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Radiologic Technologists and Technicians

US occupation · SOC 29-2034

Job titles people report: CT Tech (Computed Tomography Technologist), Mammographer, Multimodality Technologist, Radiographer, Radiologic Technician (RAD Tech), Radiology Technician (Radiology Tech), Registered Radiologic Technologist (RT (R)), RT (Radiologic Technologist), X-Ray Tech (X-Ray Technician), X-Ray Tech (X-Ray Technologist)

Pay and outlook

Median annual wage, May 2025
$80,110
Half earn more, half earn less
Middle half earn
$64,810 – $98,750
25th to 75th percentile
People employed, May 2025
230,490
Wage and salary jobs (OEWS)
Projected change, 2025–35
+5%
At or above the all-jobs rate (3.5% to under 7%)
Openings a year (projected)
13,000
New jobs plus replacing people who leave
Typical education to enter
Associate's degree
BLS
  • All figures are for the United States as a whole. Pay varies a lot by state and city.
  • Wages are for everyone working in the occupation in May 2025, at every career stage. They are not starting salaries or figures for new graduates.
  • Growth and openings are BLS projections for 2025–35. They are estimates, not promises. Openings include jobs that open up when people retire or change occupation, not just new jobs.

What the work involves

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.

Main tasks

  • Explain procedures and observe patients to ensure safety and comfort during scan.
  • Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.
  • Perform procedures, such as linear tomography, mammography, sonograms, joint and cyst aspirations, routine contrast studies, routine fluoroscopy, or examinations of the head, trunk, or extremities under supervision of physician.
  • Record, process, and maintain patient data or treatment records and prepare reports.
  • Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
  • 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.
  • Review and evaluate developed x-rays, video tape, or computer-generated information to determine if images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes.

Description and tasks from the O*NET® 31.0 Database.

Getting in

Typical education to enter (BLS)
Associate's degree
O*NET Job Zone 3
Medium preparation
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests it suits

The strongest of the six O*NET interest types for this occupation, highest first. The short glosses are ours.

  • Realistic: hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
  • Conventional: organising information, records and procedures
  • Investigative: research, analysis and solving problems with ideas

Fields of study that lead here

From the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk, which links 3 programmes to this occupation. A link means the programme prepares people for this kind of work. It doesn't mean the programme is required, or that it's the only route.

Health & Nursing

  • Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
  • Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer
  • Mammography Technology/Technician

Find colleges that fit you with our matcher: choose Health & Nursing at the Major step.

Where many students take health & nursing

Ordered by the field's share of degrees awarded times undergraduate enrolment (College Scorecard), among colleges with at least 1,000 undergraduates. Online universities are included. It's a rough measure of how big the programme is. It says nothing about quality. The share counts every programme in the field, not only the ones linked to this career.

Related careers

Related occupations from the O*NET database, in its order.

← All careers

Sources

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CollegeMatcher has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET 31.0 Database · CC BY 4.0

Changes: we show the core tasks in the O*NET database with the highest importance ratings (up to eight, in that order), the top three O*NET interest types by score, and shortened Job Zone names. Titles, descriptions and task text are unchanged.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Projections, typical entry education and training: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Fields of study: NCES and BLS CIP 2020–SOC 2018 Crosswalk. All public domain. OEWS · Employment Projections · CIP–SOC crosswalk