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If you have a passion for helping medical patients, consider a career as a patient care technician in Arizona.
This job involves talking to patients and their caregivers about procedures and medical concerns.
You will also have a hand in actual medical care by providing patients with a variety of services.
These include phlebotomy procedures, catheter care, and vital sign monitoring.
The job of a patient care technician also pays well for workers in Arizona.
Find out more about the salary and licensing requirements, as well as patient care technician schools.
Article Table of Contents
Licensing Requirements to Become a Patient Care Technician
The first step in becoming a patient care technician (PCT) in Arizona is having a high school diploma or a GED, which means you are also a legal adult of 18.
Items you will need in order to start a school program as a patient care technician include:
- Certificate showing a passed background check
- Clean drug test screening
- Full health immunizations up to date
These are also the items you will need in order to take the National Healthcare Association (NHA) patient care technician certification exam.
In addition, to take the exam, you will have to pay $149 and prove your US citizenship or nationality.
This exam is required in order to be eligible for work as a patient care technician in Arizona.
You cannot take the exam until you have graduated from a patient care technician training program.
Here are five schools in Arizona where you can take this type of formal schooling in the health aide industry.
5 Patient Care Technician Schools in Arizona
Providence Training Institute
The Providence Training Institute is located in Glendale, AZ in Olive Park.
This is a training center that is a continuing education site for adults.
The total cost for the program is $1,950.
Students are required to meet several requirements.
These include having a valid CPR card and state-issued ID.
Also, students must already be certified nursing assistants, certified medical assistants, or licensed emergency medical technicians in order to apply to the program.
As for the length of the program, the class work takes 80 hours and the externship is 160 hours.
Phoenix College
At Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona, students train to be patient care technicians in a 120-hour course.
This training is followed up by a 40-hour clinical externship.
The tuition for this program is $1,999 and includes textbooks.
In this training program, students learn HIPAA rules, patient care, grooming/aseptic techniques, and how to take vital signs.
Resilient Healthcare Academy
Get a diploma as a patient care technician at Resilient Healthcare Academy in Phoenix, AZ.
This program takes four months and is a hybrid program.
Choose between a day or evening program.
The course costs $4,000 and includes textbooks, a uniform, and CPR certification.
Financing is available with payment plans for patient care tech students.
This includes a Mertize Loan from the Meritize Platform to increase financial loan options based on academic history.
Brookline College
At the Tucson Campus of Brookline College, program options include a diploma for patient care technicians.
Students can earn a PCT diploma in 34 weeks.
The program is on campus with labs and simulations.
Tuition costs are not clear but are dependent on a number of variables, including your financial situation.
Coursework for the patient care technician program includes phlebotomy, occupational therapy skills, electrocardiography, and healthcare concepts.
Pima Medical College
The Pima Medical College has a patient care technician certificate program.
It is one of the more lengthy programs, as it takes approximately eight months to complete.
This is an on-campus program with five basic areas of study.
Students take a career prep sequence, which covers anatomy, computer basics, CPR, and math fundamentals, plus other courses.
There is also the emergency room sequence, electrocardiography (ECG) sequence, hemodialysis sequence, and externship.
The externship gives students hands-on, real-time experience practicing as a patient care technician.
For students studying at the East Valley, AZ campus, the total cost of tuition is $15,335.
This total cost includes textbooks, fees, uniforms, and supplies.
Patient Care Technician Schools in Arizona – Summary Table
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Providence Training Institute | 9189 N59TH AVE GLENDALE, AZ 85302 |
| Phoenix College | 1202 W. Thomas Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85013 |
| Resilient Healthcare Academy | 10000 31st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051 |
| Brookline College | 2445 W Dunlap Ave Suite 100. Phoenix, AZ 85021 |
| Pima Medical College | 13610 N Black Canyon Hwy, Phoenix, AZ 85029 |
Salary for Patient Care Technicians in Arizona
For patient care technicians in Phoenix, Arizona, the average salary is $29,715 to $38,143 a year.
Compare this to the salary in Tucson, which is $28,264 to $36,280 and slightly less.
Another comparison city is Peoria, where the salary range for someone with a PCT diploma is $29,655 to $38,066 a year.
Based on the salary ranges for these three cities, you get a good general idea of what you can earn with a career in patient care tech in Arizona.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Phoenix | $34,110 |
| Tucson | $32,444 |
| Mesa | $34,115 |
| Glendale | $34,110 |
| Scottsdale | $34,115 |
| Chandler | $34,115 |
| Tempe | $34,115 |
| Gilbert | $34,115 |
| Peoria | $34,041 |
| Yuma | $35,410 |
Regional Salary in Arizona
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | 370 | $37,480 | $18.02 | $43,620 | $35,820 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 410 | $35,190 | $16.92 | $41,740 | $30,050 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 11,200 | $38,350 | $18.44 | $44,470 | $31,960 |
| Prescott, AZ | 510 | $38,310 | $18.42 | $42,980 | $31,530 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 190 | $35,510 | $17.07 | $37,770 | $31,050 |
| Tucson, AZ | 2,810 | $35,870 | $17.25 | $41,310 | $31,010 |
| Yuma, AZ | 440 | $34,130 | $16.41 | $38,890 | $31,280 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Best City for Finding a Patient Care Technician School in Arizona?
The biggest and most populated city in Arizona to provide patient care tech training is Phoenix.
Here you have the most schools offering training across the board.
However, Tucson is another popular city for students in PCT training.
What is the Average Weather Like When Moving to Arizona for PCT School?
If you are coming to Arizona to go to a patient care tech school, anticipate sweltering hot summers and cold dry winters.
You will not see a lot of rain, either, in this arid climate.
The sun is also super intense all year round.
Overall, Arizona is famous for sunny, dry weather.
Which Cities in Arizona Hire the Most Patient Care Technicians?
To get your career going in the right direction, train in the cities in Arizona that hire the most PCTs.
This will include Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Sun City, Fountain Hills, and Chandler.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Patient Care Technician
PCT Schools by City
PCT Schools by State