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ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification

ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification — Allied Health credential from American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

Researched and maintained by Radiologic & medical imaging certifications desk · Figures last verified August 2026

Verified against American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) sources Applied
Awarded by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
Exam fee $225
Length ~4 hours
Pass mark Passing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report
ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification — quick facts at a glance: requirements, exam format, fees and timeline
ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification — verified snapshot

The short version

What is the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification and is it worth it?

ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification is a professional credential administered by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). It validates job-ready knowledge and skills in the Allied Health field and is used for career entry, advancement, or compliance.

  • Recognized credential from American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
  • Demonstrates verified competence in Allied Health
  • Supports career advancement and may satisfy licensing or employer requirements

What is it?

What exactly is the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification?

ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification — Allied Health credential from American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

Primary certification for nuclear medicine technologists performing diagnostic imaging with radiopharmaceuticals. 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.

About American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT): American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is the awarding organization for the credentials listed on this page. It develops, administers, and maintains professional certification and examination programs within its field. Specific eligibility, fees, and renewal terms vary by individual credential — always confirm on the official program page.

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 Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification?

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

Prerequisites: ARRT-eligible program + clinical requirements

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

The test itself

What is the format of the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification?

The ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification is administered by American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and runs ~4 hours.

Administered byAmerican Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
Questions~200 questions (verify current)
Time limit~4 hours
Pass markPassing score set by the awarding body; see the official score report
Exam fee$225
FormatProctored, computer-based (test center or online remote proctoring)

Content outline

What topics are on the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification?

The ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification covers 4 content domains.

Weightings come from the official exam outline. Study time is best allocated in roughly these proportions rather than evenly across domains.

  • Anatomy & physiology

    Topic area tested on the exam; see the official blueprint for the detailed breakdown.

  • Clinical procedures

    Topic area tested on the exam; see the official blueprint for the detailed breakdown.

  • Patient care & safety

    Topic area tested on the exam; see the official blueprint for the detailed breakdown.

  • Documentation & ethics

    Topic area tested on the exam; see the official blueprint for the detailed breakdown.

The path

How do you register for the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification?

  1. 1

    Visit the awarding body’s official website and create an account

  2. 2

    Select the credential and review its specific requirements

  3. 3

    Complete any required eligibility (education, experience, or training)

  4. 4

    Pay the registration fee

  5. 5

    Schedule the exam at a test center or online

  6. 6

    Take the exam and receive your results

Preparing for it: Exams are delivered through the awarding body and/or authorized test providers such as Pearson VUE or Prometric where applicable.

The fine print

What are the retake and renewal rules for the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology 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?

Nuclear medicine technologists earned a May 2024 BLS median of $97,020, and the ARRT (N) credential is one of the two standard routes into the field.

The salary conclusion for the Nuclear Medicine Technology credential is a strong, modality-specific number: the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook reports a May 2024 median annual wage of $97,020 for SOC 29-2033 Nuclear Medicine Technologists, one of the highest medians in diagnostic imaging, with 20,000 jobs counted in 2024. The BLS classifies by job duty, not by certificate, so the ARRT (N) designation itself does not appear in the wage data — but employers treat R.T.(N) and the NMTCB credential as the standard qualifications for nuclear medicine positions, and hospitals, which employ most nuclear medicine technologists, pay the median or above for candidates holding either credential. The role pays above the broader imaging technologist median because it combines radiation safety responsibility, radiopharmaceutical preparation, and higher patient acuity: nuclear medicine technologists prepare and inject radioactive drugs, operate gamma cameras, SPECT and PET systems, and support patients through diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The BLS projects 3 percent growth from 2024 to 2034 with about 900 openings per year, a slower rate than imaging’s fastest-growing modalities but still positive, and the field is a relatively small one, which means credential holders benefit from a tight workforce. Two caveats anchor the picture: first, as of early 2025 roughly 30 states license or otherwise regulate nuclear medicine technologists, and the ARRT credential and a state license are separate gates, so candidates must check their state board’s requirements; second, the ARRT and NMTCB both certify this field, and a small number of employers or states prefer one over the other, so a candidate should confirm which credential the target market expects before committing to a pathway.

