ARRT Radiography Certification, R.T.(R)
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
Complete guide to passing the ARRT Radiography Certification, R.T.(R) exam on your first attempt.
$225 first application; $200 reapplication for a second or third attempt
86% of first-time candidates
Annual renewal at $65, 24 CE credits every 2 years, CQR every 10 years
USA
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
$77,660 median (BLS, radiologic technologists and technicians, May 2024)
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Complete Overview
The ARRT Radiography exam is the certification and registration test that graduates of accredited radiography programs in the United States take to become a Registered Technologist in radiography, written R.T.(R). The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists owns the exam, Pearson VUE delivers it at test centres, and the application fee is $225 for a first application. The exam contains 200 scored questions plus 30 unscored pilot questions, 230 items in total, with 230 minutes of test time inside an appointment of 250 minutes. ARRT reports scaled scores from 1 to 99 and a scaled score of 75 passes. That is not a percentage: in the ARRT Annual Exam Report 2025, roughly 67 percent correct corresponded to a scaled score of 75 on the radiography exam. That report also puts the first-time pass rate at 86 percent, the mean scaled score at 82.7, and the number of first-time candidates at 14,070 out of 17,376 total candidates. The content specifications in force set four content categories: Patient Care with 33 scored questions, Safety with 50, Image Production with 51, and Procedures with 66. Those categories break into eight subcategories, each with a published question count, which makes the blueprint unusually precise for study planning. New content specifications approved in January 2026 take effect on 1 March 2027 and shift the counts to Patient Care 31, Safety 46, Image Production 51 and Procedures 72, with computed radiography content removed and 30 pilot questions retained. Passing the exam alone does not earn the credential. ARRT also requires an associate degree or higher from an institution accredited by an agency ARRT recognises, completion of an ARRT-verified educational program with documented clinical competency, and compliance with the ARRT Standards of Ethics. Candidates must apply and earn their degree within three years of completing the educational program. Once an application is processed, ARRT assigns a one-year exam window during which the candidate schedules and sits the exam through Pearson VUE. Candidates get three attempts within three years of the date the first exam window opens, and each retake needs a new application at ARRT's $200 reapplication fee. Test centre rules are strict. Candidates present two valid forms of identification, one government-issued with a permanently printed name, photo and signature, sign a digital signature pad, and have a palm vein scan and photograph taken. Arriving 15 or more minutes late means the appointment is forfeit along with the fee. Candidates see an unofficial preliminary score at the test centre, then receive an official score report online through their ARRT account with a section-level performance breakdown. The Verify Credentials page reflects certification status within about four weeks of the exam date. Keeping the credential requires annual renewal at $65, 24 approved continuing education credits every two years, and Continuing Qualifications Requirements every 10 years.
Why Get ARRT Radiography Certification, R.T.(R) Certified?
R.T.(R) is the credential most US states reference for radiographer licensure, and ARRT recorded 17,376 radiography candidates in the Annual Exam Report 2025.
The blueprint publishes an exact question count for all eight subcategories, from 18 questions on head, spine and pelvis procedures to 33 on patient interactions.
ARRT reports a first-time pass rate of 86 percent and a mean scaled score of 82.7 against a cut score of 75.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the median annual wage for radiologic technologists and technicians at $77,660 in May 2024.
The credential is the gateway to ARRT postprimary credentials in CT, MRI, mammography and interventional radiography.
The application fee is $225, and a reapplication after a failed attempt is $200, low relative to the two-year associate degree that precedes it.
Candidates get three attempts within three years of the first exam window opening, which allows a genuine second and third try.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
230 minutes of test time within a 250 minute appointment (4 hours, 10 minutes)
Questions
230
Passing Score
A total scaled score of 75 on a 1 to 99 scale. ARRT reports that roughly 67 percent correct corresponded to a scaled score of 75 on the radiography exam in the Annual Exam Report 2025.
Question Types
- Multiple choice items drawn from the published content specifications
- 200 scored items that count toward the scaled score
- 30 unscored pilot items that do not count but are indistinguishable during the exam
- Image-based items on positioning, anatomy and image quality
Delivery Method
Computer-based at a Pearson VUE test centre. An on-screen scientific calculator is provided, and candidates may request a handheld calculator, earplugs, noise-reducing headphones or a replacement booklet from test centre staff.
