Radiology salaries rise again in south

Oct 22, 2003

The south has risen again, with radiologists' salaries in the region easily topping those of other areas of the U.S., according to a new compensation survey published by AuntMinnie.com and healthcare recruiting firm CompHealth. But what mattered even in Dixie was location, location, location: two southern regions topped the SalaryScan listings, while another southern zone lagged badly.

AuntMinnie’s CompHealth SalaryScan survey collected data from more than 3,600 radiology professionals during a six-week period in July and August 2003. It covered 15 job categories, with radiology professionals from around the world participating.

According to SalaryScan data, the highest-paid radiologists were in the U.S. West South Central area, comprising the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. The average base salary in the region for radiologists was $348,591.

The next-highest-paid radiologists were found in the U.S. South Atlantic region, with an average base salary of $322,687. This area includes the states of Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Washington, DC.

But imaging physicians in the U.S. East South Central region weren’t so lucky, reporting an average base salary of $277,565. This zone included Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama.

As in past SalaryScan surveys, this summer’s edition found that radiology professionals who specialize reap rewards -- if they pick the right field. The average base salary for radiologists with no specialization was $319,606. Meanwhile, those with interventional radiology training reported an average base salary of $345,397, and those with subspecialty training in MRI reported an average base salary of $323,504.

Sample SalaryScan international highlights are as follows:

Canadian radiologists reported an average base salary of $256,702 (U.S. dollars).
Australian and New Zealand radiologists, $205,154.
Western European radiologists, $177,770.
Middle East and Central Asia radiologists, $52,852.

RTs see regional benefits

Radiologic technologists continue to do best in the U.S. Pacific region (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii) and the U.S. New England zone (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut), echoing results in previous SalaryScan surveys.

In the U.S. Pacific region, RTs reported an average base salary of $55,583, while U.S. New England RTs saw an average base salary of $55,187. Lagging behind was the U.S. East South Central area (including Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama), where RTs reported an average base salary of $45,293.

RTs without subspecialization expertise reported an average base salary of $39,461, while those with nuclear medicine/PET training had the highest salaries, reporting an average base of $56,720. Trailing the pack of subspecialty-trained RTs were those who concentrated on mammography, collecting average base salaries of $46,938.

Highlights among other radiology professionals include an average base salary of $79,272 for radiology administrators. PACS/RIS managers in the survey pulled down an average base salary of $64,050.

AuntMinnie members can conduct searches on comparable salaries in their professions and regions by going to the SalaryScan data query tool on AuntMinnie’s Job Boards home page, at http://jobs.auntminnie.com.

By Brian Casey
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
October 23, 2003

Survey finds U.S. radiology compensation up 6%, July 17, 2003

Salary offers to radiologists jump 11%, July 14, 2003

Survey reveals pay and perks for radiologic technologists, May 29, 2003

SalaryScan survey: Subspecialization pays off for radiology professionals, March 13, 2003

Salary survey: U.S. radiologists make hay in southern states, June 10, 2002