MeasureFigureSource / note
Median annual wage$97,020BLS OOH, Nuclear Medicine Technologists (SOC 29-2033), May 2024
Employment, 202420,000 jobsBLS OOH Quick Facts, 2024
Projected annual openings~900 per yearBLS OOH Job Outlook, 2024-34
Typical settingHospitals first, then physician offices and imaging clinicsBLS OOH Work Environment, 2024

Job growth.BLS projects 3 percent growth for nuclear medicine technologists (2024-2034), about as fast as the average for all occupations, with roughly 900 openings per year from growth plus replacement demand.

Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook - Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Your odds

What are the pass rates?

ARRT reported an 80.0% first-attempt pass rate for the Nuclear Medicine exam in 2024; a scaled score of 75 on a 1-99 scale is the passing standard.

The direct answer on pass rates is unusually well documented: ARRT publishes pass-rate statistics in its Annual Exam Report, and the 2024 report lists an 80.0 percent first-attempt pass rate for Nuclear Medicine Technology, with 580 candidates taking the exam that year, 460 of them first-time test-takers. That means roughly four of every five first-time candidates pass, and the passing standard is a scaled score of 75 on ARRT’s 1-to-99 scale — which is not 75 percent correct: ARRT scales the raw score to equate form difficulty, so the scaled score cannot be converted to a percentage of items correct, and ARRT does not publish a percent-correct equivalent for this exam. The exam itself totals 200 scored items across eight content categories reported in the 2024 exam report: Patient Interactions and Management (24 items), Radiation Physics, Radiobiology and Regulations (25), Instrumentation (33), Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals (28), Cardiac Procedures (25), Endocrine and Oncology Procedures (25), Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Procedures (18), and Other Imaging Procedures (22), with unscored pilot items mixed in and a total appointment of roughly four hours at a Pearson VUE center. The historical record is stable: the report shows first-attempt pass rates in the 78 to 90 percent range across the prior decade, with 2021 at 78 percent, 2022 at 79, 2023 at 82 and 2024 at 80. ARRT allows up to three attempts within three years of the first exam window opening, with a new application and fee required per attempt. The read for a candidate is encouraging but not casual: most first-timers pass, yet the exam is a breadth test weighted across physics, instrumentation and procedures, and candidates who study the categories in proportion to their item counts have the strongest odds.

Read this before quoting the number.Pass-rate figures are ARRT-published and vary by year; confirm the current report on the ARRT website. The scaled passing score of 75 applies to all ARRT exams.

Source: ARRT Annual Exam Report and ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology content specifications

Your schedule

How long should I study for it?

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

An efficient ARRT Nuclear Medicine study plan is 8-10 weeks of about 100-140 total hours, because the exam is a breadth test with 200 scored items spread across patient care, radiation physics and safety, instrumentation, radiopharmaceuticals and clinical procedures, and candidates arrive from JRCNMT-accredited programs with clinical exposure but uneven didactic recall. The published content specifications are the scope map: the eight categories in the current exam report total 200 scored items, and studying the categories in proportion to their item counts is the single highest-yield planning decision. Candidates coming straight from an accredited program should budget the lower end of the range because the content is recent; candidates who graduated earlier, or who are adding the ARRT (N) to an existing imaging career, should budget the upper end because physics and radiopharmacy decay quickly. The eligibility gates should be finished before the study window, not during it: the primary pathway requires completion of an ARRT-recognized educational program in nuclear medicine technology, an associate degree or higher, and compliance with ARRT’s standards of ethics, and once the application is approved you receive a 365-day testing window in which to schedule. The final three weeks should be question-bank and mock-exam work at the real format, because a roughly four-hour appointment with mixed pilot questions rewards rehearsal: two or three full timed mocks build the pacing discipline that a 200-item paper demands, and the physics-and-instrumentation items are the most common place where broad-but-shallow candidates lose points. Candidates considering the NMTCB path should note that the two exams are separate credentials with different outlines and that the ARRT application fee is charged per attempt.

