Radiology Schools in South Carolina

• South Carolina has 12 institutions that offer radiography programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT)⁽¹⁾.
• Some of the institutions in the state that offer JRCERT-accredited programs include AnMed Health Medical Center, Piedmont Technical College, and Spartanburg Community College.
• AnMed Health Medical Center, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, and Spartanburg Community College offer radiologic tech programs with high program effectiveness data⁽²⁾.
• According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, rad techs in South Carolina earn an annual average pay of $54,840⁽³⁾.
• The highest-paid radiographers in the state can be found in the Charleston area, where rad techs have a yearly average pay of $60,250⁽⁴⁾.

The Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) has accredited 12 radiography programs in South Carolina. 

The committee is responsible for awarding accreditation to educational radiography programs. JRCERT also calculates the program effectiveness data of the accredited programs.

JRCERT’s findings are available on the committee’s webpage, www.jrcert.org.

Completing an accredited program makes students eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification examination.

The following are some of South Carolina’s JRCERT-accredited programs. Program effectiveness data are from the committee’s latest report⁽⁵⁾*. 

*Data retrieved on Sept. 10, 2020. Changes may occur when new information comes in.

Certificate/Diploma

AnMed Health Medical Center offers a radiologic technology program at the certificate level. The program is the only hospital-based radiography program in the state⁽⁶⁾.

Upon completing the program, students can pursue advanced degrees to specialize within radiologic science.

Associate Degree

Aiken Technical College has an associate’s degree program in radiologic technology. The program aims to teach students the essential technical and communication skills they need for a career in radiography.

Coursework includes patient care, legal and ethical components in radiology, and appropriate work habits.

Florence-Darlington Technical College offers a radiologic technology program at the associate’s level. 

The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in radiography. It provides competency-based clinical and didactic education.

Greenville Technical College provides an Associate of Applied Science degree program in radiologic technology.

The program has various focus areas, including anatomy and physiology, radiography, patient care, medical terminology, physics, radiation safety, and radiation biology.

Horry-Georgetown Technical College at Myrtle Beach has an associate’s degree program in radiologic technology. Upon graduation, individuals can assist radiologists in examining patients so these medical doctors can diagnose diseases.

The college also offers online programs for students who cannot commute to work daily.

Midlands Technical College offers a radiologic technology program at the associate’s level. Coursework for the program includes topics such as physiology, exposure techniques, radiation protection, pathology, fluoroscopy, and mobile radiography.

Students under the program also learn radiation therapy, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT).

Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College has an associate’s degree program in radiologic technology. The program aims to prepare students for careers in radiology, including radiation therapy, sonography, nuclear medicine, CT, MRI, ultrasound, and mammography.

The college also offers financial aid to students who cannot afford to pay full tuition.

Piedmont Technical College offers an Associate of Applied Science program in radiologic technology. The program aims to help students acquire the general and technical skills necessary to enter the radiography profession. 

Coursework for the radiologic technology program includes anatomy, physics, imaging techniques, imaging procedures, and patient care.

Spartanburg Community College offers a radiologic technology program at the associate’s level. Under the program, students acquire the intellectual, interpersonal, and psychomotor skills they need for their future roles in the healthcare field.

Technical College of the Lowcountry has an associate’s degree program in radiologic technology. The health sciences program helps students practice radiography in the healthcare field.

Coursework includes general education and science and radiologic technology courses. The program includes lectures in the classroom, on-campus laboratories, and other clinical locations.

Trident Technical College has a radiologic technology program that aims to prepare students for a career in radiography.

The program includes radiologic technology courses taught during daytime hours. Students also undergo clinical rotations during nighttime hours and the weekends.

York Technical College offers a radiologic technology program at the associate’s level. The program aims to prepare students to be an essential part of a healthcare team.

Under the program, students learn the characteristics and the risks of radiation. They also learn to develop quality diagnostic medical images.

Admission Process and Requirements

The admission process and requirements vary depending on the institution that offers the radiography program.

Most institutions require a high school diploma and completed prerequisite courses relevant to a student’s desired field of study to be admitted in these schools.

Radiography Programs vs Radiology Programs

Most educational institutions in the state offer radiography programs. Students under the program learn from program directors how to become competent radiographers.

Under a radiography program, students usually focus on medical imagery production using diagnostic imaging equipment. 

Radiography programs may take one to four years to complete. Coursework for the programs usually includes patient care, radiation safety, anatomy, medical ethics, pathology, and radiation physics.

After completing the program, students have to pass the ARRT exam and secure a license before beginning their careers as radiologic technicians and technologists.

Radiographers are medical professionals who specialize in various medical imaging procedures, including X-ray, mammography, MRI, diagnostic medical sonography, or positron emission tomography (PET).

It is important to remember that radiographers only develop medical images for radiologists. Radiographers are not qualified to diagnose patients or suggest treatments.

On the other hand, radiology programs are for medical professionals who want to specialize in using radiation to diagnose and treat patients.

Radiologists can either be a diagnostic radiologist, interventional radiologist, or radiation oncologist. 

Radiologists also have to complete more training and education compared to radiographers.  They spend approximately 15 years in academic and clinical training.

