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Medical Dosimetrists: Career Overview
Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.
The Daily Work of Medical Dosimetrists Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of medical dosimetrists include:
- Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
- Plan the use of beam modifying devices, such as compensators, shields, and wedge filters, to ensure safe and effective delivery of radiation treatment.
- Identify and outline bodily structures, using imaging procedures, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography.
- Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
- Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
- Develop radiation treatment plans in consultation with members of the radiation oncology team.
- Supervise or perform simulations for tumor localizations, using imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography scans.
- Create and transfer reference images and localization markers for treatment delivery, using image-guided radiation therapy.
Skills and Knowledge
Top medical dosimetrists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- CMD (Certified Medical Dosimetrist)
- Dosimetrist
- Medical Dosimetrist
- Medical Physicist
- Medical Radiation Dosimetrist
- Radiation Dosimetrist
- Radiation Oncology Medical Physicist
- Radiation Therapy Dosimetrist (RT Dosimetrist)
How Many Medical Dosimetrists Are There?
There are about 2,813,712 medical dosimetrists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +10.8% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Medical Dosimetrists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $38,128 |
| Hourly median | $18.33 |
| 10th percentile | $21,764 |
| 25th percentile | $29,946 |
| 75th percentile | $46,309 |
| 90th percentile | $54,491 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Medical Dosimetrists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $179,640 |
| Oregon | $170,220 |
| New Jersey | $165,100 |
| New York | $160,850 |
| Georgia | $159,790 |
| Connecticut | $153,650 |
| Colorado | $151,290 |
| California | $149,080 |
| Virginia | $146,960 |
| South Carolina | $145,380 |
| Maryland | $142,300 |
| Massachusetts | $141,890 |
| North Carolina | $141,090 |
| Illinois | $140,780 |
| Florida | $140,290 |
| Kentucky | $134,070 |
| Texas | $133,680 |
| Wisconsin | $131,410 |
| Indiana | $131,190 |
| Michigan | $130,840 |
| Tennessee | $130,360 |
| Iowa | $128,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $128,030 |
| Arizona | $127,980 |
| Ohio | $127,150 |
| Missouri | $119,170 |
| Mississippi | $79,520 |
| West Virginia | $40,600 |
Where Medical Dosimetrists Earn the Most
Compensation for medical dosimetrists shift depending on where you work. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $159,390 | 9.5% | 0.60 |
| Rocky Mountains | $151,290 | 1.2% | 0.60 |
| Middle Atlantic | $148,241 | 23.9% | 1.48 |
| New England | $145,418 | 3.1% | 0.72 |
| Southeast | $135,651 | 32.1% | 1.33 |
| Great Lakes | $133,260 | 13.5% | 1.33 |
| Southwest | $133,086 | 14.7% | 1.13 |
| Plains States | $123,250 | 2.1% | 0.67 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Medical Dosimetrists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $201,780 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $176,360 | 40 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | OR | $170,220 | 30 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $166,540 | 310 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $159,790 | 80 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $159,420 | 100 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | NC | $153,090 | 30 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $150,870 | 70 |
Top Industries Employing Medical Dosimetrists
The largest employers of medical dosimetrists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 3,410 | $140,000 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 300 | $124,020 |
| Wholesale Trade | 70 | $132,500 |
| Educational Services | 70 | $140,320 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Development environment software: Eclipse IDE (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of medical dosimetrists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Time Pressure
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Medical Dosimetrists
Entry-level medical dosimetrists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Respiratory Therapists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Radiologists (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future medical dosimetrists typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-2036.00 (Medical Dosimetrists).
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