Medical radiographers
may specialize in diagnostic mammography.
Medical radiographers are health care professionals who use applied radiation to generate images from any part of the human body for medical diagnosis. Medical radiographers are sometimes referred to as X-ray technologists, but they may also be skilled and certified in other imaging technologies such as magnetic resonance imaging, computer tomography and mammography. Salaries for medical radiographers may be affected by a number of factors including geographic location and type of employment.
Wages
Annual salaries for medical radiographers at all levels of experience from across the United States ranged from less than $35,700 to more than $75,440 as of May 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle 50 percent of radiographers earned between $43,510 and $64,070 with a median annual income of $53,240. Salary.com placed the median income for radiologic technicians at $48,097.
Geography
There were 15,870 radiographers employed in California as of May 2009, according to the BLS. 14,680 radiographers worked in Texas and more than 13,000 were employed in New York state and Florida. Mean annual wages for radiographers in those states range from $51,180 to $62,590. Radiographers who worked in Massachusetts earned the highest mean annual wages in the country at $68,530 while those working in West Virginia earned the lowest mean annual wages at $41,400.
Employment Type
More than half of all radiographer jobs were located in general medical and surgical hospitals as of May 2009, according to the BLS. Radiographers who worked in hospital settings earned a mean annual wage of $54,770. Private doctors' offices employed more than 20 percent of radiographers. Radiographers who worked in doctors' offices earned a mean annual wage of $50,860. Scientific Research and Development Services offered fewer job opportunities for radiographers, but paid the highest mean salaries for the occupation at $64,800.
Considerations
Medical radiographers must have formal training and most state require them to be licensed. Most radiographers hold at least an associate degree in radiography. Medical radiographers may seek voluntary certification as a means of demonstrating their competence and proficiency in their occupation. Many employers prefer to work with medical radiographers that hold credentials from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The BLS anticipates employment opportunities for radiographers to grow by 17 percent between 2008 and 2018. Medical radiographers with training and credentials in multiple disciplines should have the best job opportunities.
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