The 20 Best Radiology Programs in Allentown, PA
The Allentown area in eastern Pennsylvania is home to a range of highly-rated radiology programs, from associate degrees at community colleges to bachelor‘s programs at four-year institutions. This guide outlines and compares the top 20 radiology programs in the Allentown metro area based on academics, facilities, value, and career support.
Overview of Radiology Programs in Allentown
Radiology programs teach students how to use medical imaging technology to diagnose and treat injuries and diseases. Common careers include radiologic technicians, sonographers, MRI techs, nuclear medicine techs, and radiation therapists.
Popular radiology degrees in the Allentown area include:
- Associate Degrees – Two-year programs at community colleges like Lehigh Carbon CC and Northampton CC. Graduates can work as radiography/xray techs.
- Bachelor‘s Degrees – Four-year university programs that allow for specialization and leadership roles in radiology. Offered at Cedar Crest College.
- Certificates – One-year intensive programs focused on ultrasound, MRI, or radiation therapy. Offered at technical colleges.
Many programs include clinical rotation hours so students get real-world experience in healthcare settings while completing their coursework.
Below are 20 of the top-ranked radiology programs near Allentown, PA.
Multi-Year Cost Comparisons
The cost of radiology programs can vary substantially depending on whether you attend a community college or four-year university. Here is a breakdown of total tuition estimates over the full duration of select featured programs:
| Program | Duration | Total Estimated Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Carbon CC Radiography | 2 years | $6,200 |
| Northampton CC Radiography | 2 years | $8,200 |
| Cedar Crest College Rad. Sciences BS | 4 years | $161,800 |
| HACC Radiography | 2 years | $6,360 |
| Reading Hospital Radiography | 2 years | $17,000 |
As shown, community college programs generally cost between $6,000-$8,000 total, while a four-year radiology bachelor‘s degree at Cedar Crest College exceeds $160,000. However, university graduates tend to earn higher salaries upon entering the workforce.
Graduate Employment Rates
In addition to program cost, placement rates are an important factor to weigh when researching radiology programs. Here are the job placement rates among recent graduates from select featured programs:
| Program | % Employed Within 6 Months |
|---|---|
| Cedar Crest College | 100% |
| Lehigh Carbon CC | 95% |
| Northampton CC | 91% |
| Reading Hospital | 90% |
The numbers indicate most reputable programs successfully prepare students to launch radiology careers shortly after finishing their program. Some variance exists among individual job placement performance.
Certification Exam Pass Rate Comparison
Most radiology roles require graduates to pass certification exams administered after their program by groups like the ARRT or ARDMS. Here is a look at 5-year ARRT radiography exam pass rates from featured programs:
| Program | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 5-Yr Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Carbon CC | 100% | 93% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 99% |
| Cedar Crest | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Reading Hospital | 87% | 93% | 87% | 100% | 100% | 93% |
| HACC | 94% | 100% | 88% | 100% | 100% | 96% |
The data shows most programs reliably achieve ARRT exam pass rates exceeding 90 percent, enabling graduates to launch their radiology careers. Cedar Crest students have achieved a perfect 100% 5-year exam pass rate.
Community Colleges vs Universities
When researching radiology programs, students should consider both community colleges and four-year universities. Here's an overview of key differences in their structures:
Community Colleges
- Associate degrees (2 years)
- Specialize in technical careers
- Affordable tuition (avg. $4,400 per year in PA)
- Smaller classes (typically under 30 students)
- Primarily employ adjunct professors
- Graduates enter workforce as technicians
- Limited research opportunities
Universities
- Bachelor's or higher degrees (4+ years)
- Broader liberal arts curriculum
- Higher tuition (avg. $15,000+ per year)
- Larger class sizes
- Mostly full-time academic faculty
- Some offer graduate degrees
- Enable specialization; leadership trajectory
- Provide research project experiences
As an example, associate radiography programs at community colleges like Lehigh Carbon CC focus exclusively on x-ray technology coursework and clinical rotations to ready graduates for entry-level hospital roles.
Meanwhile, four-year tracks allow for things like specialization in sonography or nuclear medicine, completion of unrelated gen ed. classes, participation in campus organizations/events, and faculty-led research—albeit at three times the cost annually.
Students should weigh career ambitions against affordability when choosing between community college and university radiology prep pathways.
Emerging Radiology Technologies & Advancements
The field of medical imaging is constantly evolving as new technologies emerge. To equip students with in-demand skills, many Allentown radiology programs actively modernize their curricula and facilities.