- The appointment includes 8 minutes for the tutorial, 2 minutes to accept the nondisclosure agreement and 10 minutes for a post-exam survey, on top of 230 minutes of test time.
- ARRT allows approximately one minute per question, which is where the 230 minute figure comes from.
- You must answer each question before the software moves on. You can flag an item and return to it if time remains.
- There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so ARRT advises guessing on anything you do not know.
- Leaving the test centre building before finishing cancels your score and burns one of your three attempts.
- New content specifications take effect on 1 March 2027, changing the category counts to Patient Care 31, Safety 46, Image Production 51 and Procedures 72.
How scoring works
Score scale
Total scaled score from 1 to 99. Section scores from 0.1 to 9.9, reported in one-tenth point intervals.
Score needed to pass
75 total scaled score. ARRT's Board of Trustees sets it through standard setting with a panel of subject matter experts.
Roughly what that means raw
ARRT's Annual Exam Report 2025 lists the approximate percentage correct required for a scaled score of 75 on radiography as 67 percent, with a reported mean scaled score of 82.7.
When results arrive
An unofficial preliminary score appears at the test centre and cannot be printed or retrieved once you leave that screen. ARRT stopped mailing paper score reports and now emails a link to the online report, typically within 10 days. The Verify Credentials page reflects your certification status within about four weeks of the exam date.
How the scale is built
Your raw score is the number of the 200 scored items you answer correctly. ARRT converts that raw score to a scaled score so that a 75 represents the same level of performance across exam versions, adjusting for differences in difficulty. Section scores come from smaller sets of items, so ARRT warns they are less reliable than the total and that averaging them will not reproduce your total score.
- A scaled score of 75 does not mean 75 percent correct, and ARRT states this explicitly in its annual report.
- The Annual Exam Report 2025 also prints a mean section score for each subcategory: Image Acquisition and Evaluation 8.4, then Patient Interactions and Management, Radiation Physics and Radiobiology, Equipment Operation and Quality Assurance and Extremity Procedures at 8.3, Radiation Protection and Head, Spine and Pelvis Procedures at 8.2, and Thorax and Abdomen Procedures lowest at 8.1.
- A section score of 8.1 can be read as the scaled score you would have earned if that section had been the whole exam.
- Passing candidates receive a mailed packet with a welcome letter, the official certificate and a QR code to the Guide to Maintaining Your ARRT Credential.
- ARRT can cancel scores where eligibility requirements were not met, where ID was questionable, or where a candidate left the test centre building before finishing.
- A scoring appeal costs $25 and must be postmarked within 14 calendar days of the score report becoming available.
Pacing and time budget
230 questions in 230 minutes gives you 60 seconds. ARRT sets test time by allowing approximately one minute per question, including the 30 unscored pilot items. per question.
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| 60 min | 62 |
| 115 min | 118 |
| 172 min | 176 |
| 220 min | 230 |
- The 230 minutes covers test time only. The 250 minute appointment adds 8 minutes of tutorial, 2 minutes for the nondisclosure agreement and a 10 minute survey.
- Running about two questions ahead of the clock builds a ten minute buffer for flagged items by the end.
- The software requires an answer before it advances, so a hard question costs time whether or not you commit to it. Guess, flag and move.
- Calculation-heavy physics items and long image-quality scenarios are the usual time sinks. Bank time on positioning recall, which is faster.
- The timer sits in the top right of the screen. Check it at each checkpoint rather than after every question.
