ARRT Computed Tomography Certification

What is it?

What exactly is the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification?

ARRT Computed Tomography Certification — Allied Health credential from American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

Post-primary certification for technologists performing computed tomography imaging. Offered by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), it is designed for candidates who need to demonstrate verified competence in the Allied Health field. The credential is commonly used for career entry, advancement, regulatory compliance, or employer requirements. Candidates should review the official handbook for eligibility, exam format, and scoring before registering.

The path in brief

1. Confirm you meet any eligibility or prerequisites
2. Review the official handbook and study materials
3. Register and pay through the awarding body or authorized provider
4. Schedule and take the exam (test center or online proctoring)
5. Receive your score and, if passed, your credential

Before you book

Who is eligible to sit the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification?

Eligibility varies; many credentials are open to all, while others require coursework, work experience, or sponsorship.

Who it is for: Professionals and candidates seeking to validate Allied Health competence.

The test itself

What is the format of the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification?

The ARRT Computed Tomography Certification is administered by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and runs 3.5 hours and contains 195 items (165 scored) questions.

The fine print

What are the retake and renewal rules for the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification?

Proctoring & delivery

Proctored, computer-based delivery (test center or remote online proctoring), varying by exam.

Retake policy

Varies by credential — most bodies permit retakes after a waiting period and full or partial fee.

Score reporting

Scores are reported per the body’s timeline, typically electronically after the exam.

Recertification

Varies; many credentials require renewal every 2–3 years via continuing education or a recertification exam.

What it pays

How much does this credential pay?

Radiologic technologists earned a May 2024 BLS median of $77,660, and the CT credential is the standard path to higher-paying imaging roles.

The salary conclusion for the CT credential is a clear step-up story: the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $77,660 for SOC 29-2034 Radiologic and MRI Technologists, with the lowest 10 percent earning below $52,360 and the highest 10 percent above $106,990. The BLS classifies by job duty, not by certificate, so the CT designation itself does not appear in the wage data — but employers treat R.T.(R)(CT) as the standard qualification for computed-tomography positions, and CT technologists consistently land above the radiography median because the modality carries higher acuity, more on-call work, and greater technical responsibility. Outpatient imaging centers, specialty hospitals, and trauma centers pay a premium over the median, and cross-training from radiography into CT is one of the most common and cheapest career moves in imaging: the eligibility path requires an existing ARRT primary credential, 16 hours of structured education, and 125 documented CT procedures, so an employed radiographer can often earn the CT credential while working. The BLS projects about 4 percent growth for radiologic and MRI technologists from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 10,800 openings per year driven by replacement demand as the workforce ages and by rising imaging volume in an aging population. Two caveats anchor the picture: first, more than 75 percent of states license radiologic technologists separately, so the ARRT credential and a state license are different gates and candidates must check their state board; second, the earnings premium depends on the employer — a rural clinic may pay flat across modalities, while a metropolitan trauma center will not. For a candidate asking whether the CT credential pays, the direct answer is yes, modestly but reliably, and it is the least expensive specialization to add after an existing primary credential.

Job growth.BLS projects about 4 percent growth for radiologic and MRI technologists (2024-2034), with roughly 10,800 openings per year from growth plus replacement demand.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook - Radiologic and MRI Technologists

Your schedule

How long should I study for it?

100-140 hours over 8-10 weeks of focused study

An efficient ARRT CT study plan is 8-10 weeks of about 100-140 total hours, because the exam is a breadth test with the weight concentrated in Procedures (43%) and Image Production (31.5%), and candidates who already hold a radiography primary credential arrive with most of the patient-care and safety fundamentals already in place. The published content specifications are the scope map: 165 scored questions across four categories, and studying the categories in proportion to their question counts is the single highest-yield planning decision. Candidates coming from radiography should budget the lower end of the range because CT-specific physics and procedure material builds on existing knowledge; candidates crossing from nuclear medicine or radiation therapy should budget the upper end because CT anatomy and image-production content is less familiar. The structured-education requirement (16 hours in patient care, safety, image production, and procedures) can double as the first four weeks of the study plan if it is completed through courses that track the content outline. The clinical requirement — 125 documented procedures across the ARRT category list — should be finished before the study window, because competency documentation is the gate to scheduling and candidates who let it run late compress their study time. The final three weeks should be question-bank and mock-exam work at the real format, because the 195-item appointment with mixed pilot questions rewards rehearsal: two or three full timed mock exams at 180 minutes build the pacing discipline that the clustered scoring rewards.

