How Much Do Radiologists Make?

If you’re considering entering the medical field, you may find yourself wondering how much do radiologists make and what the job entitles.

Radiologists are physicians trained in interpreting medical images obtained from CT scans, X-rays, ultrasound, MRI, or nuclear medicine. There are several specialties, such as diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology, or vascular and interventional radiology, as well as many other different subspecialties. 

Becoming a radiologist can be a rewarding career as the profession is among the highest-paid in the healthcare industry. Read on to learn more details about this growing profession and just how much money you can expect to earn.

How Much Do Radiologist Professionals Make? 

Radiology in the US: How much does a radiologist make a year?

According to the annual Physician Compensation Report by Medscape, the average radiologist makes $413,000 a year. Radiology is the sixth top-earning healthcare specialty in the US. The exact salary depends on education, specialization, work experience, and the employing institution. 

Additionally, the state also influences the salary. For example, at $385,917, radiologists in New York are the highest paid in the US. North Carolina is on the opposite side of this categorization at $242,652. 

(Medscape, ZipRecruiter)

How much do radiologists make in Canada? 

Canada is the country with the highest-paid radiologists. The government has about 2,500 radiologist professionals, the majority of which are working in the public sector, considering that private clinics aren’t allowed to operate MRIs or CTs. 

The average salary for Canadian radiologists is estimated at $566,000. In Quebec, radiologists are the best-paid in the country, with average earnings of about $700,000 per year. 

(NaiBuzz)

How much does a radiologist make worldwide?

Following Canada, Switzerland has the second-best paid radiologists worldwide and is first-ranked in Europe. Radiologists in this country make about $555,000 annually. Australia comes in next with annual salaries of around $490,000. 

Norway is also among the countries with the highest-paid radiologists, with an average salary of $440,000. Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, France, and the UK round out the rest of the list of the top 10 countries with the highest radiologist salaries. 

(NaiBuzz)

Radiology doctor salary: What’s the average net worth of a radiologist?

Nearly 50% of radiologists report having a net worth of $2 million or more, tying with plastic surgery and orthopedics. Notably, 16% of radiologists report a net worth of under $500,000, and another 16% said they are worth more than $5 million.  

(Radiology Business) 

Employed vs. Self-Employed: Who has better radiologist pay?

The incomes of radiologists, both self-employed and traditionally employed, are on the rise. Still, self-employed radiologists make more on average, with $451,000 per year. Traditionally employed physicians, on average, make $391,000 annually. 

Self-employed radiologists tend to be older and more experienced than employed physicians and have more time to build their practice. Additionally, self-employmed radiologists may make more money, but must also pay higher insurance and tax premiums. 

(Medscape)

How much do radiologists make per hour?

According to the latest estimates from Salary.com, the average hourly pay for a radiologist is $206. Typically, the range falls between $179 and $238, but the hourly rate varies depending on crucial factors like education, additional skills, certifications, and years spent working as a radiologist. 

Breaking down the average radiologist wage by state, New York is leading with $185.54 per hour, followed by New Hampshire at $180.17, and Wyoming with $165.37 per hour. 

(Salary.com, ZipRecruiter)

How much do radiologists make a month?

As per the data from ZipRecruiter, the average monthly salary for a radiologist in the US is $27,003. There are ten cities nationwide where the average radiologist salary is above the national average. San Jose is topping the list with $32,757, and Oakland and Tanaina come in second and third place with monthly salaries of $32,384 and $32,252. 

(ZipRecruiter)

What is a typical entry-level radiologist salary?

The national average pay for an entry-level radiologist is $68,575 a year or about $32.97 per hour. The top earners make, on average, $97,500 annually across the US. 

There are several cities where entry-level radiologists make above the national average. For one, new radiologists in Sunnyvale, CA start with $81,866, followed by Santa Cruz with $81,109, and Santa Rosa with $79,280. 

(ZipRecruiter)

How much money do radiologists make at a senior level? 

The average annual salary of senior radiologists is $170,622 per year, with top earners making as much as $396,500 annually. With a generous range for senior professionals, there are many earning opportunities for radiologists, depending on skill level, experience, and location. 

San Mateo, CA, is the US city that pays senior radiologists the most, with an average salary of $207,251. The city has a moderately active job market, however, with only a handful of companies hiring for the role. 

(ZipRecruiter)

Salaries in different radiology fields: How much do interventional radiologists make?