Where the marks are
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Patient Interactions and Management | 33 of 200 scored questions | The largest single subcategory. It combines law, ethics, communication, emergencies, infection control, contrast media and venipuncture, so a candidate who works through the content outline systematically converts clinical familiarity into the biggest block of marks on the exam. |
| Radiation Protection | 29 of 200 scored questions | Dose limits, shielding, beam restriction and personnel monitoring are finite, memorisable facts with unambiguous answers. Learning the limit tables cold is one of the highest-yield hours available. |
| Extremity Procedures | 28 of 200 scored questions | The largest procedures subcategory. Questions map a named structure to the projection that demonstrates it, so a table of central ray angle, part position and structure shown for each projection covers most of what is asked. |
| Image Acquisition and Evaluation | 26 of 200 scored questions | The exposure factor relationships behind these items repeat across many questions. Once you can reason from kVp, mAs, SID and grid choice to contrast, density, resolution and noise, the whole subcategory becomes derivable rather than memorised. |
| Equipment Operation and Quality Assurance | 25 of 200 scored questions | Tube construction, generator behaviour, fluoroscopy and the quality control test list are self-contained topics with fixed tolerances. Candidates who skip quality control because it is not part of daily clinical work lose easily recovered marks. |
| Radiation Physics and Radiobiology | 21 of 200 scored questions | The subcategory most candidates find hardest, and the one where SI units matter. ARRT states SI units are the primary units of radiation measurement on this exam, so thinking in grays and sieverts removes a common source of error. |
| Thorax and Abdomen Procedures | 20 of 200 scored questions | Chest work is the most common examination in clinical practice, which makes this subcategory the easiest place for an experienced student to score close to full marks with modest revision. |
| Head, Spine and Pelvis Procedures | 18 of 200 scored questions | The smallest subcategory but the most precise, because skull and spine questions turn on baselines and exact angulations. Memorising OML, IOML and the standard cranial projections turns 18 questions from guesswork into recall. |
The numbers
200
Scored questions
Source: ARRT Radiography Examination Content Specifications
230 (200 scored plus 30 unscored)
Total items including pilots
Source: ARRT Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook, 2026
230 minutes of test time within a 250 minute appointment
Test time and appointment length
Source: ARRT Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook, 2026
86 percent
First-time pass rate
Source: ARRT Annual Exam Report 2025
82.7 against a cut score of 75
Mean scaled score
Source: ARRT Annual Exam Report 2025
67 percent
Approximate percentage correct to pass
Source: ARRT Annual Exam Report 2025
If you fail
Wait before retaking
ARRT publishes no fixed waiting period. The gap between attempts is set by the time to reapply, have ARRT process the application and issue a new exam window, then schedule with Pearson VUE.
Attempt limit
Three attempts within three years of the date your first exam window opens. State licensing attempts on the same content count against the three-attempt limit if you also apply for ARRT certification and registration.
Retake fee
$200 per reapplication for the second and third attempts, against $225 for the first application. ARRT does not refund fees or transfer them to another discipline.
ARRT must receive your reapplication and fee at least 30 calendar days before the three-year eligibility period expires, otherwise you have to requalify before testing again. Missing an appointment or letting the exam window close forfeits the fee but does not count as an attempt. A cancelled score does count as an attempt, including a cancellation triggered by questionable identification or by leaving the test centre building mid-exam. If a cancellation means you run out of time inside the three-year period, ARRT does not grant an extension. Before retaking, compare the current content specifications with the version you previously studied, because ARRT updates them periodically.
Exam Domains & Topics
Thirty-three scored questions covering ethical and legal aspects, interpersonal communication, physical assistance and monitoring, medical emergencies, infection control, handling of contrast media and venipuncture. This is the largest single subcategory on the exam and the one where clinical experience translates most directly into marks.
Key Topics to Master:
- Informed, oral and implied consent and HIPAA confidentiality
- Negligence, malpractice, respondeat superior and res ipsa loquitur
- Patient transfer, immobilisation and vital signs
- Standard precautions and disposal of contaminated materials
- Contrast media types, administration routes and adverse reactions
- Venipuncture technique and complications
Twenty-nine scored questions on minimising patient and personnel exposure, shielding, and personnel monitoring. Topics include beam limitation, filtration, exposure factor selection, repeat analysis, occupational dose limits and the ALARA principle, along with the specific protections applied to pregnant patients and pregnant workers.
Key Topics to Master:
- Occupational and public dose limits
- ALARA, time, distance and shielding
- Collimation, filtration and beam restriction
- Gonadal and specific area shielding
- Personnel monitoring devices and dose reports
- Protection of the pregnant patient and pregnant technologist
Twenty-eight scored questions on upper and lower extremity positioning and projections, including shoulder girdle, humerus, forearm, wrist, hand, pelvis-adjacent hip work, femur, knee, tibia, fibula, ankle and foot. Questions ask which projection demonstrates a named structure and how to adjust central ray, part position and rotation.
