MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. – The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) recently reported that all 13 members of the 2024 graduating class from SUNY Orange’s Radiologic Technology degree program passed their national board exam on the first try, marking the second consecutive year that the College’s grads posted a 100 percent first-time pass rate.

Over the past six years, the program’s first-time pass rate is 93.7 percent, including a perfect pass rate for all 15 graduates in 2019 to go along with the 100 percent success rate the past two years. Additionally, the program learned very recently that, during its latest accreditation cycle completed in December, it was accredited for an eight-year span, the maximum duration that may be awarded by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT).

“Having a 100 percent pass rate in any year is a tremendous accomplishment, but to have achieved that success two years in a row and three times within a six-year span is phenomenal,” said Dr. Erika Hackman, SUNY Orange provost. “We are so proud of our recent graduates for putting in the hard work in the classroom and clinicals, and for preparing themselves to be successful on their board exams. Our dedicated faculty, led by department chair Nicole Murray, are to be commended for their outstanding work in planning and delivering a curriculum that meets and exceeds accreditation standards for student success.”

Presently, SUNY Orange is one of only two community colleges in the Mid-Hudson region of New York that offers a radiologic technology program. Last month, the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (MCHF) announced that it has awarded SUNY Orange a grant for $212,450 to support expansion and relocation of the College’s radiologic technology degree program to the Newburgh campus. The award to SUNY Orange was among 539 grants, totaling $208 million, announced by MCHF in January to support nonprofit organizations and initiatives that meet community health needs and achieve equitable health outcomes across New York State.

The MCHF grant will allow the College to purchase two new x-ray machines in support of the program’s planned expansion. Next up, the College is working to identify space on the Newburgh campus, assessing full costs of the program relocation, and investigating additional funding sources to complete the project.

Radiographers work as part of the healthcare team in a variety of areas such as operating and emergency rooms, urgent cares, orthopedics, private practices and many other locations. Radiologic technologists provide patient care, use technical equipment, and position patients to obtain quality images of various body parts using radiation (x-rays) with the least dose possible.

Projections from the New York State Department of Labor show the statewide growth rate for radiographers between 2020 and 2030 to be 16.4%. The five-year average job placement rate of SUNY Orange rad tech graduates within six months of graduation is 97.1%, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ranks radiologic and MRI technicians as the 12th highest-paying career with an associate’s degree.

For more information about enrolling in the Radiologic Technology program, contact the Admissions Office at (845) 341-4030, email apply@sunyorange.edu or visit www.sunyorange.edu/getstarted.

About SUNY Orange

Orange County Community College (SUNY Orange) enrolls approximately 4,000 full- and part-time students across nearly 40 degree and certificate programs. With campuses in Middletown and Newburgh, the College has grown to meet the needs of its students, while also addressing the demands of a growing and diverse population in the Hudson Valley. In addition to its traditional for-credit degree courses and programs on both campuses, the College is growing its non-credit/workforce programming under the newly branded umbrella of “SUNY Orange Plus” (formerly known as CAPE). Consistent with its mission to provide high-quality and accessible educational and enrichment opportunities, the College is noted for its commitment to ensuring student success. Since its founding in 1950, the College has earned its reputation as a pioneer and innovator in meeting the needs of its students and contributing to a vibrant and thriving community. Learn more about SUNY Orange at www.sunyorange.edu.