International radiologists are surgeons who use tools to diagnose and treat specific ailments and illnesses that might have required open surgery until a few years ago.  

Interventional radiologists are one of the highest-paid healthcare careers. The average pay for interventional radiologists in the US is $428,700. Salary.com reports the typical range is between $372,000 and $495,000, depending on certain factors. 

(Salary.com)

What’s the average diagnostic radiology salary?

A diagnostic radiologist specializes in obtaining and interpreting medical images, connecting them to other tests and examinations, and recommending further tests or treatments. According to Zippia, a diagnostic radiologist makes $206,911 per year or $99.48 per hour. 

In some states, diagnostic radiologists make above the national average. For example, in Massachusetts, the average pay is $246,249, whereas in Hawaii and New Jersey is $241,540 and $241,364, respectively. 

(Zippia, Zip Recruiter) 

Where does the highest-paid radiologist work? 

Radiologists of all fields report high salaries, but the amount can vary greatly depending on the specific radiology field. According to MGMA research, non-interventional radiologists earn the most, with $532,695 per year. Interventional radiologists come in second place with $526,107, followed by neuro-interventional radiologists with $518,265, and nuclear medicine radiologists with $393,027.  

(Physicians Thrive)

What is the average radiology technician salary? 

Radiology technicians accurately position patients, ensuring a quality diagnostic image is produced. The position requires an entry-level education, typically an Associate’s degree. 

As per the latest estimates from BLS, a radiology technician makes on average $63,710 per year or $30.63 per hour. There are about 254,000 radiology technicians in the US, new radiology jobs and constantly showing up, and it’s expected that the job demand will increase by 9% through 2030, adding another 21,600 jobs. 

(BLS)

In which industries is an X-ray tech salary the highest?

Outpatient care centers and federal government agencies are the highest-paying industries for X-ray technicians, at $76,200 and $72,480 per year. 

Technicians in specialty hospitals (except psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals) make $71,490 a year, whereas technicians employed in General Medical and Surgical Hospitals have an average annual salary of $65,130. 

(BLS)

Which sector has the highest average radiology technician salary?

Nuclear medicine technologists earn the most money among radiology technicians. The job involves performing tests like bone, gallium, and MING scans and securing quality images for the doctors. The average pay for this profession is $68,760. 

CT scan technologists give patients CAT or CT scans and are the second-best paid in the radiology technician field. These professionals typically work in imaging centers and hospitals and make, on average, $68,600 per year. 

The Gender Gap: Who has a bigger radiologist salary?

Medscape reported that female physicians across all specialties, including radiology, earn 33% less than their male equivalents. It’s estimated that female radiologists will earn $1 million less than men during their careers, one of the highest wage gaps among medical specialties.  

Experts point out that changing policies to include paid family leave, broader childcare coverage, and greater salary transparency might potentially solve this disparity. 

(Health Imaging) 

The Race Gap: What’s the average income for radiologist professionals by ethnicity?

The race wage gap persists in virtually every industry, including radiology. According to the data shared by Zippia, Asian radiologist professionals are the best-paid compared to other ethnicities, with average annual earnings of $287,580. 

In addition, White radiologists take home $286,004, on average, whereas Hispanics make $265,183 a year. Black or African American radiologists have the lowest average income at $248,957. 

(Zippia)

Do radiologists get paid well?

Radiologists are among the highest paid healthcare professions worldwide. The average salary for radiologists before the COVID-19 pandemic hit was estimated at $427,000, placing the specialty among the top-five highest-paid. 

Following the pandemic, radiologists saw a slight decline in the average salaries, especially for those whose compensation is based on productivity. Still, radiologists remain in the top healthcare ranks for salary and for job satisfaction.

(Radiology Business)

In Conclusion: How Much Do Radiologists Make? 

The demand for radiology increases rapidly and is in line with the increased volume of medical procedures. According to experts, very little can happen in healthcare without an image. As a result, radiologists are among the top-earning professions in the US and around the world. Professionals in this field can make up to $800,000 a year and have some of the highest job satisfaction rates.   

Sources: BLS, BLS, ZipRecruiter, Zippia, Physicians Thrive, NaiBuzz, ZipRecruiter, ZipRecruiter, ZipRecruiter, Salary.com, Medscape, Salary.com, Radiology Business, Health Imaging, Zippia, Medscape, Radiology Business.