Radiography technicians aid in patient diagnosis.
Radiography technicians or technologists, commonly known as radiographers, create x-rays and work closely with doctors to ensure proper imaging procedures are followed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts a job growth increase around 17 percent between 2008 and 2018. The faster-than-average increase is due to a growth in the aging population and the need to replace radiographers who are retiring or changing employment industries. Salaries within radiography vary based on location, industry and specialty.
Starting Salaries
Radiographers earn starting salaries based on setting and specialty. According to the Mayo School of Health Sciences, the starting salary range for radiographers is $30,000 to $35,000 per year. Experienced radiographers and specialty radiographers who work solely with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging earn around $55,000 per year based on employer type. Radiographers employed in large hospitals earn $40,000 per year on average.
Geographical Location
A radiology technician's salary may be higher or lower depending on geographical location. In Massachusetts, a radiology technician earns an annual mean wage of $68,530 or $32.95 an hour per 2009 BLS wage reports. Radiographers in Nevada earned an hourly wage of $31.93 or $66,420 per year and radiographers employed in Maryland earned an annual mean wage of $65,820 or $31.64 hourly. The BLS also reports that radiographers in West Virginia and South Dakota earned the two lowest salaries of $19.91 and $21.62 hourly or $41,400 and $44,970, respectively. Kentucky comes in third with an annual mean wage of $45,840 yearly or $22.04 an hour.
Employment Industry
In 2009, Scientific Research and Development Services had the lowest number of radiographers and paid the highest annual mean wage. The BLS reports that the Scientific Research and Development Services industry paid an annual mean wage of $64,800 or $31.16 per hour in 2009. Radiographers employed in the Employment Services industry earned an annual mean wage of $59,620 or $28.66 hourly. General Medical and Surgical hospitals paid an annual mean wage of $54,770 or $26.33 an hour. The lowest wage earners worked in physicians' offices earning an hourly mean wage of $24.45 or $50,860.
Specialty
A three year survey conducted by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists reported that radiographers' salaries increased from $52,336 in 2007 to $53,953 in 2010. Radiographers that specialized in a specific medical area saw higher wages. Nuclear medicine technicians saw a slight salary increase from $69,083 in 2007 to $70,822 in 2010. Cardiovascular interventional technologists saw a 5.4 percent increase in wages from 2007 to 2010. In 2007, cardiovascular interventional technologists earned $61,294 and $64,614 in 2007. Between 2007 and 2010, computed tomography technologists wages increased from $57,927 to $60,586 annually.
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