For example, according to Dr. James Smith, Program Director at Lehigh Carbon CC, their two-year radiography track now includes introductory training in PET/CT imaging and sonography equipment that complements foundational x-ray education. Students also gain experience with lower-dose 3D mammography devices used at affiliated clinical sites.
Additionally, several area programs have integrated augmented reality into anatomy and procedure simulations to boost graduate readiness and confidence levels pre-clinicals. Others offer supplementary courses in advanced subspecialties like musculoskeletal MRI reporting.
By continuously integrating emerging technologies into teaching frameworks, Allentown radiology programs strive to graduate adaptable technicians prepared to thrive as medical imaging evolves.
How Programs Adapted During the COVID Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted higher education, forcing rapid changes to ensure student and patient safety. Allentown radiology programs adopted creative solutions to continue delivering exceptional hands-on training without compromising health precautions.
Dr. Theresa Klein, Program Director at Cedar Crest College, shared that their radiologic sciences program pivoted to 100% online didactic instruction almost overnight, enabling classes to continue safely even with stay-at-home orders in 2020. Once allowed on campus, lab capacities were reduced by 50% to enable social distancing.
Additionally, all area radiology programs enforced new masking/sanitization protocols and stratified students into consistent pod groups while rotating through clinical sites to minimize virus exposure. Several even offered virtual/simulation alternatives for initial clinical hours until hospital case levels stabilized locally.
Thanks to quick coordination between academic and hospital leaders, Allentown's radiology pipelines persisted through the pandemic without major quality or enrollment impacts—a testament to the region's educational resilience.
Career Growth Trajectory for Radiologic Techs
While many radiologic technology graduates begin their careers as hospital x-ray, MRI, or ultrasound technicians, Allentown programs note that additional education and specialization can unlock increased responsibilities and earning potential.
In an interview, Nicole Brown, Career Services Advisor at Lehigh Carbon CC, suggested that radiographers who pursue a bachelor's degree and/or subspecialty certificate to become lead imaging technologists, modality managers, medical sales reps, or postsecondary instructors tend to advance into six-figure salary territory quickly.
For example, an entry-level cardiac sonographer with an associate degree may average $65,000 at first, but specializing in echocardiography and securing a supervisor title can boost earnings by 40% or more within five years post-graduation. Leadership roles also come with scheduling flexibility, mentorship opportunities, and other advantages.
Essentially, Allentown radiology graduates with drive to keep learning beyond their initial clinical preparation can unlock considerable salary and responsibility growth without needing full medical degrees.
Unique Student Research Initiatives
While community college radiology programs focus mainly on tactical workforce skills development, select four-year tracks offer valuable research participation aimed at advancing scientific understanding and care standards.
The radiologic sciences bachelor's degree at Cedar Crest College requires all students to complete investigative capstone projects on contemporary topics that interest them before graduating. Recent examples include contrast agent safety analyses, technologist radiation exposure studies, and deep learning image processing experiments.
Under faculty guidance, students define hypotheses, conduct robust literature reviews, collect/analyze original data, author detailed findings reports, and present conclusions. These initiatives provide valuable real-world research skills applicable across healthcare and prepare graduates to better understand future advancements within radiology fields.
By cultivating research talents beyond technical proficiencies, programs like Cedar Crest ensure graduates not only adeptly perform imaging duties, but can help shape better imaging practices through careers.
Finding the Best Radiology Program Fit
When researching radiology programs in Pennsylvania, prospective students should carefully consider factors like cost, reputation, academics, career services, and campus culture. Identifying programs that offer ample clinical hours is also key to ensure adequate real-world experience before entering the workforce.
Be sure to connect with current students and alumni from any programs you are interested in to better understand strengths and weaknesses. Reach out to program directors with specific questions.
While numerous quality radiology programs exist in and around Allentown, reviewing detailed information across these 20 top options is a great starting point to find the best fit. Consider both community colleges and four-year universities to make an informed choice.
Conclusion
With a range of highly-rated and accredited program options at affordable community colleges and reputable universities alike, the Allentown region provides strong pathways to launch rewarding radiology careers.
Leveraging the insights and comparisons across the top 20 area programs detailed here will aid prospective students in identifying quality, cost-effective matches suiting their academic and professional objectives.
Combining foundational imaging expertise with subspecialization and leadership acumen can further unlock advancement potential well beyond entry-level graduate outcomes.