Radiologists – Salary and Other Basics

Upon completion of the necessary requirements to become a radiologist technician, you can expect a salary ranging from acbout $40,000 up to $60,000.  The salary you can make depends largely on the education you have completed, your experience, as well as the area in which you live.  You can also choose to specialize in a specific area, which can also have an effect on the salary you can achieve.  This article will go through the education necessary, the type of experience you can attempt to gain while acquiring your degree, plus some of the specialties people choose to go in that can further your career.

It is important to understand that the main goal you need to reach to become a radiologist technician is to pass the ARRT exam, or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.  Many schools offer 2 year programs that will prepare you to be able to pass this exam, while obtaining your associates degree.  This route is fine, and totally acceptable, but if you have the desire to advance in your career in a specialty or even just become a supervisor, it is important to forge ahead and acquire your bachelor’s degree instead.  That being said, it is possible to return to school at a later time, if you do not have the time or the budget to complete a bachelor’s degree immediately.  In either option, you can expect to be taking a large amount of classes geared towards biology, anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology.   As mentioned above, at the completion of either degree, you will need to pass the ARRT exam before hoping to practice in this field.

If you have a high salary expectation for an entry level job upon graduating, it is very important that you look to either enroll in an internship while in school or directly after.  You will typically not get paid much, if anything, to complete this coursework, but this can give you the step up you need to get that dream job directly after finishing school.  When it comes to the pay scale, the more experience, the better.

Another route that you may choose to go down is to earn certification in a specialty of your choice.  Some of the categories of specialization are mammography, ultrasound, and MRI.  Pursuing further education, in whichever specialty you choose, can definitely have an impact on your salary.

While the amount of money you make should not be the only factor when choosing a career, it is good to know that you can enjoy a comfortable lifestyle while doing something that you love – helping people!