Radiology practitioners work under the direction of radiologists.
Radiology practitioners are radiologic technologists who are often referred to as radiology practitioner assistants. RPAs are similar to nurse practitioners and physician assistants in that they can serve as primary care providers in their field of expertise under the direction or supervision of a radiologist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 216,730 radiologic technologists employed in the U.S. in 2010. The salary of radiology practitioners tends to exceed the average salary earned by all radiologic technicians.
Pay Scale
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for radiologic technologists was $55,730 per year as of May 2010. The median salary of those working in this field was $54,340, with the highest paid radiology practitioners earning $76,850 or more per year. The middle 50 percent of those working as radiologic technologists made salaries ranging from $44,200 to $65,590 per year. However, because of their expertise, radiology practitioners typically fit in the upper end of the pay scale. According to Indeed.com, the national average for radiology practitioners was $96,000 as of June 2011. Similarly, the RadSciences Group indicates that the pay scale for radiology practitioners can be anywhere from $75,000 to $140,000 per year.
Employers
Where a radiology practitioner works provides an indication of what he can expect to make. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, those working in general medical and surgical hospitals earned an average salary of $55,880 in 2010, but those who worked in specialty hospitals, which is more likely for radiology practitioners, earned an average of $60,550 per year. Those who worked in physicians' offices earned $54,000, while those working in outpatient centers earned an average of $53,590 annually.
Location
Geographic location can have an effect on the salaries earned by radiology practitioners and other radiologic technologists. According to the figures published by the BLS, the highest-paid practitioners worked in Massachusetts, earning an average salary of $78,920 per year. However, this figure takes into account the salaries of both radiology practitioners and other radiologic technologists. Maryland, California and Nevada were the next-highest-paying states for this profession.
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in the field of radiologic technology is expected to grow by 17 percent from 2008 to 2018. This job growth will parallel the faster-than-average job growth in the medical field in general during this decade. Growth of the population and its increasing age are expected to necessitate additional medical care during this decade.
Tags: radiologic technologists, radiology practitioners, According Bureau, According Bureau Labor, average salary
