It’s something everyone thinks about when deciding on a career, so why not start with “What would a typical radiologic technologist’s salary be?” Of course, first, you’d want to know what a radiologic technologist is. These healthcare support professionals – commonly “rad techs” – perform the essential role of providing diagnostic imaging for physicians. No one else on the patient’s team does what rad techs do, so, yes the job pays well because the need for rad techs has never been greater.
In other words, rad techs are responsible for obtaining high-quality, specific-view images of a patient using innovative scanning technologies, as requested by a doctor. These images are vital for correct diagnoses and tremendously safer than invasive procedures. You’d expect a competitive yearly wage for a job so essential to a patient’s well-being, right?
OK, you’re curious about a radiologic technologist’s salary, so here are several sources that quantify what those earning a rad tech degree typically make.
Interestingly, the differences in average salaries between rad techs earning the two-year Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Radiologic Technology and a B.S. (4-year degree) in Radiologic Technology were less than 5%.
Choosing a preferred degree format depends on the career objective. Those earning a B.S. degree often desire to move to management/administrative roles. Those earning the A.A.S. degree are interested in quickly entering the workforce and focusing on day-to-day patient care. They like the combination of working in high tech and having lots of patient interaction.
Rad tech program graduate Abby L., who earned her A.A.S. degree in radiography in 2019, agreed with that conclusion.
“Patient care is the most important aspect of healthcare,” she says. “I want to make sure the patients I see are as comfortable as I can while doing their X-rays. I make sure I am listening to them. The other day, a patient told me they really appreciated my positive attitude. That was such a compliment to me, and I hope always to make my patients feel that way.”
Nearly everyone understands that rad techs often work in hospital-based imaging units and emergency rooms, but the number of work environments is broader than that.
Here’s a breakout of where those with rad tech degrees work:
| RAD TECH EMPLOYER | % BY WORK SETTING |
| Hospitals/Hospital systems | 60% |
| Offices of physicians | 19% |
| Outpatient care centers | 7% |
| Medical and diagnostic labs | 7% |
| Government (agencies/organizations) | 3% |
In a typical A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology program, students complete about 24 hours of foundational classes that prepare them for success in the professional rad tech coursework. These foundational courses include English, communication techniques, psychology, anatomy, and physiology (learning how the human body functions).
Because the A.A.S. degree format is decidedly hands-on, many of the remaining classes, labs, and experiences focus on practical skills and abilities a radiologic technologist will use when employed.
This focused learning goes well beyond diagnostic imaging concepts and procedures. Students hone their abilities using anatomically correct body replicas, doing imaging simulations, and performing imaging using equipment representative of what employers use.
As rad tech students achieve certain competency levels, they are assigned clinical experiences in and around the city in which the program is based. Because these settings differ, a degree program based in a larger city often allows students to have a more thorough introduction to the life of a radiologic technologist.
Cleveland University-Kansas City (CUKC) is a nonprofit, private, chiropractic and health sciences university in Overland Park, Kansas, a large suburban city within the Kansas City metro.
The design of our A.A.S. in Radiologic Technology program came from imaging center professionals. As a result, the program provides an education that meets the educational expectations of the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). CUKC instructors have real-life experience doing the imaging work they are teaching, and qualified students can be practicing patient care as early as the third academic term.
The CUKC program puts an equal emphasis on patient interaction skills and technical competency, which helps our grads meet employer expectations.
Other features of our program:
Request information today and discover more about the profession by getting this free eBook: Your Complete Guide to a Career as a Radiologic Technologist.
