Colorado Radiologic Technologist Jobs? Any other schools in Colorado?

I have a couple questions:

1) Does anyone know what the job market is like for radiologic technologists in Colorado? I've read a ton of posts, and they say the market is flooded and it depends on the area, but no one mentioned Colorado.

2) I've only found 4 schools in the Denver area. One only gives a certificate. Another (Red Rocks Community) has about a 2 year waiting list. The other 2, Pima and Concorde, are supposed to be expensive. Does anyone know of any other schools in the Metro Denver Area?

Thanks for the input. It's very appreciated!

Don't bother. The market IS flooded. My husband attended Concorde (very, very expensive) because of Red Rocks waiting list (2 years wait...and that was 2 years ago). No he can't find a job at all. There are NO radiologic technologist positions in or around Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins...really anywhere in Colorado. Now, we are in debt up to our ears from schooling and no job.

The market is flooded but Rad Tech still have jobs. The market actually is not flooded, hospitals still need Rad Techs but many of them have to freeze up on hiring due to this bad economic. Many people have lost their jobs and don't have health insurance, and they only go to the hospital if it's only absolutely an emergency. I have known a several senior year student in Rad Tech already have a job offering at this point (before taking their registry). Do not be discourage. It is not easy to find job out there for anyone except nurses. More importantly, you need to look for a Rad Tech school that is being accredited by JRCERT else it's going to be hard to find a job. Like I said in other posts, if you want this job bad enough, not just because of the good pay, you will work your butt off in clinic and you will get an offer before you even graduate.
Good luck

the girl from texas is contradicting herself 1st she says the market is flooded then she says no actually its not...which is it?! another villiage in texas looking for its idiot...anyway, i have been registered as aradiologic tech. for 7 years now and the market is very flooded, techs that have jobs feel blessed, and students coming into programs in our area have been warned about the grim outlook for profession, but they continue to enroll, there are roughly 289,000 x-ray techs versus several million nurses, we are a small group that is a growing community while positions in our field are not...do not waste your time or money!

Recent Red Rocks grad here, and it's slim pickins' in the Denver area. There have been several jobs posted but so far I am just collecting thanks for applying emails. Anyone have any ideas on how to get a leg up? Some techs have said " Set up a meeting with HR and take them your resume and say hello" , That strategy doesn't work right now because HR just says we only accept resumes online and for only open positions. Sure it's frustrating to work hard to get into Red Rocks and then bust a** for two years and then be released into a market with no jobs but, it's just the next challenge and I am hopefull that oportunities will arise.

Why does everyone have such a hard time with this. It is a simple supply and demand situation. There used to be a huge supply for techs so we overcompensated and made too many. Now there are next to no jobs for new grads. The market in x-ray is not going to get better anytime soon. People have to quit going to school for awhile, new grads by and large are unemployed.

Why does everyone have such a hard time with this. It is a simple supply and demand situation. There used to be a huge demand for techs so we overcompensated with supply and made too many. Now there are next to no jobs for new grads. The market in x-ray is not going to get better anytime soon. People have to quit going to school for awhile, new grads by and large are unemployed.

I had to amend my post. :)

TryingToDecide said: I have a couple questions:

1) Does anyone know what the job market is like for radiologic technologists in Colorado? I've read a ton of posts, and they say the market is flooded and it depends on the area, but no one mentioned Colorado.

2) I've only found 4 schools in the Denver area. One only gives a certificate. Another (Red Rocks Community) has about a 2 year waiting list. The other 2, Pima and Concorde, are supposed to be expensive. Does anyone know of any other schools in the Metro Denver Area?

Thanks for the input. It's very appreciated!

Yes there is Community College of Denver in Aurora

TryingToDecide said: I have a couple questions:

1) Does anyone know what the job market is like for radiologic technologists in Colorado? I've read a ton of posts, and they say the market is flooded and it depends on the area, but no one mentioned Colorado.

2) I've only found 4 schools in the Denver area. One only gives a certificate. Another (Red Rocks Community) has about a 2 year waiting list. The other 2, Pima and Concorde, are supposed to be expensive. Does anyone know of any other schools in the Metro Denver Area?

Thanks for the input. It's very appreciated!

Ive looked every where in denver for a radiology school and i found that the community college of denver downtown on the auraria campus has an accredited radiologic technology program. you will receive and associates degree and then get registered for your final exam with aart to become licensed.

Ive looked every where in denver for a radiology school and i found that the community college of denver downtown on the auraria campus has an accredited radiologic technology program. you will receive and associates degree and then get registered for your final exam with aart to become licensed.

Just so you know there are basically no jobs for entry level x-ray techs.

I graduated five years ago and worked for three before i was let go. There are no jobs anywhere, i have the trauma and ct experience but no one is hiring. The only solution is this: shut down all schools NOW. The market is flooded and has been for three years.

There are 5 certification programs in Colorado, 4 in the Denver area per Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technolog (www.jrcert.org). 2 are junior colleges (including Red Rocks), 1 is 'private' school and expensive, and 4th is through St. Anthony's Hospital. My son just graduated from St Anthony's last July - 2 yr program, small class of about 15, split between classroom and clinicals, and preps for licensing. He took licensing exam within 2 wks after graduating and had no problem passing. Their program also has option to get Associates Degree as well.

Hey Charles, I am getting ready to apply again to Red Rocks this month and would be interested in hearing if you got a job yet, etc. How was the program for you? Do you have any advice towards getting accepted and if it is worth it to enter the field? Thanks a bunch, Lori in Lakewood.

charles in Littleton, Colorado said: Recent Red Rocks grad here, and it's slim pickins' in the Denver area. There have been several jobs posted but so far I am just collecting thanks for applying emails. Anyone have any ideas on how to get a leg up? Some techs have said " Set up a meeting with HR and take them your resume and say hello" , That strategy doesn't work right now because HR just says we only accept resumes online and for only open positions. Sure it's frustrating to work hard to get into Red Rocks and then bust a** for two years and then be released into a market with no jobs but, it's just the next challenge and I am hopefull that oportunities will arise.