Key Topics to Master:
- Standard and special projections of the hand, wrist and elbow
- Shoulder girdle including scapula, clavicle and AC joints
- Knee, patella and intercondylar fossa projections
- Ankle mortise and foot weight-bearing views
- Central ray angulation and part rotation
- Evaluation criteria that confirm correct positioning
Twenty-six scored questions on selection of technical factors, image processing and display, and criteria for evaluating radiographic quality. Candidates must reason about how kVp, mAs, SID, grid selection and receptor response change density, contrast, spatial resolution and noise, and identify the cause of a specific image fault.
Key Topics to Master:
- kVp, mAs, SID and the inverse square law
- Automatic exposure control and exposure indicators
- Grid ratio, grid cut-off and the air gap technique
- Spatial resolution, quantum mottle and image noise
- Window width and window level in digital display
- Identifying artifacts and their causes
Twenty-five scored questions on the x-ray production chain and quality control. Topics run from the x-ray tube and generator through automatic exposure control, fluoroscopy and mobile units, to the quality control tests performed on radiographic and fluoroscopic equipment and on digital receptors.
Key Topics to Master:
- X-ray tube construction, anode heel effect and tube rating
- Generators, rectification and exposure timing
- Fluoroscopy, image intensification and flat panel detectors
- Mobile and C-arm equipment
- Quality control tests for kVp accuracy, timer accuracy and beam alignment
- Digital detector calibration and uniformity checks
Twenty-one scored questions on the physics of x-ray production and interaction and on the biological effects of radiation. ARRT states that SI units are the primary units of radiation measurement on the radiography exam, so candidates should work in grays and sieverts rather than rads and rems.
Key Topics to Master:
- Bremsstrahlung and characteristic x-ray production
- Photoelectric effect and Compton scatter
- Attenuation, half value layer and beam quality
- SI units of exposure, absorbed dose and equivalent dose
- Deterministic and stochastic effects
- Cell radiosensitivity and dose response relationships
Twenty scored questions on chest, ribs, sternum, sternoclavicular joints, abdomen and gastrointestinal and genitourinary studies. Candidates must know routine and special projections, patient preparation for contrast studies, and the evaluation criteria that show a projection was performed correctly.
Key Topics to Master:
- PA, lateral, lordotic and decubitus chest projections
- Rib and sternum positioning above and below the diaphragm
- Acute abdomen series and free air detection
- Upper GI, small bowel and barium enema procedures
- Patient preparation for contrast examinations
- Respiration phase and its effect on thoracic images
Eighteen scored questions on skull, facial bones, sinuses, cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine, sacrum, coccyx and pelvis. These procedures use the most precise baselines and angulations on the exam, and questions often present a required structure and ask which projection and central ray angle demonstrate it.
Key Topics to Master:
- Skull baselines including OML, IOML and glabellomeatal line
- Waters, Caldwell, Towne and submentovertical projections
- Cervical spine oblique projections and the intervertebral foramina
- Lumbar spine obliques and the scotty dog appearance
- Sacrum, coccyx and sacroiliac joint positioning
- AP pelvis, frog-leg lateral and cross-table lateral hip
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Download the ARRT Radiography Examination Content Specifications that apply to your exam date
- 2Write the eight subcategory question counts on one page and keep it visible
- 3Sit a full 200 question practice exam under a 230 minute clock
- 4Score by subcategory and compare each against the published question count
- 5Confirm your application status and the start and end dates of your one-year exam window
- 1Review consent types, HIPAA and the AHA Patient Care Partnership
- 2Learn negligence, malpractice, battery, respondeat superior and res ipsa loquitur
- 3Read the ARRT Standards of Ethics, which is examinable content
- 4Practise 60 questions on ethical and legal aspects and communication
- 5Write out the documentation rules for changes to an order and for medical events
- 1Review patient transfer techniques, immobilisation and vital sign ranges
- 2Learn the presentation and response for shock, seizure, syncope and cardiac arrest
- 3Review standard precautions and the disposal of contaminated materials
- 4Study contrast media types, routes, contraindications and reaction management
- 5Practise 60 patient care questions and log the topics you missed
- 1Work through x-ray production, bremsstrahlung and characteristic radiation
- 2Master photoelectric effect and Compton scatter and when each dominates
- 3Practise half value layer and attenuation calculations in SI units
