The overall average salary of a radiologic technologist nationwide rose by 12.3% since 2022 and now averages $86,484, according to results from the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Wage and Salary Survey 2024.

The survey, conducted in August 2024, shows that all major disciplines in medical imaging and radiation therapy saw average annual increases since 2022, with some areas showing greater gains than others.

“This year’s survey shows consistent gains across all major disciplines as compared to the 2022 wage and salary survey,” said Melissa Culp, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(MR), ASRT executive vice president of member engagement. “ASRT will continue to monitor salaries in the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession to ensure that radiologic technologists, managers and decision makers have current data to make informed decisions.”

Among major disciplines, nuclear medicine technologists experienced the largest average gains at 20.2%, from a $88,576 average annual salary in 2022 to $106,475 in 2024. Vascular interventional followed with a 13.6% increase, moving from $83,934 to $95,317. Sonographers saw a 13.2% increase from $82,368 to $93,237. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists saw their pay increase by 12.5% from $82,395 to $92,729. Computed tomography and radiography each experienced a 12.3% increase from $78,159 to $87,785 and $65,246 to $73,274, respectively. Mammographers experienced an 11.5% increase from $79,323 to $88,468.

In addition, cardiac interventional technologists saw salaries increase by 10.4% and radiation therapists experienced a 7.2% increase.

The disciplines with the highest reported mean compensation were medical dosimetry at $136,510, radiologist assistant at $126,428 and radiation therapy at $106,425.

Compensation also varies by region. On average, R.T.s working in California have the highest annual compensation at $125,843, followed by technologists in Delaware at $106,676. Technologists in Nebraska earned the lowest base annual compensation at $61,924.

“In the past, we conducted the wage and salary survey every three years,” said John Culbertson, M.Ed., M.A., ASRT director of research. “However, with rising inflation and the high vacancy rates, we decided to conduct the survey at the two-year mark to ensure that ASRT members have the most up-to-date compensation statistics.”

The ASRT sent the Radiologic Technologist Wage and Salary Survey to 359,399 email addresses in the ASRT database. At the survey’s close, a total of 19,687 questionnaires were completed. Of the total, 18,158 radiologic technologists indicated that they were currently employed in the radiologic sciences. This sample size yields a ±0.73% margin of error at its widest for overall percentages at the 95% confidence level.

Since 2001, the ASRT has conducted the Wage and Salary Survey of radiologic technologists with the primary objective to measure income, benefits, satisfaction and other compensation-related metrics.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists is celebrating its Be Seen awareness campaign during National Radiologic Technology Week®, Nov. 3-9. This year’s theme is “Always on the Front Line of Health Care. It’s Time for Us to Be Seen.”

The Be Seen campaign is raising public awareness about the crucial role medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals play in patient diagnosis, intervention and treatment. Within six months, the Be Seen campaign commercial garnered nearly 50 million impressions through online, social media, earned media, linear television commercial streaming and advertising platforms.

At the heart of the campaign are the nation’s medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals, who are educated in anatomy, patient positioning, examination techniques, equipment protocols, radiation safety, radiation protection and basic patient care.

“Medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals are vital members of the health care team,” said ASRT CEO and Executive Director Melissa B. Pergola, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), FASRT, CAE. “Now, with the help of the Be Seen campaign, we’ve been able to share with the rest of the world how heroic these medical professionals are in diagnosis, intervention and treatment. Without them, medical care would not be the same.”

The Be Seen campaign continues to elevate the conversation about medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals with the hashtag #BeSeenASRT. In addition, the campaign website provides updates about R.T.s’ personal and professional achievements, patient perspectives and an overview of the profession’s specialized clinical practice areas. Join the conversation.

Hospitals, clinics and physician offices nationwide are invited to join ASRT during NRTW® to raise the visibility of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals. Free downloadable templates, posters and promotional ideas are available here.

The ASRT is seeking qualified members interested in volunteer positions for the Ambassadors for R.T. Advocacy program.

The duties, qualifications and time commitments required for this opening are available through the link below:

Please contact ASRT Volunteer Services at [email protected] with any questions or concerns. To see all current positions available, visit the Open Volunteer Opportunities page.

In its latest blog post on the Advocacy Action Center website, the ASRT Government Relations Department reflects on state advocacy wins and federal actions taken in 2024 and new advocacy tools for 2025.

Meredith Check, ASRT director of government relations and public policy, describes how collaborative efforts helped protect medical imaging and radiation therapy licensure laws in New Hampshire, maintained equipment regulations in Michigan and improved state licensure in Washington state.

Additionally, the Government Relations Department will roll out its Advocacy Toolkit by the end of 2024. The toolkit will be available in advocacy resources and includes a guidebook for advocates to learn about relevant policy proposals and identify and communicate with their elected officials at the state and federal levels.