Vicki in Littleton, Colorado said: Don't bother. The market IS flooded. My husband attended Concorde (very, very expensive) because of Red Rocks waiting list (2 years wait...and that was 2 years ago). No he can't find a job at all. There are NO radiologic technologist positions in or around Denver, Boulder, Ft. Collins...really anywhere in Colorado. Now, we are in debt up to our ears from schooling and no job.

Hi vicky, I am in Lakewood and still considering this field, has anything changed for you husbands situation? Any new news you would like to share? Or anyone else for that matter, seeing how most of these posts are from months ago?
Thanks, Lori.

lori in Denver, Colorado said: Hi vicky, I am in Lakewood and still considering this field, has anything changed for you husbands situation? Any new news you would like to share? Or anyone else for that matter, seeing how most of these posts are from months ago?
Thanks, Lori.

Hey Lori...I graduated in Dec2010 from one of the private schools, class of about 25. I think 4 have jobs. You have to try and line up something while you are going into clinical sites as a student or forget it! I think I'll have to move to get a job.

lori in Denver, Colorado said: Hi vicky, I am in Lakewood and still considering this field, has anything changed for you husbands situation? Any new news you would like to share? Or anyone else for that matter, seeing how most of these posts are from months ago?
Thanks, Lori.

Lori, nothing has changed. Jobs are still very hard to come by.

lori in Denver, Colorado said: Hey Charles, I am getting ready to apply again to Red Rocks this month and would be interested in hearing if you got a job yet, etc. How was the program for you? Do you have any advice towards getting accepted and if it is worth it to enter the field? Thanks a bunch, Lori in Lakewood.

First of all, I graduated from Red Rocks and it is a great program. My advise to you is to be the best student you can be. Go out of your way to help the Techs you are doing clinicals for, ask questions, learn from them. Try to get a leg into whatever clinical sites you are at. Alot of students will to just that and then they will be hired before they graduate. I think alot has to do with being persistant in your job search. Apply, call the manager of that department and let them know you are interested in the position, call again in a week to see if the position is filled. Radiology Tech is a great field to get into, but YES, YES, YES the field is flooded because there are so many colleges here in CO offering the course. Once you get you become a tech you have many options to go forth for schooling, ultrasound, interventional, rad therapy, MRI, CT.......

radtech in Denver, Colorado said: First of all, I graduated from Red Rocks and it is a great program. My advise to you is to be the best student you can be. Go out of your way to help the Techs you are doing clinicals for, ask questions, learn from them. Try to get a leg into whatever clinical sites you are at. Alot of students will to just that and then they will be hired before they graduate. I think alot has to do with being persistant in your job search. Apply, call the manager of that department and let them know you are interested in the position, call again in a week to see if the position is filled. Radiology Tech is a great field to get into, but YES, YES, YES the field is flooded because there are so many colleges here in CO offering the course. Once you get you become a tech you have many options to go forth for schooling, ultrasound, interventional, rad therapy, MRI, CT.......

radtech, the options going forth are in the same boat as diagnostic. The job market in US, MRI, IR, Rad Therapy, CT... are just as bad as they are in diagnostic. Also, once you get a job you are pretty much stuck with where you are at whether you like your current job or not.

I am currently investigating RT programs here in Colorado. Thoughts on the community college programs? I am trying to compare Red Rocks and CCD. Both are attractive because of low tuition. I have a bachelors from a private university and feel public education is much more valuable per dollar spent. I read that clinical experience is one of the most valuable things gained from schooling. Does anyone have information or experience in clinical. Fortunately, Denver seems to have quite a few hospitals (said from an outsider looking in, is this true??).

The private option? Is $30,000 worth it for Pima? Can anyone way in and help?

Reading through a lot of messaging boards, I have noticed a common theme of negativity. Are all RT's bitter? ;) I sure hope not. When people say don't enter into the program, market is flooded...welcome to the real world. I am considering this as a career change, which is supposed to have better than average outlook in the future. Does anyone agree?

I graduated two and half years ago and worked in and (trained) in the Exempla system. Its way, way over crowded and in fact there have been recent layoffs at two of the three Exempla Hospitals. I heard all the same stuff and some how made it to a full time position but I would advise PA school for a number of reasons, especially since you have your BS already. RT school is not worth the effort frankly, at least not in this market. Many graduates do not find a job.

justin, if after reading these message boards, and all the advice given by rad techs(there is a thread started by a recent grad that basically says she should have listened to all the people telling here to not get into x-ray) you still want to go enter in the field then I say go for it. Sometimes the best lessons learned are life lessons.

Also, if you are getting your info from the BLS then you are being misled.

I wouldn't say we are bitter, but disappointed that we spent alot of time and money on a career and now we are either unemployed, laid off or in my case my full time status was reduced to 32 hours therefore my health insurance prices per month doubled. When I bought my house my mortgage was based on my income at that time, so obviously things have gotten difficult. If I was considering a career right now I would be very appreciative that a stranger would go out of their way to prevent me from spending my time and money on a degree in a field that is flooded. Last year we had 35 students and not one had a job so the ceremony had to be edited since none of the students were employed they left out the part where they talk about their future. My advice to anyone going into medicine is try physical therapist, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner. It is more school but at least you will be able to pay back your student loans. My guess is you are young and naive, and when you find yourself in this similar position, hopefully you will be mature enough to handle the trials and tribulations that lie ahead. Good luck to you.