- 4Do 40 calculation-heavy questions using the on-screen calculator layout
- 5Convert every rad and rem in your notes into grays and sieverts
- 1Learn deterministic versus stochastic effects and cell radiosensitivity
- 2Memorise occupational and public dose limits and the embryo-fetus limit
- 3Review shielding, collimation, filtration and repeat analysis
- 4Study personnel monitoring devices and how dose reports are read
- 5Practise 70 questions across physics, radiobiology and protection
- 1Work through the effect of kVp, mAs, SID and grid choice on each image quality factor
- 2Learn exposure indicators and how automatic exposure control fails
- 3Practise identifying the cause of a named artifact from an image description
- 4Review window width and window level in digital display
- 5Do 60 image quality questions and rework every wrong answer to first principles
- 1Review tube construction, anode heel effect and tube rating charts
- 2Study generators, rectification and exposure timers
- 3Learn fluoroscopy, image intensification and flat panel detector operation
- 4Memorise the quality control tests and their acceptable tolerances
- 5Practise 55 equipment and quality control questions
- 1Drill upper extremity projections from hand to shoulder girdle with evaluation criteria
- 2Drill lower extremity projections from foot to femur
- 3Build a table of central ray angle, part rotation and structure shown for each projection
- 4Practise 70 extremity questions, since this subcategory carries 28 scored items
- 5Review the projections you named incorrectly the following morning
- 1Review chest projections including lordotic and decubitus positions
- 2Learn rib and sternum positioning above and below the diaphragm
- 3Study the acute abdomen series and where free air collects
- 4Review upper GI, small bowel and barium enema procedures and patient preparation
- 5Practise 50 thorax and abdomen questions
- 1Memorise skull baselines and the projections that use each one
- 2Drill Waters, Caldwell, Towne and submentovertical projections and what each demonstrates
- 3Learn cervical and lumbar oblique angles and the structures they open
- 4Review sacrum, coccyx, sacroiliac joint and hip positioning
- 5Practise 45 head, spine and pelvis questions
- 1Sit a 230 minute mock covering all eight subcategories in blueprint proportions
- 2Score by subcategory and compare each score against 67 percent correct
- 3Rank the eight subcategories by scored questions lost, not by percentage
- 4Reteach yourself the two subcategories that lost the most raw marks
- 5Do 100 mixed questions the day after the mock
- 1Sit a second full mock and confirm you are comfortably above 67 percent correct
- 2Check that both forms of ID are unexpired, signed and match your ARRT file exactly
- 3Confirm your Pearson VUE appointment time and plan to arrive 30 minutes early
- 4Review your error log rather than starting new material
- 5Reread the ARRT Standards of Ethics and the dose limit tables one last time
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Best Study Resources
ARRT Radiography Examination Content Specifications
Official blueprintThe exam blueprint with the exact number of scored questions in every category and subcategory, plus the full content outline. Separate versions exist for the current exam and for the specification that starts 1 March 2027.
Free
ARRT Primary Eligibility Pathway Handbook
Official handbookThe rules for applying, exam windows, ID requirements, test centre conduct, scoring, appeals and what happens if you do not pass.
Free
ARRT Task Inventory for Radiography
Official documentThe list of tasks entry-level radiographers perform, derived from ARRT's practice analysis. Every content category on the blueprint links back to tasks on this inventory.
Free
ARRT Didactic and Clinical Competency Requirements
Official documentThe mandatory and elective procedures you must document during your educational program, along with the rules on simulations.
Free
ARRT Annual Exam Report
Official statisticsPublished candidate volumes, mean scaled scores, pass rates and the approximate percentage correct needed for a scaled score of 75, broken out by discipline.
Free
ARRT Standards of Ethics
Governing documentExaminable content in its own right under Patient Interactions and Management, and the document that governs the ethics eligibility requirement.
Free
Pearson VUE ARRT test centre information
SchedulingWhere you schedule, reschedule and confirm the exam appointment, plus the test centre policies Pearson applies on the day.
Free
ASRT continuing education catalogue
Continuing educationThe American Society of Radiologic Technologists course library, used for the 24 Category A or A+ credits ARRT requires every two years after certification.
Membership and per-course pricing
Merrill's Atlas of Radiographic Positioning and Procedures
TextbookThe standard positioning reference used by accredited radiography programs, covering the projections and evaluation criteria the Procedures category tests.