  1. Week 1-230

    Physics, radiobiology and safety

    • Study radiation physics: decay, half-life, interactions, and the properties of radioactive materials
    • Work radiobiology and radiation protection, including NRC regulations, exposure limits and area monitoring
    • Drill instrumentation fundamentals: survey meters, dose calibrators, and scintillation detection systems
  2. Week 3-430

    Instrumentation and image production

    • Cover the gamma camera, SPECT acquisition, PET/CT systems, and data processing
    • Study quality control, artifacts and image formation
    • Work gas and aerosol delivery systems and the equipment used in pulmonary studies
  3. Week 5-635

    Radionuclides, radiopharmaceuticals and procedures

    • Drill radionuclide production, radiopharmaceutical characteristics, preparation and administration, and dose calculation
    • Cover cardiac, endocrine and oncology procedures, then GI, GU and other imaging procedures
    • Work therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and interventional pharmaceuticals
  4. Week 715

    Patient care and eligibility close-out

    • Review patient interactions, education, infection control, medical emergencies and pharmacology
    • Confirm all clinical competencies are documented and the application is approved with a testing window open
    • Take one full timed mock exam
  5. Week 8-1025

    Mocks and readiness

    • Take two more full-length timed mocks scoring above scaled 75
    • Re-drill the miss log until clean, weighted to physics, instrumentation and procedures
    • Confirm Pearson VUE booking, photo ID requirements and the 365-day window deadline

Adjusting the pace

Recent JRCNMT-accredited program graduate.Fastest path; the content is current, so weight time toward question-bank volume and full-length mocks rather than re-reading course material.

Adding ARRT (N) after an existing imaging credential.Budget the upper end and add physics and radiopharmacy review early; instrumentation knowledge transfers well, but nuclear physics and dose preparation usually need a full pass.

Considering the NMTCB path instead.The NMTCB is a separate credential with a different outline and a different exam provider; confirm which credential the target employers and state board expect before choosing.

How to study

How do I prepare most effectively?

The dominant prep strategy for ARRT Nuclear Medicine is studying the content outline in proportion to question weight and drilling a current question bank at volume, because the 200 scored items follow the published category counts and the exam is a breadth test where physics, instrumentation and procedures together carry the majority of the paper. First, download the current ARRT Nuclear Medicine content specifications and use them as the master checklist: score the eight reported categories and allocate study time in the same proportions rather than studying from front to back of a review book, because the 24-item patient-care category does not deserve the same hours as the 33-item instrumentation category. Second, finish the eligibility gates early — completion of an ARRT-recognized educational program, the associate degree, the ethics review, and the clinical competency documentation — because the 365-day testing window starts when the application is approved, and a late application shrinks the time available to study. Third, drill a current question bank — 500 to 1,000 items with explanations — and build a miss log tied to the content outline, because bank rehearsal converts the outline into recall and the explanations fix the physics distinctions the exam tests. Fourth, run at least three full-length timed mocks at the real appointment length, because a roughly four-hour paper with pilot items mixed in rewards pacing rehearsal and candidates who only drill in short blocks mis-pace on the real exam. Fifth, prioritise the clinical procedure content, which is the largest block of items, and study radiopharmacy with the actual drug, dose and imaging-time data, because the preparation-and-administration items reward applied knowledge rather than memorised lists. Finally, book the exam inside the testing window early, so the appointment lands when the miss log is clean rather than when the window forces it.

Study the outline in weight order

Physics and radiobiology (25 items), instrumentation (33), and procedures (115+ items) carry the exam; allocate time proportionally to the published category counts.

Finish eligibility gates early

Complete the ARRT-recognized program, associate degree, ethics review and clinical competency documentation before the study window; the 365-day testing window only starts at application approval.

Drill a current bank with a miss log

500-1,000 items with explanations, tied to the content outline, converts study into recall and fixes the physics and radiopharmacy distinctions.

Run full-length timed mocks

Three mocks at the full appointment length build the pacing the 200-item paper with pilot items demands.

Study procedures and radiopharmacy with real data

The largest block of items rewards applied knowledge of drugs, doses, routes and imaging times, not memorised lists.

What to buy

Which study resources are worth paying for?

ARRT Nuclear Medicine prep resources split into the free official set, current question banks, and the standard reference texts, and the buying logic is dominated by currency: ARRT revised the Nuclear Medicine Technology content specifications with a new revision effective February 1, 2027, so material published for earlier revisions 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 primary eligibility pathway handbook, and the candidate resources on the ARRT website — 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. Steves’ Review of Nuclear Medicine Technology, the industry-standard review text often called the Green Book, runs about $100-150 and is the closest thing to a single ordered reference for the physics and procedures content, and NMTCB or ARRT-oriented apps such as Prepry add mobile drilling volume. 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 nuclear medicine departments pay for or reimburse prep materials because the credential is a condition of the role, so candidates should ask their manager before buying anything, and a cheap readiness check is taking the free sample items ARRT and its vendors publish before purchasing.

