How To Become A Radiology Nurse

Time to become: two to four years. Degree required: ADN or BSN. Certification: certified radiology nurse (optional).

Radiology nurses specialize in radiation therapy and diagnostic imaging. Demand for imaging and radiation therapy keeps growing, and the American College of Radiology points to an ongoing shortage of radiology specialists.

What a Radiology Nurse Does

A radiology nurse is an RN who cares for patients undergoing radiation therapy for cancer. Before procedures, they answer questions and address concerns. During and after, they monitor patients.

They also care for patients getting MRIs, X-rays, ultrasounds, and other diagnostic imaging, operating equipment, administering IV contrast dyes, and monitoring patients throughout. As part of the radiology team, they follow safety protocols around imaging equipment and collaborate closely with radiologists and radiologic technologists, so strong communication skills matter.

Steps to Becoming a Radiology Nurse

Radiology nurses need an RN license plus a mix of education and experience. Certification adds value.

1. Earn an ADN or BSN from an accredited program. Accredited nursing school prepares you for RN licensure. An ADN takes about two years; a BSN takes four. Clinical training builds your patient care skills.
2. Pass the NCLEX-RN for RN licensure. With your degree, you meet the education requirement. Pass the NCLEX, then apply for your RN license through your state board, since requirements vary by state.
3. Gain experience. After licensure, build hospital or acute care experience in settings like med-surg, critical care, or the emergency department. With one to two years of experience, you can move into radiology nursing.
4. Consider certification. You do not need certification to work in radiology, but it demonstrates expertise to employers and can mean more opportunities and higher pay. The Radiologic Nursing Certification Board offers the certified radiology nurse (CRN) credential.

Education

Radiology nurses need an RN license, which requires at least two years of nursing school. A BSN helps, though. As of 2022, 72% of employers strongly preferred to hire BSN-prepared nurses, per the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

ADN

An ADN is the fastest route to RN licensure, meeting NCLEX and licensure eligibility in every state. Students complete coursework and supervised clinicals.

• Admission: High school diploma or equivalent
• Curriculum: Nursing fundamentals, pathophysiology, health promotion, evidence-based practice, pharmacology
• Time to complete: Two years
• Skills: Patient care, health assessment, medication management, patient safety, communication

BSN

A BSN strengthens clinical decision-making and patient care. Beyond ADN coursework, it covers nursing theory and ethics, community health, research, leadership, and management. RNs with an ADN can advance through an RN-to-BSN program. Those holding a non-nursing bachelor's can earn an accelerated, second-degree BSN.

• Admission: High school diploma or equivalent
• Curriculum: Population health, advanced health assessment, nursing theory, evidence-based practice, research, leadership
• Time to complete: Four years
• Skills: Health assessment, care planning, leadership, critical thinking, communication

Licensure and Certification

You need an active, unencumbered RN license. After passing the NCLEX-RN, meet your state's renewal requirements, which typically include a minimum number of continuing education hours through online classes, webinars, conferences, or other courses.

For the CRN credential through the Radiologic Nursing Certification Board, you need an active RN license and at least 2,000 hours of radiology RN experience within the past three years, plus 30 radiology nursing contact hours within two years of taking the exam.

Working as a Radiology Nurse

Radiology nurses work in hospitals, ambulatory care centers, physician practices, and other settings that provide imaging and radiation therapy. Typical duties include administering sedation, barium enemas, and contrast dyes.

The work shifts by setting. In diagnostics, you provide care before, during, and after procedures like biopsies and CT scans. Specialty diagnostics, such as OB/GYN ultrasounds, may call for supporting patients with pregnancy complications. Patient teaching runs through all of it.

After an ADN or BSN, look for roles that involve diagnostic imaging, including hospitals and physician practices like sports medicine clinics. Radiology nurse salaries range from $46,000 to $165,000, with an average hourly rate of $32.85 as of December 2025, per Payscale.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a radiology nurse? An RN who cares for patients undergoing radiation therapy or diagnostic imaging like CT scans and MRIs. Those who hold the credential are called certified radiology nurses.

How do you become one? Earn an RN license and build one to two years of experience. You can practice with an ADN, though a BSN helps you move into the specialty.

What experience helps? Critical care, emergency medicine, or med-surg nursing, plus general bedside experience. After 2,000 hours as a radiology nurse, you can pursue CRN certification.

What do radiology nurses earn? An average hourly rate of $32.85, per Payscale. Experience and CRN certification raise your earning potential.