Paid
ARRT Fees page
Official referenceCurrent application, renewal, reinstatement and appeal fees, including the $225 primary application fee, the $65 annual renewal and the $25 scoring appeal.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating the scaled score of 75 as 75 percent correct.
ARRT states plainly that a scaled score of 75 does not mean 75 percent of items were answered correctly. In the Annual Exam Report 2025, roughly 67 percent correct produced a 75 on radiography, but the figure moves between exam versions, so build a margin.
Studying with a content specification that does not match your test date.
ARRT warns retakers to compare the current specification with the one they previously used. New radiography specifications start on 1 March 2027, so check which version governs your appointment before buying review material.
Distributing study time evenly across the four content categories.
The categories are not equal. Procedures carries 66 of 200 scored questions and Patient Care carries 33. Allocate hours by scored question count, not by how many pages a textbook devotes to each.
Skipping the ARRT Standards of Ethics because it looks administrative.
The Standards of Ethics is listed inside the Patient Interactions and Management content outline. Read it and learn the categories of violation, since those questions are free marks for anyone who has looked.
Leaving questions unanswered because you are unsure.
ARRT scores only correct answers and applies no penalty for wrong ones. Answer everything, flag the uncertain items and return if time allows. The software will not let you move on without an answer anyway.
Arriving with only one form of ID, or an ID whose name does not match the ARRT file.
Two valid IDs are required, one government-issued with permanently printed name, photo and signature. A name mismatch, an unsigned ID or an expired ID means no exam and forfeiture of the $225 fee.
Arriving late and assuming the appointment can be salvaged.
Arriving 15 minutes or more after the scheduled time forfeits the appointment and the application fee. ARRT tells candidates to arrive 30 minutes early to allow for check-in, signature capture, palm vein scan and photograph.
Leaving the test centre building mid-exam for air or a phone call.
Leaving the building before completing the exam cancels the score and counts as one of your three attempts. Raise your hand for a break and stay inside the building.
Requesting ADA accommodations at the test centre instead of on the application.
Accommodation requests go on the ARRT application, not to Pearson on the day, and must be repeated on every reapplication including retakes. ARRT holds the application until the request is processed.
Letting the one-year exam window lapse without scheduling.
If you do not take the exam during the window you forfeit the application fee and must reapply and pay again for a new window. Missing the window does not count as an attempt, but it does cost $225.
Learning radiation quantities in rads and rems.
ARRT states that SI units are the primary units of radiation measurement on the radiography exam. Learn grays and sieverts as your default and treat the traditional units as a conversion you can do, not the unit you think in.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Arrive at least 30 minutes before the appointment, because arriving 15 minutes or more late forfeits both the appointment and the $225 fee.
- 2
Bring two valid unexpired IDs, one government-issued with permanently printed name, photo and signature, and make sure both are signed.
- 3
Expect to sign a digital signature pad, have your palm vein scanned and have your photograph taken before you are seated.
- 4
Leave phones and personal belongings in the locker, because you cannot access them during the exam without approved accommodations.
- 5
Accept the nondisclosure agreement within two minutes of it appearing, or the exam will be voided.
- 6
Use the 8 minute tutorial to get comfortable with the on-screen calculator before the clock on the 230 scored and pilot items starts.
- 7
Watch the timer in the top right corner and check your position against roughly one question per minute.
- 8
Guess and flag anything you cannot answer, since the software requires an answer before advancing and there is no penalty for a wrong one.
- 9
Raise your hand rather than leaving the building if you need a break, a calculator, earplugs or a replacement booklet.
- 10
Note your unofficial preliminary score before leaving that screen, because you cannot print it or retrieve it once you move on.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Entry-level staff radiographer
New graduates entering hospital or outpatient imaging departments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the lowest 10 percent of radiologic technologists and technicians earned less than $52,360 in May 2024.
Under $52,360 at the 10th percentile
Radiologic technologist, R.T.(R)
The core staff role the credential is built for, covering general radiography, trauma, mobile and surgical imaging. The figure is the BLS median annual wage for radiologic technologists and technicians, May 2024.
$77,660 median
MRI technologist, R.T.(R)(MR)
A postprimary ARRT pathway that many radiographers take after certifying in radiography. The figure is the BLS median annual wage for magnetic resonance imaging technologists, May 2024.
