Your Career Change Guide: The Road Radiologic Technologists Follow

There are more than 250,000 jobs as a radiology tech in the United States. And, experts predict that the job will grow by 9% in the next few years. So, there will be even more jobs waiting for people like you.

If you’re interested in becoming a radiology tech, there’s no time like the present. Radiologic technologists get to learn about ground-breaking technology. And, they have a daily impact on patients’ lives.

To read more about how to become a radiologist and what the radiology technologist salary looks like, keep reading.

What Radiologic Technologists Do

Radiologic technologists produce images of all parts of the human body. From the tissues to the organs to the bones, radiology techs can do it all.

These images are vital in diagnosing and treating conditions correctly. 

Rad techs may perform an x-ray examination, use magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), or work with computed tomography (CT) scanners.

How to Become a Radiologic Technologist

To start on your own career path as a radiologic technologist, you need to complete a two-year or four-year degree program. It’s likely that your local technical college offers a radiology tech program.

You can also find independent certification classes like these Scrubsce radiology courses.

Both the two-year and four-year degrees teach you what you need to know for your certification. However, some places of employment pay prefer a four-year degree. So, you should search in your area to see what’s expected of you when you graduate. 

Some places will allow you to start with your two-year degree as long as you enroll in a four-year program while working there.

Once you graduate from either of these programs, you can get your certification from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). 

If you choose to specialize any further, you may need to gain additional certification as well. 

Radiologic Technologist Salary and Career Path

The average radiology technologist salary in the United States is $63,710. This equates to about $30.63 per hour.

If you’re interested in looking at your state’s specific salary, you can check out the state-by-state estimates for radiology techs.

As you get more experience as a radiology technician, you can make even more. Entry-level techs make about 30% less than the average. But, more qualified techs who have been working longer can make 34% more. 

Don’t assume that you’ll be making the average when you start. It’s likely that you’ll have to work for a few years to build up to this amount.

As you’re looking for jobs after graduation, you need to know what your salary is worth as a new graduate. If you’re educated about the kind of money you should be making, you’ll be more likely to make more.

Become a Radiologic Technologist

If you’re ready to join the ranks of radiologic technologists out there, it’s time to get started. Even if you can only handle a couple of classes at a time, you should go for it.

There’s no reason to delay your dream. Just start!

To learn more about other careers you may be interested in, check out the rest of our blog.