To be a radiologist, an individual must have a Bachelor of Science degree in any field, a GPA of at least 3.5, and pass the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)⁽⁷⁾. Aspiring radiologists also have to finish a residency program before they can begin their practice.

Radiologists interpret medical images produced by radiographers. They also support referring physicians in diagnosing medical conditions and planning treatments.

How Does One Become a Radiologic Tech in South Carolina?

Individuals must complete an accredited radiologic technology program to be eligible for the ARRT exam.

Aspiring radiologists in South Carolina must also apply for certification through the South Carolina Radiation Quality Standards Association (SCRQSA).

SCRQSA offers certifications in the following categories: 

• Radiography
• Nuclear medicine technology
• Radiation therapy
• CT
• Bone densitometry 

Application requirements for SCRQSA certification include a $50 certification fee and proof of graduation from an accredited radiologic technology program.

Rad techs in South Carolina must also complete 24 hours of continuing education to renew their license.

How Long Does It Take to Complete a Radiography Program in South Carolina?

A radiography program can take approximately one year to 4 years to complete, depending on the student’s level of credential desired. 

Students under certificate programs have to complete one year of training. Meanwhile, students taking associate’s degree programs have to finish two years of studies.

Students under a Bachelor of Science degree program in radiologic technology have to complete 4 years of training.

After graduating from radiologic technology programs, aspiring rad techs must also pass the exam for national certification. Radiographers in South Carolina are also required to receive certification from SCRQSA before they begin their practice.

Rad tech graduates can also join various professional organizations in South Carolina.

The South Carolina Society of Radiologic Technologists (SCSRT) is the state affiliate of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT). The organization provides support to medical professionals of the radiology field through seminars and leadership opportunities.

The South Carolina Radiological Society is another radiology organization in the state. The group is an affiliate of the American College of Radiology (ACR). 

The organization represents more than 400 radiology specialists in South Carolina.

Career Opportunities for Radiologic Techs in South Carolina

Experts project a 16.6% job growth for radiologic techs South Carolina through 2026⁽⁸⁾.

Data from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics show that as of 2019, South Carolina employers have hired 3,830 radiologic technologists and technicians⁽⁹⁾.

In the same period, employers in the state hired 320 radiation therapists, 760 diagnostic medical sonographers, 290 nuclear medicine technologists, and 520 MRI technologists⁽¹⁰⁾.

Cities in South Carolina with the highest number of employed rad techs include Columbia, Augusta, Greenville, Anderson, and Mauldin⁽¹¹⁾.

Rad tech program graduates can send their resumes to the Spartanburg Regional Medical Center, Medical University of South Carolina, and Greenville Memorial Hospital.

Rad tech graduates can also apply at local diagnostic imaging centers in the state, such as Anderson Diagnostic Imaging, Beaufort Imaging Center, and Carolina Forest Imaging Center.

Salary of Radiologic Techs in South Carolina

Data from BLS show that as of 2019, radiology technicians in the state have an annual mean wage of $54,840⁽¹²⁾.

In South Carolina, radiation therapists have an annual mean wage of $97,070. Meanwhile, sonographers have a yearly average pay of $68,800⁽¹³⁾.

Nuclear medicine technologists in the state earn an annual mean salary of $72,870, while MRI technicians have an annual average salary of $61,020⁽¹⁴⁾.

The highest-paid rad techs in South Carolina are in the Charleston area, where radiographers have a yearly average pay of $60,250. In Augusta and Richmond County, rad techs have an annual mean salary of $59,910⁽¹⁵⁾.

Other cities with high wages for rad techs include Charlotte, Concord, and Gastonia⁽¹⁶⁾.

Conclusion

South Carolina has 12 institutions offering JRCERT-accredited radiologic programs⁽¹⁷⁾.

Based on JRCERT’s calculated program effectiveness data, AnMed Health Medical Center, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, and Spartanburg Community College offer the best radiography programs in the state⁽¹⁸⁾.

Radiologic techs in South Carolina earn an annual average pay of $54,840⁽¹⁹⁾. Rad techs receive the highest salary with annual average earnings of $60,250⁽²⁰⁾.

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1. Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Accredited Educational Programs. Retrieved from https://portal.jrcertaccreditation.org/accredited-educational-programs/search
2. Ibid
3. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. Retrieved from https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/geoOcc/Multiple%20occupations%20for%20one%20geographical%20area
4. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics. May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oessrcma.htm
5. JRCERT. Accredited Educational Programs. op. cit.
6. AnMed Health. Medical Education. Radiologic Technology Program. Retrieved from https://anmedhealth.org/education/radiologic-technology-program
7. BestColleges. Radiology Technology. Retrieved from http://www.radiologyschools.com/Faqs/index2.html
8. Radiology Schools 411. Radiology Technologist Schools in South Carolina. Retrieved from https://www.radiologyschools411.com/south-carolina/
9. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. op. cit.
10. Ibid
11. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics. May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. op. cit.
12. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. op. cit.
13. Ibid
14. Ibid
15. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics. May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. op. cit.
16. Ibid
17. JRCERT. Accredited Educational Programs. op. cit.
18. Ibid
19. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics Query System. op. cit.
20. BLS. Occupational Employment Statistics. May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates. op. cit.