Images created using radiologic technology are viewed on acetate or video screen.
Radiologic technology is the process of creating images of the body's internal structures for diagnostic purposes. A radiologic technologist--sometimes called a radiographer--is the medical professional who performs this procedure. The most common imaging technology is X-rays, but a radiologic technologist may use other forms--such as computed tomography, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging or bone densitometry--depending on her training. A radiologic technologist's salary will vary according to where and for whom she works.
Average Salary
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) collected salary data from over 200,000 individuals working in radiologic technology in 2009. It calculated that the average annual salary for the profession was $54,180. This tallies roughly with the survey produced by Salary.com in 2011, which listed the average annual salary for a radiologic technologist as $48,409. The BLS also report that those in the bottom 10 percent of earners receive an average of $35,700 while their counterparts in the top 10 percent earn $75,440 on average.
Salary by Industry
Salaries for radiologic technologists vary depending on the health-care industry sector in which an individual works. BLS data found that scientific research and development services offer the highest pay rates, at an average of $64,800 annually. Specialty hospitals are listed at an average yearly wage of $58,320, slightly more than medical and diagnostic laboratories, at $57,250. Positions within general medical and surgical hospitals pay an average $54,770, while those in the private offices of physicians average around $50,860.
Salary by Geography
Geographical location is another factor influencing a radiologic technologist's salary. The BLS lists Massachusetts as the state in which a practitioner earns the highest average wage, across all industry sectors, at around $68,530 a year. In contrast, West Virginia is listed much lower, at around $41,400. The San Jose, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara district of California is the highest-paying metropolitan area at around $78,300 a year, with Wheeling, West Virginia, among the lowest at $40,190. Wage comparison website Salary Expert.com surveyed salary levels for radiologic technologists in some major American cities. It found that New York City and Dallas, Texas, are lucrative locations at $75,360 and $70,920 per year, respectively. In contrast, Orlando, Florida, is listed at around $52,575 per year.
Training
To become a radiologic technologist and begin earning a base salary, an individual requires a high school diploma to enter a training course in the subject. These courses last either two or four years, leading to an associate degree or a bachelor's degree, respectively. They typically are offered by hospitals, colleges, medical schools, the U.S. Armed Forces and technical schools. After graduating from an approved program, individuals can take an exam leading to registration by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, considered the standard bearer for the industry.
Prospects
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment opportunities for radiologic technologists to increase by approximately 17 percent in the years from 2008 to 2018. This growth rate is significantly higher than the expected national rate across all occupations, pitched somewhere between 7 and 13 percent for the same period. A growing, aging population will fuel this rise in employment. As a result, salary levels for the profession should remain very competitive.
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