Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary
The job of a nuclear medicine technologist can be demanding. It takes years to go through all of the education required to break into the nuclear medicine field. Then, once you have a job, you spend most of your day on your feet, running tests and helping disabled patients move around. Plus, you are in charge of administering small doses of radiation to your patients, then studying the effects of it with complex computers. With all of these responsibilities, is a nuclear medicine technologist salary worth all of the work?
Absolutely!
How much does a nuclear medicine technologist make?
The average nuclear medicine technologist salary is right around $65,000. Depending on your employer and your location, some nuclear medicine technologists can make as much as $80,000. And, you will probably never see a nuclear medicine technologist salary that is below $40,000.
As an added benefit, nuclear medicine technologists' hours are pretty standard. Usually, they work a normal Monday-Friday, 9:00-5:00 shift. Nuclear medicine technologists rarely have to work overtime or on holidays. However, in some cases, they may occasionally be required to be on call—especially if they work at a hospital.
About 70% of nuclear medicine technologists work in hospitals. However, there are also nuclear medicine technologists working in private doctors' offices, in clinics, and in research labs.
And, unlike many other jobs, nuclear medicine technology jobs are growing. In fact, nuclear medicine technology is one of the fastest-growing industries out there. The number of nuclear medicine technology jobs has been growing for the past few years. As the Baby Boomers get older and start to require more medical care, the number of nuclear medicine technology jobs is expected to grow even more.
However, a nuclear medicine technologist can make even more money with the right skills. With an even more advanced education, you can work as a chief technologist, senior staff technologist, or in another supervisory role. Plus, a degree in nuclear medicine technology can also qualify you for jobs as a technology program educator, a hospital administrator, or even an industry sales representative.
But to take advantage of a great nuclear medicine technologist salary—and all of the other benefits that come with working in the nuclear medicine industry—you need a great education. To become a nuclear medicine technologist, you need either an associate's or bachelor's degree in nuclear medicine technology.
Plus, a successful nuclear medicine technologist has to have the proper certification. You need to find a program that offers certification from either the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
The right education and certification can mean the difference between an average nuclear medicine technologist salary and a great one!