$88,180 median
Nuclear medicine technologist, R.T.(N)
A separate ARRT primary discipline that some radiographers move into through additional education. The figure is the BLS median annual wage for nuclear medicine technologists, May 2024.
$97,020 median
Radiation therapist, R.T.(T)
Delivers radiation treatment in oncology departments and is the highest paid of the ARRT imaging and therapy disciplines by BLS median. The figure is the BLS median annual wage for radiation therapists, May 2024.
$101,990 median
Prerequisites & Requirements
- Complete an ARRT-verified educational program in radiography, accredited by a mechanism ARRT accepts.
- Earn an associate degree or higher from an institution accredited by an agency ARRT recognises, if you do not already hold one.
- Document the mandatory and elective clinical competency procedures your program requires, within ARRT's limit on simulated procedures.
- Meet the ethics requirement under the ARRT Standards of Ethics, and report any potential violation within 30 calendar days of its occurrence.
- Apply for certification and registration, and earn your degree, no more than three years after completing the educational program.
- Pay the $225 primary application fee. An optional ethics preapplication costs a separate nonrefundable $100.
- Hold two valid forms of acceptable identification for the test centre, one of them government-issued with photo and signature.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the ARRT Radiography exam and how long is it?
The exam contains 200 scored questions plus 30 unscored pilot questions, 230 items in total. Test time is 230 minutes, and the full appointment runs 250 minutes, or 4 hours and 10 minutes. The extra 20 minutes cover an 8 minute tutorial, 2 minutes to accept the nondisclosure agreement and a 10 minute survey after the exam. ARRT allows approximately one minute per question, which is how the 230 minute figure is set.
What score do I need to pass?
A total scaled score of 75 on a 1 to 99 scale. That is not a percentage. ARRT's Board of Trustees sets the cut score through standard setting with a panel of subject matter experts. In the Annual Exam Report 2025, ARRT listed the approximate percentage correct needed for a scaled score of 75 on radiography as 67 percent. Section scores are reported separately from 0.1 to 9.9 and are less reliable than the total because they come from fewer items.
What is the pass rate?
ARRT's Annual Exam Report 2025 puts the radiography pass rate at 86 percent, based on first attempts only. ARRT uses first attempts because that is the only attempt every candidate is guaranteed to make. The same report records 14,070 first-time radiography candidates, 2,726 repeat candidates, 50 state licensing candidates and 530 reinstatement candidates, for 17,376 in total, with a mean scaled score of 82.7.
How much does it cost?
The primary application fee is $225 and covers one exam attempt. If you fail on the first or second attempt, reapplying costs $200 rather than the full $225. An optional ethics preapplication, used by candidates who want an ethics question reviewed before they apply, costs a separate nonrefundable $100. After certification, annual renewal costs $65 regardless of how many ARRT credentials you hold, and a scoring appeal costs $25. Fees are the same regardless of where in the United States you test.
What happens if I fail?
You have three attempts within three years of the date your first exam window opens. Each retake needs a new application, and ARRT charges a $200 reapplication fee rather than the $225 it charges for a first application. ARRT must receive your reapplication and fee at least 30 calendar days before the three-year eligibility period expires. If you do not pass within three years or three attempts, you have to requalify before you can take an ARRT exam again, and no extension is granted.
Is there a waiting period between attempts?
ARRT does not publish a fixed waiting period. The practical gap is set by the time it takes to reapply, have ARRT process the application and receive a new exam window, then find a Pearson VUE appointment. ARRT advises retakers to compare the current content specifications against the version they studied from previously, because the blueprint is updated periodically and may have changed since the last attempt.
How long is my exam window?
One year. Your exam window is the one-year period during which you can schedule and take the exam. It begins once ARRT processes your application and confirms your eligibility. If you do not schedule and take the exam during the window, you forfeit the application fee and must reapply and pay again to get a new window. Letting the window close does not count as an exam attempt.
What identification do I need at the test centre?
Two valid, unexpired forms of acceptable ID. The primary ID must be government-issued with your permanently printed name, your photo and your signature or military bar code, such as a driver's licence, tribal ID, state ID card, passport or military ID. The secondary ID must show your permanently printed name and signature, such as a Social Security card, employee badge, bank or credit card, or school ID. Names must match your ARRT file.
What happens if my ID is wrong?
