Salaries for radiologic technologists (RTs) in the U.S. grew in 2009 after several years of wage stagnation, according to the latest data from AuntMinnie.com's 2010 SalaryScan survey. Salaries for radiologists also grew last year, continuing a recent trend.
Radiologic technologists in the U.S. reported an average base salary of $65,272 in 2009 ($31.38 on an hourly basis). That compares to an average base salary of $61,616 in 2008 ($29.62 on an hourly basis) and represents the first real growth in RT wages since 2006, when RTs reported an average base salary of $61,512 ($29.57 hourly), compared with $57,717 in 2005 ($27.75 hourly).
The results indicate that the widely reported oversupply of radiologic technologists may be beginning to ease. In recent years, a large number of graduates from radiologic sciences schools led to lower wage growth among RTs.
Radiologists in the U.S. also saw their pay rates grow last year, with an average base salary of $353,707 for radiologists of all experience levels, organization types, and modality specializations. That compares to an average base salary of $343,800 in 2008 and $336,727 in 2007.
Within particular areas of subspecialization, interventional radiologists continued their reign as the highest-paid imaging specialists in 2009, logging an average base salary of $393,372. Next up were breast imaging specialists, with nuclear medicine/PET specialists bringing up the rear, as in past SalaryScan surveys, with an average base salary of $348,927.
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Regionally in the U.S., radiologists in the heartland continued to be the best compensated. The U.S. West South Central area (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana) reported the highest salaries, with radiologists in this zone reporting an average base salary of $414,077.
Coming in second was the U.S. West North Central zone (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri), with an average base salary of $366,095, while the third spot was occupied by radiologists from last year's top breadwinner, the U.S. Mountain region (Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona), with an average base salary of $353,176.
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Among radiologic technologists, those who specialize in nuclear medicine/PET were the best compensated, with a 2009 average base salary of $73,728 ($35.47 per hour on an hourly basis), compared with $69,739 last year ($32.53 hourly). Next were interventional RTs at $71,530 a year ($34.39 hourly). Mammography technologists once again reported the lowest wages, at $59,827 ($28.76 hourly).
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In the regional analysis, radiologic technologists in the U.S. Pacific region (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii) continue to be the best compensated, with an average base salary of $81,250 ($39.06 hourly), compared with $74,183 ($35.66 hourly) in 2008.
As with last year, the U.S. New England region (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut) took the second spot, with an average base salary of $73,956 ($35.56 hourly), compared with $68,826 ($33.09 hourly) in 2008.
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Among other radiology professions, radiology administrators in the U.S. reported an average base salary of $97,053, up slightly compared to an average base salary of $95,703 in 2008, and an average base salary of $88,425 in 2007.
Meanwhile, PACS/RIS managers in the U.S. reported an average base salary of $76,921, while PACS/RIS analysts reported an average base salary of $70,501.
The SalaryScan data were collected from surveys filled out between January and March 2010 by thousands of radiology professionals around the world. AuntMinnie.com members can conduct searches on comparable salaries in their professions, regions, and states by going to the SalaryScan data query tool on the AuntMinnie.com Career Center home page, at jobs.auntminnie.com.
By Brian Casey
AuntMinnie.com staff writer
June 10, 2010
Related Reading
ASRT: RT salaries lag inflation, May 26, 2010
Rad salaries don't keep pace with inflation, June 26, 2009
DRA has affected radiologists' salaries, study finds, June 4, 2009
Radiologist salaries inched up in 2008, SalaryScan survey shows, May 14, 2009
Nuke med techs top U.S. labor bureau wage report, May 6, 2009
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