The Advocacy Action Center is a resource for the medical imaging and radiation therapy community to learn about the legislative and regulatory efforts in their states and provides technologists and the public with tools to contact state and federal officials.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has published a new webpage to support and promote the advanced practice radiation therapy career pathway. The website includes information about the career pathway, examples of advanced practice radiation therapists in clinical practice, current research on the role, continuing education resources and much more.

APRTs are experienced radiation therapists who perform clinical and patient care responsibilities, while also receiving training and specialization in additional areas of practice under the guidance of a radiation oncologist as part of the radiation oncology team.

"Evidence suggests the APRT service model enhances patient experience and treatment outcomes," said ASRT Vice President Marissa Mangrum, M.S.R.S., R.T.(T). "ASRT is leading the way in supporting this new APRT role with its radiation therapy members and collaborating organizations."

As the role of the APRT grows, ASRT will add materials to the page to ensure it includes up-to-date information.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists is seeking qualified members interested in volunteer positions on the House of Delegates Minutes Approval Committee, Sergeant-at-Arms Committee and the Registered Radiologist Assistant Curriculum Revision Workgroup.

The duties, qualifications and time commitments required for these openings are available through the links below:

Please contact ASRT Volunteer Services at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

To see all current positions available, visit the Open Volunteer Opportunities page.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists launched the Magnetic Resonance Student Exam Assessment Library® comprehensive practice tests for members preparing for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists MR imaging certification exam. The MR SEAL® practice tests can also be used as a tool for MR technologists studying for the Structured Self-Assessment as part of the ARRT Continuing Qualifications Requirement process.

Five MR SEAL exams are included with ASRT membership, with eight exams available for members with the Premium membership option. Each online practice test contains 100 questions, covers all major content areas of the certification exam and provides detailed feedback explaining each answer.

More exams are available for purchase in the ASRT Store at the member price of $10. Nonmembers may purchase all SEAL exams for $15 each.

The MR SEAL launch is the fourth SEAL offering in ASRT’s lineup of online practice tests, which includes radiography, radiation therapy and computed tomography exams.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists would like to personally thank Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., for their work in introducing the Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2024.

The MARCA bill will ensure that all services provided by a radiologist assistant, supervised by a radiologist as part of a radiologist-led team, receive Medicare reimbursement, regardless of the setting in which the radiology service is provided.

The United States is currently experiencing a major shortage of medical imaging professionals. As such, it is vital for the nation to promote the value of medical imaging professionals and their role in providing patients with high-quality, safe care.

“The RA role is a career pathway for medical imaging professionals. It is critical that obstacles are removed to provide this essential health care professional with career advancement opportunities,” said ASRT CEO and Executive Director Melissa B. Pergola, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), FASRT, CAE.

Radiologic technology education program directors report the number of new students enrolled increased compared to 2023, according to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Enrollment Enrollment Snapshot 2024.

Conducted annually, the survey highlights entering class enrollments, student capacity and program data that measures past trends, attrition and viability rates.

The 2024 survey results show that the number of enrolled radiography students increased, with an estimated 19,815 students entering American Registry of Radiologic Technologists-approved radiography programs, up from 17,679 in 2023.

Student enrollment in ARRT-approved radiation therapy programs is estimated at 1,663 students in 2024, up from 1,302 in 2023.

Nuclear medicine technology program enrollments also increased, with an estimated 1,403 students enrolling in 2024, up from 903 in 2023.

For the third consecutive year, the survey tracked enrollments in sonography and magnetic resonance imaging programs. In 2024, an estimated 5,511 students enrolled in ARRT-recognized sonography programs, up from 3,144 in 2023. And MR imaging programs enrolled an average of 1,004 students, an increase from 555 in 2023.

“The increases in enrollment are consistent with the high vacancy rates that we've seen in our recent staffing surveys. Through the presidential initiatives of Heather Moore, Ph.D., R.T.(R), ASRT is continuing to take action that raises visibility and increases the pipeline into the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession,” said Melissa Culp, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(MR), ASRT executive vice president of member engagement.

ASRT sent the survey to 1,263 directors of radiography, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine technology, sonography and MR imaging programs currently approved by the ARRT. By the close of the survey in early November, ASRT received 412 responses, yielding an overall response rate of 32.6%. This sample size yields a ±4.0% margin of error at its widest for overall percentages at the 95% confidence level. The ASRT began conducting the survey in 2001.

Enrollment Snapshot 2024

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists is seeking qualified ASRT members interested in volunteer positions on the Practice Standards Council Modality Subcommittees, Scanner Editorial Advisory Panel and Committee on the Student to Leadership Development Program.

The duties, qualifications and time commitments required for these openings are available through the links below:

Please contact ASRT Volunteer Services at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

To see all current positions available, visit the Open Volunteer Opportunities page.