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Medical Radiologic Technology

A program that prepares individuals to administer prescribed courses of radiation treatment, manage patients undergoing radiation therapy, and maintain pertinent records. Includes instruction in applied anatomy and physiology, oncologic pathology, radiation biology, radiation oncology procedures and techniques, radiation dosimetry, tumor localization, treatment planning, patient communication and management, data collection, record-keeping, and applicable standards and regulations.

Types of Degrees Medical Radiologic Technology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Medical Radiologic Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	220
Associate’s Degree	2,543
Bachelor’s Degree	1,092
Master’s Degree	225

What Medical Radiologic Technology Majors Need to Know

Programs in Medical Radiologic Technology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Medical Radiologic Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Medical Radiologic Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Medical Radiologic Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Medical Radiologic Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Medical Radiologic Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Medical Radiologic Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Medical condition coding software	Medical software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Medical procedure coding software	Medical software	—
Electronic medical record EMR software	Medical software	—
eClinicalWorks EHR software	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Medical Radiologic Technology graduates include:

• Medical Technologist
• EEG Tech (Electroencephalogram Technician)
• Polysomnographic Technologist
• Radiology Therapist
• Dosimetrist
• Medicaid Service Coordinator (MSC)
• Patient Ombudsperson
• Patient Resource Coordinator
• Patient Relations Coordinator
• Admissions Coordinator
• Patient Access Representative
• Patient Advocate
• Intake Specialist
• Patient Service Representative
• Patient Partner

What Can You Do With a Medical Radiologic Technology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Medical Radiologic Technology commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022
Radiation Therapists	-1.4%	$43,552	$35,199–$51,906

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Medical Radiologic Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	27.0%
Bachelor’s degree	20.3%
Postsecondary certificate	15.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	10.5%
Master’s degree	10.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	8.0%
Some college courses	4.4%
Doctoral degree	1.9%
Post-doctoral training	1.5%
First professional degree	0.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Medical Radiologic Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 78.8% of Medical Radiologic Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	3,240	78.8%
Men	871	21.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Medical Radiologic Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,574	62.6%
Asian	261	6.3%
Hispanic or Latino	674	16.4%
Black or African American	278	6.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	18	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	8	0.2%
Two or More Races	158	3.8%
Race Unknown	108	2.6%
International Students	32	0.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Medical Radiologic Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Medical Radiologic Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$67,845
4 years	$61,295
5 years	$69,015

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,015 — roughly 2% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Medical Radiologic Technology Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Medical Radiologic Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	2	6
Bachelor’s	5	11
Master’s	2	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Medical Radiologic Technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Medical Radiologic Technology graduates earn a median of $61,295 four years after completion — roughly 61% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	90,379
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)	29,337
Physician Associate/Assistant	13,046
Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer	11,777
Surgical Technology/Technologist	7,626
Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist	6,686
Athletic Training/Trainer	3,132
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist	1,540
Electrocardiograph Technology/Technician	677
Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist	596
Electroneurodiagnostic/Electroencephalographic Technology/Technologist	374

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.