Fellowship | $43,828 in-state, $53,952 out-of-state |
| Oregon Health and Science University | Portland, OR | 4-year, public | Residency | $43,488 in-state, $66,844 out-of-state |
| University of California - Davis | Sacramento, CA | 4-year, public | Residency, Fellowship | $38,340 in-state, $50,585 out-of-state |
| University of Colorado | Aurora, CO | 4-year, public | Residency, Fellowship | $40,348 in-state, $66,304 out-of-state |
| Harvard University | Boston, MA | 4-year, private | Residency, Fellowship | $63,400 |
Source: *U.S. News & World Report
School Selection Criteria
Students may wish to consider the following when choosing a school at which to study radiology:
- Students should decide whether they want to earn a medical degree or a research-based master's degree in radiology.
- Students should find out whether the school offers a degree in their particular subfield of interest, such as radiation oncology, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine or radiation biology.
- Individuals already working as radiologic technologists may seek advancement by obtaining a master's degree in radiology assisting.
- Students should make sure that schools have state-of-the-art technical equipment available, including MRI scanners, CT scanners, image-processing labs and PET scanners.
Master of Science in Radiological Physics
This program focuses on the medical applications of radiology, such as radiation oncology. Students usually spend a great deal of time in radiation labs. A thesis consisting of an approved project in the field of radiological physics is included.
Master of Science - Radiologist Assistant
The title of this degree varies, but the purpose of the program is to produce competent radiologist assistants. This program requires hundreds of hours spent in a clinical setting, allowing the student to gain knowledge from qualified professionals in the working environment of radiology.
Students who want to work in the field of radiology should look at the degree options and academic offerings of different schools as they consider where to enroll in graduate school.
