Omaha, NEprivate nonprofitchihealth.com
CHI Health School of Radiologic Technology is a singularly focused, hospital-based program in Omaha that strips away the undergraduate college experience in favor of a direct, 23-month pipeline into a medical imaging career. It operates with the pragmatic, no-frills ethos of a professional trade school, where a tiny cohort of students—often just over a dozen per year—immerses itself entirely in radiologic science, learning from practicing technologists within the CHI Health system. This isn't a place for exploration; it's for decisive, career-minded individuals who want their hands on an X-ray tube from day one.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
The admissions process here is defined by its open-door policy and its narrow, laser-focused prerequisites. Unlike selective liberal arts colleges, the school has an open admission policy, meaning it admits all applicants who meet basic requirements. Sources indicate an around 69.9%, though with such a small total enrollment (reported as 15 in one source and ~29 in another), the applicant pool is inherently self-selecting. There is no application fee. While one source suggests typical ACT scores for admitted students range from 19-23 and SAT scores from 1010-1140, the open policy means these are more benchmarks than cutoffs. The real filter isn't the initial application but the commitment to a single, intensive 23-month program.
Academics are not a buffet of options; they are a single, prescribed track. The school offers only one major: Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer. The program is a 23-month associate degree program that combines classroom lectures with extensive clinical education directly within the CHI Health radiology department. The curriculum is designed to be immersive and hands-on from the start, with students learning from 'talented medical imaging professionals' and gaining 'valuable hands-on experience in real clinical settings.' The student-to-faculty ratio is reported as 10:1, which, given the small cohort size, suggests a highly focused, apprenticeship-style learning environment. This is a total-immersion experience where every lecture and lab is directly tied to the technical and professional competencies required to become a radiologic technologist.
Don't come looking for a traditional campus life, Greek organizations, or Division III sports. Student life is almost entirely subsumed by the rigorous demands of the program. The experience is professional and clinical first, social second. The school is embedded within the CHI Health system in Omaha, meaning the 'campus' is a working hospital. There is a partnership pathway noted with Metropolitan Community College, hinting at possible articulation agreements for students seeking a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology, but the core program remains a self-contained, 23-month associate degree. The community is the cohort itself—likely fewer than 30 students progressing through the intense schedule together—and the hospital staff who serve as instructors and mentors.
The outcome is the point: to produce job-ready, credentialed radiologic technologists. While specific job placement rates are not detailed in the provided sources, the program's structure—deeply integrated with a major health system—suggests strong industry connections. The school maintains financial records for all students for five years post-graduation, indicating a formal commitment to tracking outcomes. According to the canonical figures provided, the median earnings 10 years after entry are $48,110. This is a career-focused program where success is measured by licensure exam passage and employment in the field, not by graduate school admissions.
The cost structure is notably lean compared to a traditional four-year college. The median undergraduate tuition is reported as $8,400, which one source notes is significantly less than the national average for similar special-focus institutions. Another source lists the cost of attendance at $7,140 and the average net price also at $7,140. As with all eligible institutions, students must complete the FAFSA to be considered for federal financial aid. The school states that financial aid packages are a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study. There is also mention of a CARES Act Emergency Grant program designed to provide financial assistance for expenses related to disruptions caused by the coronavirus, indicating some responsiveness to student hardship. The overall picture is of a relatively affordable, straightforward professional education with standard federal aid options.
CHI Health School of Radiologic Technology stands out precisely because it refuses to be anything other than what it is: a hyper-efficient, hospital-based trade school for a single in-demand health profession. There is no mission creep, no attempt to offer a 'well-rounded' liberal arts foundation. Its character is defined by pragmatic intensity—a 23-month, total-immersion program where the classroom and the clinic are one and the same. The vibe is professional, not collegiate. Its singular focus means every resource, every instructor, and every hour of the curriculum is dedicated to producing competent radiologic technologists. For a student who is absolutely certain of this career path, it offers a direct, potentially lower-cost, and faster route into the workforce than a more traditional academic pathway, with the built-in advantage of training within a major healthcare network.