1. Week 1-230

   Physics and image production

   • Study CT physics: x-ray production, pitch, kVp, mAs, slice thickness
   • Work reconstruction: filtered back-projection vs iterative
   • Cover image quality: artifacts, noise, contrast resolution
2. Week 3-545

   Procedures and anatomy

   • Drill cross-sectional anatomy by body region (head, chest, abdomen, pelvis)
   • Study protocols: contrast timing, scan delays, positioning
   • Cover pathology and indications for each region
3. Week 615

   Patient care and safety

   • Review contrast administration, adverse reactions, renal function checks
   • Study radiation safety, dose optimization, shielding
   • Complete remaining structured-education categories if needed
4. Week 7-825

   Question-bank drilling

   • Drill 500-1,000 items from a current CT bank
   • Log every miss and re-read the associated content outline topic
   • Take one full 195-item timed mock
5. Week 9-1025

   Mocks and readiness

   • Take two more full-length timed mocks scoring above 75 scaled
   • Re-drill the miss log until clean
   • Confirm Pearson VUE booking and photo ID requirements

What to buy

Which study resources are worth paying for?

ARRT CT prep resources split into the free official set, current question banks, and structured courses, and the buying logic is dominated by currency: ARRT revised the CT content specifications effective September 2026, so material published before that revision risks testing candidates against an outdated outline, and the first purchase rule is to verify the edition matches the current blueprint. The free ARRT stack — the content specifications document, the ARRT CT handbook of prerequisites, and the ARRT website’s candidate resources — covers the scope definition completely at zero cost and should anchor every plan. The paid question bank is the standard purchase, with prices typically $60-150 for a subscription that includes explanations, image items, and mock exams; the bank is the closest thing to the real item style and the miss-log workflow depends on it. Structured courses and live review workshops run $200-600 and add video instruction and pacing, which helps candidates who want external structure or who are weak in physics. The footnote that anchors the comparison: prices below are list prices as of mid-2026 and change frequently, and we rank nothing by commission. Employers are the hidden variable: many imaging departments pay for or reimburse CT prep materials because the credential reduces their cross-training cost, so candidates should ask their manager before buying anything. A cheap readiness check is taking the free sample items ARRT and its vendors publish before purchasing, because radiographers with recent clinical CT exposure often score higher than expected and need only the bank, not the course. Candidates should also note that the $225 application fee is per attempt and that the 24-CEU biennial renewal obligation applies to the primary credential, so the CT designation adds maintenance but not a second CE bill.

List prices as of mid-2026 and change frequently; we rank nothing by commission. Verify that any paid material matches the current ARRT CT content specification revision before purchase.

What you'll face

What question types will I see?

The ARRT CT exam is 195 items total (165 scored plus 30 unscored pilot questions) delivered by computer at Pearson VUE centers, and the published format is four-option, single-best-answer multiple choice — ARRT’s current CT blueprint does not use multi-select, ordering, or fill-in-the-blank items. The scored content follows the four categories: Procedures (71 items), Image Production (52 items), Patient Care (21 items), and Safety (21 items), and the exam includes image-based items in which candidates identify anatomy on a scan or interpret a clip, which is why studying with images matters. The samples below illustrate the published item style across three of the four categories — a safety item, an image-production item, and a procedure item — with four options each. The sample items are editor-written illustrations of the published blueprint, not live exam items.

Samples are editor-written illustrations of the published blueprint, not live exam items.

Reference

What are the key facts about the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification?

ARRT Computed Tomography Certification is a certification credential; awarded by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT); the exam fee is $225; typical preparation is 100-140 hours over 8-10 weeks; holders typically earn $52,000-$107,000 (29-2034 median $77,660).

In short

Is the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification worth it?

• ARRT Computed Tomography Certification is awarded by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
• Validates job-ready competence in Allied Health.
• Registration is through the awarding body or an authorized test provider.
• Renewal and retake policies vary — confirm before scheduling.

Worth comparing

How does the ARRT Computed Tomography Certification compare with similar credentials?

• ARRT Radiography Certification American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
• ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
• ARRT Radiation Therapy Certification American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
• ARRT Magnetic Resonance Imaging Certification American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
• ARRT Sonography Certification American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

Trust

Where does this information come from?

Everything above is taken from the awarding body's own published material. Fees, question counts and domain weights are revised regularly — check the official page before you pay.

Research confidence: low · Last reviewed 2026-08