You will not be allowed to test if you lack two valid IDs, the name on your ID differs from your ARRT file, you have not signed your ID, or your ID has expired without original proof of renewal. In those cases you forfeit the application fee and must reapply and pay again, if time remains in your three-year eligibility period. If Pearson admits you with questionable ID, ARRT can cancel your scores after an investigation, and that cancelled attempt counts against your three.
Are accommodations available?
Yes. You request ADA accommodations by answering yes to the accommodation question on your ARRT application, not at the test centre. ARRT places the application on hold until you submit the request and Paradigm Testing processes it, and you cannot schedule until then. You must indicate yes each time you apply, including on re-examination attempts. Even with approved accommodations you may not leave the test centre building before finishing.
Is the exam offered online with remote proctoring?
No. ARRT administers the exam on a computer at a standardised Pearson VUE testing centre, as its content specifications state. There is no at-home remote proctored option. Check-in involves a digital signature, a palm vein scan and a photograph, and Pearson scans your palm again when you leave the room and when you leave the test centre.
What can I bring into the test room?
Nothing beyond your ID. Phones and personal belongings go in a locker, and you cannot access locker items during the exam unless you have advance approval for accommodations. An on-screen scientific calculator is built into the exam software. Test centre staff can bring you a handheld calculator, earplugs, noise-reducing headphones or a replacement booklet on request, but you cannot remove any of it from the room.
When do I get my results?
You see an unofficial preliminary score at the test centre, which you cannot print and cannot retrieve once you leave that screen. Pearson then returns the data to ARRT, which runs an analysis before releasing the official result. You receive an email with a secure link to your online score report, showing your total scaled score and a breakdown by content area. The Verify Credentials page reflects your status within about four weeks of the exam date.
Can I appeal my score?
Yes. A scoring appeal costs $25 and must be postmarked within 14 calendar days of the date your score report became available online. ARRT reviews the exam key and recalculates both your raw and scaled scores, and you receive the findings no more than 60 business days after the request is received. ARRT will also cancel scores in defined circumstances, including when eligibility requirements turn out not to have been met.
Does passing the exam make me certified?
No. ARRT states that passing an exam does not by itself make you eligible for certification and registration. You must also satisfy the education requirement, meaning an ARRT-verified educational program plus an associate degree or higher from a recognised institution, and the ethics requirement under the ARRT Standards of Ethics. If ARRT later finds an eligibility requirement was not met, it can cancel your score.
How do I keep the credential once I have it?
Three ongoing requirements. Renew your credential every year, which costs $65 regardless of how many ARRT credentials you hold. Complete 24 approved Category A or A plus continuing education credits every two years. Fulfil the Continuing Qualifications Requirements every 10 years. You must be current with your biennial CE to complete your annual renewal, and CE probation carries a separate $100 fee.
What is changing on 1 March 2027?
ARRT's Board approved new radiography content specifications in January 2026 that take effect on 1 March 2027. Scored question counts change to Patient Care 31, Safety 46, Image Production 51 and Procedures 72, with 30 pilot questions retained and a 200 scored total unchanged. All computed radiography content is removed, virtual grids are added and compensating filters removed, and lumbar puncture, epidural injection, joint injection and tube placement content is added. Clinical requirements move to 35 mandatory and 17 elective procedures.
How does the radiography exam compare with ARRT's postprimary exams?
Radiography is a primary pathway exam taken after an accredited program and an associate degree. Postprimary exams in computed tomography, MRI, mammography and interventional radiography are taken by technologists who already hold an ARRT primary credential and have documented structured education and clinical experience in that specialty. Both primary and postprimary applications cost $225, and both use the same 1 to 99 scale with a cut score of 75.
Which content category should I prioritise?
Procedures, which carries 66 of the 200 scored questions on the current specification, one third of the exam. Within it, extremity procedures alone account for 28 questions. Image Production follows at 51 questions and Safety at 50. Patient Care carries 33. Because the blueprint publishes counts rather than percentages, you can rank study time by raw scored questions rather than guessing at emphasis.
Do the 30 pilot questions affect my score?
No. The exam includes 30 unscored pilot questions on top of the 200 scored items, and they do not count toward your scaled score. They are not identified during the exam, so you cannot tell which items are pilots and should treat every question as scored. The 230 minutes of test time covers all 230 items, which is why the pacing target is roughly one question per minute.
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