Those who enter the field should find that they are able to earn an above average salary. In addition to that salary, they are likely to get an attractive benefits package that may include major medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, and possibly even life insurance. The average salary of a radiology technician, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics is just over $52,000 per year. The pay scale ranges from $35,000 to almost $75,000 annually. The middle 50 percent of radiologist assistants earn between almost $43,000 and $63,000 annually.
There are several factors that will play a role in helping to determine salaries for radiology technicians. Some of these factors include:
- Education. Programs to become a radiologist assistant range from certificate programs to bachelor’s degree programs. More likely than not, those who gain more education will end up getting higher paying positions. This may not always be the case, but it is a possibility that the length of the training program may influence radiology tech salary opportunities.
- Location. Geographic areas always play a role in how much someone can earn, regardless of the type of position it is. Some areas, like California or Washington D.C., for example, tend to pay higher rates than do places like Alabama or Georgia. If you are willing to relocate, you may be able to earn a higher radiology technician pay. However, you do need to weigh that with the fact that the area that pays more may also have higher living expenses as well.
- Setting. There are a variety of settings that a radiologist assistant can work in and some may play a role in radiologist assistant salary charts. You will likely make more money working for a hospital or emergency care center than you will working at a dental office. But you will need to weigh this and see which pays more in your area.
- Experience. As with any career, when you first start out you are not going to make as much. Entry level salaries are always going to be lower than the average yearly pay, but you should be earning more money with each year of experience that you have. Salaries for radiology technician careers are considered above average, and the more years you work in the field, the higher your salary should be.
- Specialty. There are some radiology technicians that choose to specialize in a particular area, such as mammography. Those that specialize may find that they are compensated for that specialization and may earn a higher salary.
Getting Started
Those interested in the lucrative radiology technician pay, as well as the duties that are involved, may want to go further with making it their career field. To do so, it is best to start by contacting and evaluating several radiology technician training programs. They range from ones that lead to a certificate or diploma to ones that lead to an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
Once you have narrowed down the program that best suits your career goals, you can get started and be on your way to working as a radiologist assistant. As a radiologist assistant, you will enjoy a career field that is expected to grow faster than average. There should be plenty of positions available, especially for those who are able to relocate to where the jobs are, and the average salary of a radiology technician is above average, making it that much more of a rewarding career to choose.
While salary should not be the only issue in choosing a career field to enter, it certainly has to be taken into consideration. You need to be able to pay your bills and live comfortably. That’s understandable, and luckily the field of radiology provides this and more!
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