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Radiologic Technologists and Technicians: Career Overview
Take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient's bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Includes radiologic technologists and technicians who specialize in other scanning modalities.
What Do Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of radiologic technologists and technicians cover:
- Position imaging equipment and adjust controls to set exposure time and distance, according to specification of examination.
- Position patient on examining table and set up and adjust equipment to obtain optimum view of specific body area as requested by physician.
- Monitor patients' conditions and reactions, reporting abnormal signs to physician.
- Explain procedures and observe patients to ensure safety and comfort during scan.
- Use radiation safety measures and protection devices to comply with government regulations and to ensure safety of patients and staff.
- Review and evaluate developed x-rays, video tape, or computer-generated information to determine if images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes.
- Determine patients' x-ray needs by reading requests or instructions from physicians.
- Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful radiologic technologists and technicians draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- 3D Technologist
- Angiogram Special Procedures Technologist
- CAT Technologist (Computed Axial Tomography Technologist)
- CT Radiology Technologist (Computerized Tomography Radiology Technologist)
- CT Scan Special Procedures Technologist (Computed Tomography Scan Special Procedures Technologist)
- CT Scan Tech (Computed Tomography Scan Technologist)
- CT Scanner Operator (Computed Tomography Scanner Operator)
- CT Tech (Computer Tomography Technician)
Job Outlook
There are roughly 2,987,940 radiologic technologists and technicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +13.3% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $137,802 |
| Hourly median | $66.25 |
| 10th percentile | $77,272 |
| 25th percentile | $107,537 |
| 75th percentile | $168,067 |
| 90th percentile | $198,332 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $107,670 |
| Massachusetts | $99,910 |
| Hawaii | $99,670 |
| Oregon | $99,530 |
| District of Columbia | $99,080 |
| Washington | $93,920 |
| New York | $91,520 |
| Nevada | $88,120 |
| Alaska | $85,870 |
| New Jersey | $85,520 |
| Vermont | $85,450 |
| Connecticut | $85,370 |
| Rhode Island | $84,630 |
| Delaware | $84,570 |
| Arizona | $84,480 |
| Colorado | $83,740 |
| Virgin Islands | $82,060 |
| New Hampshire | $82,010 |
| Minnesota | $80,960 |
| Utah | $80,080 |
| Virginia | $79,670 |
| Maryland | $79,630 |
| Idaho | $78,000 |
| Illinois | $77,890 |
| Maine | $77,750 |
| Wyoming | $77,350 |
| Texas | $76,800 |
| Indiana | $76,600 |
| Wisconsin | $76,200 |
| Ohio | $75,480 |
| Montana | $75,280 |
| New Mexico | $74,060 |
| Florida | $71,190 |
| Kansas | $68,740 |
| Nebraska | $68,520 |
| Michigan | $68,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,010 |
| Georgia | $67,270 |
| North Carolina | $67,150 |
| Missouri | $67,120 |
| West Virginia | $66,780 |
| Oklahoma | $66,610 |
| South Dakota | $66,320 |
| South Carolina | $65,100 |
| Kentucky | $64,840 |
| Iowa | $64,350 |
| Tennessee | $63,940 |
| North Dakota | $63,850 |
| Louisiana | $62,760 |
| Arkansas | $60,430 |
| Alabama | $56,790 |
| Mississippi | $53,340 |
| Guam | $50,510 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,340 |
Where Radiologic Technologists and Technicians Earn the Most
Pay for radiologic technologists and technicians shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $103,521 | 12.7% | 0.76 |
| New England | $90,635 | 5.0% | 1.06 |
| Middle Atlantic | $83,120 | 15.1% | 1.00 |
| Rocky Mountains | $80,813 | 3.7% | 0.95 |
| Southwest | $76,760 | 12.6% | 1.01 |
| Great Lakes | $74,814 | 15.3% | 1.09 |
| Plains States | $70,385 | 7.4% | 1.08 |
| Southeast | $67,030 | 27.5% | 1.14 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $169,020 | 220 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $157,170 | 1,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $136,730 | 2,580 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $132,830 | 190 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $130,710 | 1,250 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $126,180 | 280 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $124,370 | 120 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $112,920 | 270 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of radiologic technologists and technicians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 205,960 | $77,310 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 7,080 | $81,380 |
| Educational Services | 1,400 | $83,980 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 860 | $73,520 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 830 | $88,790 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for radiologic technologists and technicians is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Telephone Conversations
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Physical Proximity
Education and Training
Typical radiologic technologists and technicians positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Primary-Short)
- Respiratory Therapists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
- Radiologists (Supplemental)
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric (Supplemental)
- Pediatric Surgeons (Supplemental)
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for radiologic technologists and technicians typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
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: 29-2034.00 (Radiologic Technologists and Technicians).
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