Radiologists: Career Overview
Diagnose and treat diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasounds. May perform minimally invasive medical procedures and tests.
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What Tasks Do Radiologists Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of radiologists include:
- Prepare comprehensive interpretive reports of findings.
- Perform or interpret the outcomes of diagnostic imaging procedures including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear cardiology treadmill studies, mammography, or ultrasound.
- Document the performance, interpretation, or outcomes of all procedures performed.
- Communicate examination results or diagnostic information to referring physicians, patients, or families.
- Obtain patients' histories from electronic records, patient interviews, dictated reports, or by communicating with referring clinicians.
- Review or transmit images and information using picture archiving or communications systems.
- Confer with medical professionals regarding image-based diagnoses.
- Recognize or treat complications during and after procedures, including blood pressure problems, pain, oversedation, or bleeding.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful radiologists draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Radiologists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Attending Physician
- Attending Radiologist
- Breast Imaging Radiologist
- Diagnostic Radiologist
- General Radiologist
- IR Technician (Interventional Radiology Technician)
- IR Travel Technician (Interventional Radiology Travel Technician)
- Interventional Neuroradiologist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 505,890 radiologists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +4.2% over the projection horizon.
Radiologists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $97,090 |
| Hourly median | $46.68 |
| 10th percentile | $55,075 |
| 25th percentile | $76,082 |
| 75th percentile | $118,098 |
| 90th percentile | $139,106 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $216,420 |
| Maryland | $97,120 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Earnings for radiologists shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $106,287 | 28.4% | 1.40 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $219,900 | 1,870 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | GA | $172,680 | 50 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | MD | $95,890 | 330 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | NY | $75,990 | 50 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of radiologists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 24,870 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 610 | $106,260 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 410 | $161,850 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 210 | $135,970 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 80 | n/a |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Radiologists Use
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of radiologists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Anesthesiologist Assistants (Supplemental)
- Radiation Therapists (Primary-Long)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
- General Internal Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
- Neurologists (Primary-Long)
- Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future radiologists commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
2 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1224.00 (Radiologists).
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