Radiologist technicians help catch diseases before they spread untreated.
Radiologist technicians use radiologic equipment to take scans and X-rays of human body parts. Generally, technicians must complete at least an associate degree before they start working. However, if technicians earn bachelor's degrees, they can earn higher wages. Certain industries such as scientific research and development and employment services pay radiologists higher wages than other industries.
Starting Salaries for Radiologist Technicians
Radiologist technicians with less than two years of work experience earn about $36,918 a year, according to the American Society of Radiologic Technicians (ASRT). Chief technicians start out earning between $42,768, while newly hired senior radiologists earned $48,331 a year as of 2010. New technician salaries increase depending on the state they are employed in. For example, California employers generally paid radiologists a starting hourly wage of $16.61 according to X Ray Technician Schools. Texas and Florida paid recently hired radiologist technicians $13.27 and $11 an hour, respectively.
Average National Salaries
The 213,560 radiologist technicians working in the country as of May 2009 earned a mean annual salary of $54,180, according to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Average annual salaries for these medical workers ranged from $35,700 to $75,440.
By Industry
The top-paying industry for radiologist technicians was scientific research and development services. Annual wages that technicians earned in the industry were $64,800. Management, scientific and technical consulting organizations paid their new and experienced technicians $61,970 a year as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The next top-paying industries for the career field were employment services, office administrative services and specialty hospitals. Technicians who took and diagnosed X-rays in these three industries earned $59,620, $58,360 and $58,320 a year, respectively.
Top-Paying States
Massachusetts not only employed 6,290 radiologist technicians, the highest of all the states, it also paid radiologist technicians more than other states. Technicians working in Massachusetts earned $68,530 a year as of May 2009 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Nevada was not far behind, paying its radiologists $66,420 a year. Maryland, Hawaii and the District of Columbia paid radiologist technicians $65,820, $63,470 and $63,270, respectively.
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