---

Radiologist Assistant

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of a physician, to perform patient assessment, patient management, selected imaging procedures and to make initial observations of diagnostic images. Includes instruction in radiologic procedures and techniques, cross sectional anatomy, pharmacology, pathophysiology, patient assessment, patient care and management, and radiation biology.

Types of Degrees Radiologist Assistant Majors Are Earning

Those studying Radiologist Assistant can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	11
Associate’s Degree	53
Master’s Degree	1,449

What Radiologist Assistant Majors Need to Know

Programs in Radiologist Assistant build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Radiologist Assistant graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Radiologist Assistant emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Radiologist Assistant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Service Orientation — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Radiologist Assistant careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Radiologist Assistant graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Radiologist Assistant professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Radiologist Assistant graduates include:

• Medical Technologist
• Polysomnographic Technologist
• Patient Relations Representative (PRR)
• Patient Account Representative
• Registrar
• Intake Specialist
• Clinical Liaison
• Patient Access Representative
• Patient Access Coordinator
• Patient Services Coordinator
• Patient Ombudsperson
• Patient Service Representative
• PCT (Patient Care Technician)
• Case Manager
• Medicaid Service Coordinator (MSC)

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	22.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	21.5%
Postsecondary certificate	20.6%
Bachelor’s degree	14.9%
Master’s degree	8.8%
Some college courses	7.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	4.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Radiologist Assistant?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 78.6% of Radiologist Assistant degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,189	78.6%
Men	324	21.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Radiologist Assistant graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	486	32.1%
Asian	71	4.7%
Hispanic or Latino	542	35.8%
Black or African American	258	17.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	4	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.2%
Two or More Races	73	4.8%
Race Unknown	38	2.5%
International Students	38	2.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Radiologist Assistant Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Radiologist Assistant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$27,434
4 years	$29,082
5 years	$32,352

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $32,352 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Radiologist Assistant Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Radiologist Assistant. 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
Master’s	1	0

^{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 Radiologist Assistant Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Radiologist Assistant graduates earn a median of $29,082 four years after completion — about 23% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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 and Medical Assisting Services	80,693
Medical/Clinical Assistant	52,819
Medical Insurance Specialist/Medical Biller	11,963
Pharmacy Technician/Assistant	7,541
Physical Therapy Assistant	5,633
Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist	4,111
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other	4,065
Occupational Therapist Assistant	3,178
Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other	3,168
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant	614
Respiratory Therapy Technician/Assistant	431

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.