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Radiologic Technician

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What Does it Take to Be a Radiologic Technician?

Occupation Description Maintain and use equipment and supplies necessary to demonstrate portions of the human body on x-ray film or fluoroscopic screen for diagnostic purposes.

List of Radiologic Technician Job Duties

  • Complete quality control activities, monitor equipment operation, and report malfunctioning equipment to supervisor.
  • Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.
  • Provide assistance in radiopharmaceutical administration, monitoring patients' vital signs and notifying the radiologist of any relevant changes.
  • Collect and maintain records of patients examined, examinations performed, patient medical histories, views taken, or technical factors used.
  • Coordinate work of other technicians or technologists when procedures require more than one person.
  • Determine patients' x-ray needs by reading requests or instructions from physicians.

What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Radiologic Technician?

Radiologic Technicians state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Other Radiologic Technician Job Titles

  • Cat Scanner Operator
  • Imaging Technician
  • Registered Radiographer
  • Computed Tomography Scanner Operator
  • Document Imaging Technician

What Kind of Radiologic Technician Job Opportunities Are There?

There were about 127,800 jobs for Radiologic Technician in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 19.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 25,100 new jobs for Radiologic Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 11,000 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Radiologic Technician are Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Illinois, Rhode Island, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Radiologic Technicians Make A Lot Of Money?

Radiologic Technicians make between $28,130 and $72,720 a year.

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Radiologic Technicians who work in New Mexico, Alaska, or Washington, make the highest salaries.

How much do Radiologic Technicians make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $46,230
Alaska $62,580
Arizona $48,840
Arkansas $42,300
California $50,150
Colorado $46,270
Connecticut $55,450
Delaware $48,900
District of Columbia $54,210
Florida $42,730
Georgia $46,960
Hawaii $54,660
Idaho $48,750
Illinois $47,590
Indiana $49,300
Iowa $42,590
Kansas $49,180
Kentucky $51,780
Louisiana $38,370
Maine $51,500
Maryland $44,590
Massachusetts $55,950
Michigan $45,640
Minnesota $55,940
Mississippi $36,900
Missouri $46,580
Montana $42,630
Nebraska $45,370
Nevada $45,980
New Hampshire $50,390
New Jersey $53,570
New Mexico $60,690
New York $55,700
North Carolina $39,230
North Dakota $46,370
Ohio $42,780
Oklahoma $43,960
Oregon $54,520
Pennsylvania $43,070
Rhode Island $55,490
South Carolina $42,820
South Dakota $54,290
Tennessee $64,010
Texas $43,990
Utah $41,150
Vermont $50,140
Virginia $48,050
Washington $59,950
West Virginia $43,490
Wisconsin $44,080
Wyoming $51,120

Tools & Technologies Used by Radiologic Technicians

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Radiologic Technicians:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • MEDITECH software
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
  • Practice management software PMS
  • Information systems integration software
  • Diagnostic image review software
  • Structured data entry software
  • Internet or intranet image distribution software
  • Film processor tracking and management software
  • Information management subsystem software
  • Digital Imaging Communications in Medicine DICOM software/modality management software
  • Virtual reality computed tomography CT imaging software

How to Become a Radiologic Technician

What kind of Radiologic Technician requirements are there?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Radiologic Technician?

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Where do Radiologic Technicians Work?

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Radiologic Technicians work in the following industries:

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Those interested in being a Radiologic Technician may also be interested in:

Are you already one of the many Radiologic Technician in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

Image Credit: Ryan Conroy via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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