ResourcePriceFormatBest for
ARRT content specifications (official)Free (PDF)Official documentThe authoritative scope mapDownload first and tag every miss to its category
ARRT primary eligibility pathway handbookFree (PDF)Official documentEligibility, window and retake rulesRead before applying to avoid a late application
Nuclear Medicine question bank$60-150Online, current items + mocksBank-driven rehearsal at volumeThe core purchase for a 200-item breadth exam
Steves’ Review of Nuclear Medicine Technology~$100-150Print and eBookSingle ordered physics and procedures referenceCandidates wanting a textbook-grade review
Structured review course$200-600Video + live sessionsExternal pacing and instructionCandidates weak in physics or wanting structure
Employer-sponsored prepOften $0 (reimbursed)Department-fundedPaid bank or course through the employerCandidates employed in nuclear medicine

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

Avoid these

What mistakes do candidates most often make?

The most common mistake on the ARRT Nuclear Medicine exam is studying from an outdated review book or bank, because ARRT revised the content specifications with a new revision effective February 1, 2027 and candidates prepared against an older outline meet items that have been re-weighted or replaced; the second is studying the categories in review-book order instead of weight order, which starves the physics, instrumentation and procedures content that carries most of the 200 scored items. A third recurring error is treating the scaled score of 75 as 75 percent correct — candidates who aim for 75 percent over-study the easy patient-care material and under-prepare the hard physics and radiopharmacy items, when ARRT’s scaling means the scaled score is not a percentage and the exam report shows how tightly clustered the scoring profile is. Candidates also routinely underestimate the eligibility timeline, letting the clinical competency documentation and the ethics review run until they collide with the 365-day testing window, which compresses real study time. Another pattern is skipping the full-length mock, so the four-hour appointment with pilot items mixed in surprises them on pacing. Finally, some candidates ignore the image-based and instrument-reading items and study from text alone, losing the scan, spectrum and equipment questions that reward visual recognition. Each of these is fixable in one deliberate cycle, and the common thread is that the exam is broad enough that weight-ordered, bank-driven preparation beats reading a textbook cover to cover, and candidates who map every practice miss back to the published category list find that a small set of recurring gaps explains most of their lost points.

✕Studying a pre-revision outline or review book

✓Download the current ARRT Nuclear Medicine content specifications and buy material published for the current revision; currency is the top predictor of a pass.

✕Studying in review-book order

✓Allocate time by question weight: physics and radiobiology, instrumentation, and procedures first, then patient care.

✕Aiming for 75 percent correct

✓Understand that the scaled score of 75 is not a percentage of items correct; target mastery of the weighted categories instead.

✕Letting eligibility gates run late

✓Complete the program, degree, ethics review and clinical competencies before the study window; the 365-day testing window only starts at application approval.

✕Skipping full-length mocks

✓Run at least three timed mocks at the full appointment length; the pilot items and four-hour paper reward pacing rehearsal.

✕Studying text without the image-based items

✓Drill scan, spectrum and instrument-reading items with images; the visual-recognition questions are a large share of the paper.

What you'll face

What question types will I see?

The ARRT Nuclear Medicine exam is 200 scored items plus unscored pilot questions delivered by computer at Pearson VUE centers, in a roughly four-hour appointment, and the published format is four-option, single-best-answer multiple choice with a small share of alternative formats such as hot-spot image items and multiple-select items. The scored content follows the eight categories reported in the ARRT Annual Exam Report: Patient Interactions and Management (24 items), Radiation Physics, Radiobiology and Regulations (25), Instrumentation (33), Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals (28), Cardiac Procedures (25), Endocrine and Oncology Procedures (25), Gastrointestinal and Genitourinary Procedures (18), and Other Imaging Procedures (22). The exam includes image-based items in which candidates identify anatomy on a scan, interpret a spectrum or recognise an artifact on an instrument display, which is why studying with images matters. The physics and instrumentation layer is the part of the paper most likely to separate candidates: dose-calibrator readings, decay calculations, quality-control results and equipment faults reward applied knowledge rather than memorised lists. The procedure items are the largest block and reward knowing which radiopharmaceutical, dose, route and imaging sequence belong to each clinical study, so candidates should study radiopharmacy with the actual drug-and-dose data rather than as abstract theory. Because the pilot questions are indistinguishable from scored ones, every item must be treated as live, and because the appointment runs about four hours, pacing rehearsal at the full length is part of exam preparation rather than an optional extra. The samples below illustrate the published item style across three of the categories — a safety item, an instrumentation item and a procedure item — with four options each. The sample items are editor-written illustrations of the published blueprint, not live exam items.

