Radiology assistants have advanced level training in medical imaging techniques.
A radiology assistant, sometimes referred to as a radiologist assistant, is an advanced-level radiologic technologist, according to the American College of Radiology. These health care technologists are not physicians assistants and they are not radiologists. They work under the direct supervision of a radiologist to provide advanced diagnostic imaging services. Wages for a radiology assistant can vary widely, based on the geographic location where she works and type of employer she works for.
National Wages
The median annual income for radiologic technicians and technologists at all levels of experience and certification from across the United States was $54,340 as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The top 10 percent of these technicians earned in excess of $76,850 per year, while the bottom 10 percent earned less than $36,510. The middle 50 percent earned between $44,200 and $65,590 per year. Technologists with advanced training, such as radiology assistants, typically earn higher wages than those with lesser amounts of training.
Regional Wages
A radiologic technologist's income can be significantly affected by the geographic region of the country where she works. California-based techs earned median annual wages of $65,920 as of May 2010, according to the BLS. Techs who worked in Massachusetts earned the highest median annual wages among the states at $71,510. Techs who worked in West Virginia earned the lowest median annual wages in the country at $41,720.
Employment Type
General medical hospitals and surgical hospitals provided 129,750 jobs for radiologic technicians and technologists as of May 2010, according to the BLS, making it the largest employment source in the United States for this occupation. Techs who worked in hospital environments earned median annual wages of $54,810. Techs who worked in private physicians' offices earned median wages of $50,840 per year. There were significantly fewer jobs for radiologic technologists in the scientific research and development services sector, but those who worked in this field earned the highest median annual wages for their occupational category at $65,680.
Considerations
A candidate for employment as a radiology assistant should consider the source that is reporting wages for her occupation because reported wages for radiology assistants can vary widely based on the organization doing the reporting. Variances in wages may be due to geographic location, required skills, training and certification, employment type, and demand. The Simply Hired website placed the average annual salary for radiology assistants at $43,000 as of June 2011, while the Indeed website lists the average wage at $69,000. The Salary Expert website lists annual salaries ranging from $40,063 in Miami, Florida to $50,096 in New York-Manhattan.
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