Radiologic Technologist Salary
When looking at wage statistics, it's important to remember that the average numbers depend on the group that does the reporting. Individual radiology techs may earn more or less than the reported average, but the statistics can give you a good idea of what you can expect.
How much does a radiologic technologist make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for a radiologic technologist in the United States is $54,180, or a little over $26 per hour. Salaries range from $35,700 at the low (entry level) end, to a high of $75,440 per year for seasoned radiologic technologist professionals. In hourly terms, that's from $17.16 to $36.27 per hour.
However, bear in mind that those figures include the salaries from all of the various radiologic technologist specialties. They don't reflect differences between pay rates for professionals with certifications in CT (computed tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), or mammography, and they don't factor in salary differences based on years of experience or education, geographic locations, or jobs at larger hospitals compared with smaller medical facilities.
Radiologic technologist salaries based on experience and education
PayScale.com, a business compensation database that collects its own self-reported statistics from industry professionals, reports that the average annual entry-level (less than one year of experience) rad tech salary ranges between $25,000 and $40,000. At 10 to 20 years of experience, the pros can earn more than $60,000 per year—so experience definitely pays.
Radiologic technologist salaries based on geographic locations
In the United States, it's not surprising that California wages for radiologic technologists are at the top of the pay scale, since the cost of living is at the high end, too. According to PayScale.com, rad tech wages range from $39,000 to more than $70,000. Georgia is at the low end of the national scale, with starting wages around $22,000.
So geography makes a difference, but it's important to consider how much is left over after factoring in the local cost of living. It may be better to take a $40,000 job in a city where housing will cost only $15,000 per year, than to take a $60,000 job where housing will cost more than $40,000 per year.
Radiologic technologist salaries based on employer type
The lowest paying employers according to PayScale.com are doctors in private practice and the federal government, both with starting wages around $28,000 per year, and around $40,000 at the high end. Surprisingly, the highest paying employers are state and local government agencies, with average salaries ranging between $35,000 and $58,000. Salaries at private hospitals and diagnostic labs top out around $50,000.