Single-best-answer multiple choiceThe large majority of scored items

Four options per item; the dominant format across all eight categories.

Image-based and hot-spot itemsSubset across instrumentation and procedures

Identify anatomy on a scan, interpret a spectrum, or locate a finding on an image; rewards atlas and image study.

Calculation itemsWithin physics, safety and radiopharmacy

Dose, decay and activity calculations with the constants supplied; arithmetic discipline matters because there is no letter pattern to lean on.

Try these

Q1A technologist is preparing a dose of a radiopharmaceutical for a patient and discovers that the dose calibrator reading is inconsistent with the expected activity. What is the appropriate first action?
  • A. Administer the dose anyway and document the discrepancy after the study
  • B. Repeat the reading, check the calibrator constancy and background, and resolve the discrepancy before any administration
  • C. Double the volume of the vial to compensate for the reading
  • D. Discard the radiopharmaceutical and end the procedure without notifying anyone

Answer:B

An inconsistent dose-calibrator reading is a patient-safety and regulatory issue, and the correct action is to verify the reading — repeating the measurement, checking calibrator constancy and background, and resolving the discrepancy before anything is administered (B). A administers an unverified dose, which violates the radiation-safety and patient-care principles the exam tests. C changes the administered volume without a dose calculation, which is unsafe. D discards the material and ends the procedure without notification, which is neither proportionate nor professional. This item tests the Safety and Patient Interactions layer: the correct response protects the patient, follows quality-control practice, and never administers an unverified dose.

Q2Which instrument is used to measure the activity of a dose of a radiopharmaceutical immediately before it is administered to a patient?
  • A. A dose calibrator
  • B. A survey meter
  • C. A gamma camera
  • D. A personal dosimeter

Answer:A

The dose calibrator is the ionization-chamber instrument used to measure the activity of a prepared radiopharmaceutical dose immediately before administration (A). A survey meter (B) measures ambient contamination and exposure rates in the environment, not a prepared dose. A gamma camera (C) forms images, not activity measurements of a dose. A personal dosimeter (D) measures the wearer’s accumulated exposure, not dose activity. This item tests the Instrumentation category: knowing which instrument does which job is exactly the applied-equipment knowledge the exam rewards.

Q3A stress-rest myocardial perfusion study is ordered for a patient with suspected coronary artery disease. Which radiopharmaceutical is most commonly used for the perfusion images?
  • A. Technetium-99m sestamibi
  • B. Iodine-131 sodium iodide
  • C. Technetium-99m sulfur colloid
  • D. Fluorine-18 FDG

Answer:A

Technetium-99m sestamibi is the standard agent for myocardial perfusion imaging, taken up by myocardium in proportion to blood flow and used for both the stress and rest phases of the study (A). Iodine-131 sodium iodide (B) is used for thyroid uptake and therapy, not perfusion imaging. Technetium-99m sulfur colloid (C) is used for liver-spleen and lymphatic studies, not cardiac perfusion. Fluorine-18 FDG (D) is a PET agent used for viability and oncology imaging, not the routine perfusion study. This item tests the Procedures category, and the distinction between agents and their clinical uses is a recurring item pattern on the paper.

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

The big day

What should I expect on exam day?

The ARRT Nuclear Medicine exam is a computer-based appointment at a Pearson VUE testing center, and the direct exam-day answer is that you will sit roughly 200 scored items plus unscored pilot questions in a total appointment of about four hours, including tutorial, nondisclosure agreement and survey time, and a scaled score of 75 on the 1-99 scale is required to pass. Arrive with two forms of government-issued photo ID, because Pearson VUE enforces the two-ID rule strictly; check your ARRT Candidate Status Report and the center’s booking confirmation for any additional instructions. The appointment begins with a tutorial and the nondisclosure agreement, then the clock starts on the test items, with the pilot items indistinguishable from scored ones — answer every question as if it counts. Expect the environment to be quiet and proctored with a visible countdown clock; pace yourself so the physics and instrumentation items, which run longer, do not crowd the procedure items at the end. There are no scheduled breaks, and the exam cannot be paused, so the full-length mock discipline matters. A preliminary score appears on screen immediately after submission, with the official report following through the ARRT account within about two to four weeks; pass results feed the annual renewal cycle ($65 per credential as of 2026) and the 24-CEU biennial obligation shared across ARRT credentials. If you do not pass, you may reapply — each attempt requires a new application and the $225 initial fee, with a maximum of three attempts within three years, and the 365-day testing window resets with each new Authorization to Test.

