Radiology Technician Salary Guide

The more experience you have on the job, the higher your earning potential. However, those wanting to kick their salary up a notch in less time have a few options.

Healthcare employers often pay a premium for employees who go above and beyond the minimum job requirements. Therefore, taking the initiative to earn professional certification may help you qualify for higher-paying jobs and opportunities for career advancement. One of the most common options for radiology technicians is the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Radiography Registered Technologist R.T.(R)(ARRT) certification. To obtain this credential, you need to complete three steps.

Educational Requirements

The first step is to complete an associate degree or higher at an ARRT-approved educational program. Your degree must be in the same ARRT credential you’re pursuing. Thus, if you want the R.T.(R)(ARRT) certification, you must complete a radiography degree that includes all didactic and clinical competency requirements.

Ethical Requirements

The second step is meeting ARRT’s ethics requirements. When you apply for the R.T.(R)(ARRT) credential, you must answer several questions about your criminal history and disclose whether you have any charges or convictions, including:

• Guilty pleas

• Traffic violations involving drugs or alcohol

• Traffic violations charged as misdemeanors or felonies

• Convictions with suspended sentences and pleas of no contest

You must also disclose whether you’ve ever had a professional license, certification, registration or permit suspended, revoked or denied. Disclosures must include being placed on probation or subjected to any disciplinary actions.

Exam Requirements

The third step is to take the ARRT certification exam. This computer-based exam has 200 scored questions covering the following content categories:

• Patient Care (33 questions)

  • Patient Interactions and Management

• Image Production (51 questions)

  • Image Acquisition and Evaluation

  • Equipment Operation and Quality Assurance

• Safety (50 questions)

  • Radiation Protection

  • Radiation Physics/Radiobiology

• Procedures (66 questions)

  • Extremity

  • Thorax and Abdomen

  • Head, Spine and Pelvis

Medically underserved areas of the country receive the medically underserved area (MUA) classification because they meet at least one of the following criteria:

• High poverty rate

• Large number of elderly residents

• High infant mortality rate

• Shortage of primary care providers

California, Texas and Illinois have the highest number of MUA designations in the country. It’s often difficult to entice medical professionals to MUAs, so if you’re willing to move to one of these areas or take on a travel job for several months in an MUA, you may qualify for higher starting pay and additional benefits.

In the healthcare industry, travel jobs often pay more than staff positions. You may even receive tax-free housing stipends to help cover the costs of staying in a different location while fulfilling your travel contract if you can claim a permanent tax home. By completing one long contract or several short contracts each year, it’s possible to increase your pay substantially.

As previously noted, Vivian’s salary date during the first week of December 2022 showed an average hourly salary of $35.44 for perm staff radiology technicians in California. For
travel radiology technician roles, the average weekly salary jumps to $3,244 per week or about $81.10 per hour in a 40-hour workweek. Travel radiology technicians in Texas earned $2,628 per week, or about $65.70 hourly, compared to an average of $27.71 per hour for staff roles.

Though Florida tends to have lower average salaries than Texas and California, accepting a travel radiology technician job in the Sunshine State can be lucrative. Radiology technician jobs in Florida paid an average of $62, compared to the hourly $26.65 rate for staff technicians.