Bring

  • Two forms of government-issued photo ID
  • ARRT Candidate Status Report and booking confirmation
  • Approved glasses or hearing aids if used
  • Snacks for before the appointment (not in the test room)

Leave at home

  • Phone, smartwatch, and other electronics (stored per center rules)
  • Study materials and notes
  • Scratch paper from home (the center supplies its own)
  • Any item on the Pearson VUE prohibited list

How the day runs

15-30 min beforeArrive, present two IDs, sign in, and store personal items in a locker
0-20 minComplete the tutorial and the ARRT nondisclosure agreement
0-210 minWork the items; pilot questions are mixed in — answer everything as if it counts
Immediately afterPreliminary score on screen; official report within ~2-4 weeks via the ARRT account

Rules in the room

  • Two forms of government-issued photo ID required
  • No scheduled breaks; the test clock runs continuously
  • No personal electronics in the test room
  • Answer every item; pilot questions are indistinguishable from scored ones

Afterwards.A passing scaled score of 75 certifies the R.T.(N) designation. Maintain it with the $65 annual renewal and 24 CEUs per biennium (shared across ARRT credentials), plus the ten-year Continuing Qualifications Requirements. If you fail, you may reapply with a new application and fee, up to three attempts within three years.

Reference

What are the key facts about the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification?

ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology 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 8-12 weeks; holders typically earn $75,000-$120,000 (29-2033 median $97,020).

CredentialARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification
AbbreviationNM
TypeCertification
ProfessionAllied Health & Medical Support
SpecialtyMedical Imaging
Awarded byAmerican Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
DifficultyApplied
Typical prep time100-140 hours over 8-12 weeks
All-in cost$225 (application fee)
Typical salary range$75,000-$120,000 (29-2033 median $97,020)
CredentialARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification
Awarding bodyAmerican Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
Exam formatProctored, computer-based
ValidityAnnual $65 renewal + 24 CEUs per biennium
LanguagesVaries — see awarding body
ScopeNational / Multi-state

Real questions

Frequently asked questions about the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification

How do I register for the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification exam?

Register through American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)'s official portal or an authorized test provider (e.g., Pearson VUE or Prometric where applicable). Create an account, select the exam, pay the fee, and schedule a date.

How much does the exam cost?

Fees vary by location and currency. Confirm the current fee on the official registration page before scheduling.

How long is the credential valid, and how do I renew?

Validity varies by credential (commonly 2–3 years). Renewal usually requires continuing education or a recertification exam — see American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)'s policy.

What if I do not pass?

Most bodies allow retakes after a waiting period and payment of the full or partial fee. Check American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)'s retake policy before rescheduling.

How do I register for a American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) credential?

Register through the official website, select your exam, pay the fee, and schedule a date.

How do I renew a credential?

Renewal policies vary by credential; check the specific program page for requirements and cycles.

In short

Is the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification worth it?

  • ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology 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.

Same awarding body

What other credentials does American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) award?

Worth comparing

How does the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification compare with similar credentials?

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

How this guide is maintained

Radiologic & medical imaging certifications desk

The ARRT Nuclear Medicine exam structure (question count, time, scoring) is drawn from the ARRT Examination Content Specifications and the ARRT Annual Exam Report, which are updated on a published revision cycle. Wage figures come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook occupation pages named by SOC code (May 2024). Where ARRT or BLS does not publish a figure, we say so plainly rather than estimating.

Reviewed against the ARRT Nuclear Medicine Technology content specifications (current revision effective February 1, 2027) and the ARRT Annual Exam Report pass-rate data (2024). Every fee, score and deadline on this page was checked against the primary sources cited above in August 2026. Exam boards change these without notice — confirm anything you are about to pay for on the official site.