X-Ray Technician Salary

If you enjoy working with people and are looking for a career that has a lot of potential and growth in the future, consider radiologic technician careers, also known as x ray technicians. Better than average growth for this job is expected in the near future through 2018 and an x ray technician salary not only produces good income, but offers choices in the career field. Exploring job duties for x ray technicians will provide insight into the field and whether it could be an ideal career move. Take a look at the average salaries of radiologic technicians to see what they look like and if they meet the necessary expectations for a career in radiology.

Job Duties

Many people working in the field of radiology are technicians and technologists which are responsible for taking x ray films or radiographs of portions of people’s bodies. X rays are used every day to help diagnose medical problems and give doctors a picture or closeup of what is happening inside the body. In order for the x rays to be effective, patients must be prepared and protected from radiation during the process.

Radiologists work with patients to explain the procedure and advise patients about removing jewelry or other articles from their bodies that can block x rays. The technician will position the patient and place radiation protection devices also known as lead shields at specific heights and angles over designated areas on a patient’s body. With special instruments they take measurements of the area to be x rayed and adjust the x ray equipment accordingly for the proper contrast, detail and density.

Other job duties include record keeping for patients and maintaining and adjusting equipment. Many technicians in some fields also manage the radiology department, evaluate equipment for purchase and assign work schedules. Other radiologic technologists may find themselves performing more complex procedures such as fluoroscopies.

X Ray Technician Salary

Although salaries vary somewhat from one facility to another, the average median technician salary for radiology is $52,000. This is a fairly healthy salary in comparison to other careers in the health care fields. Some of the lowest estimated yearly salaries average $35,000, which is still a substantially good salary. On the high-end of the spectrum about 10 percent of employees receive $74,900 yearly.

Based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics there were more than 127,000 people working in the general medical field or in surgical hospitals. These x ray technicians averaged $54,700 working in hospital settings. Other radiologists performing services in physicians’ offices earned about $50,800 each year.

The third largest sector that hires x ray technicians are diagnostic and medical laboratories. Although this sector is smaller it still hires over 20,000 technicians annually. Basic salaries for these technicians average $57,000.

One of the smallest areas to hire technicians is in the research and scientific services, which only employs a little more than 200 employees. However, these are more specialized fields requiring expansive training. This area pays the highest salaries nearing $75,000.

Based on continuing population growth and increased demands for radiologist services, growth in this field is likely to increase around 17 percent through 2018. Pursuing the necessary education and obtaining an x ray technician salary with job security looks like a promising career.

Become an X-Ray Technician – Get the Education You Need for a High X Ray Technician Salary

Some professions become more important with time. The X-Ray technician is one such.

Modern medical science can be divided into 3 distinct categories, and they are – research, diagnosis or detection, and treatment. An X-Ray technician plays a key role in the second or the detection part. Let us see how.

The primary responsibility of a trained X-Ray technician is to take pictures of the inside of a person’s body by using advanced X-Ray equipment. This is very important because physicians will often ask for the picture to detect a medical condition, disease or injury. The detection leads to diagnosis, and the diagnosis helps the physician decide the best treatment protocol for the patient. No physician would today prescribe any treatment without diagnosing the condition first, and it doesn’t make any sense too, particularly when advanced tests can be carried out easily.

It is the X-Ray technician, who helps the physician here, and thus, qualified and experienced technicians are in high-demand, and they draw a lot of salary too. The X-Ray technician salary has really gone up by leaps and bounds in recent times.

There’s more good news for the technicians of today. Not only has the X-Ray technician salary climbed rapidly in recent times, but today, there are plenty of job opportunities for them as well. The big cities certainly have many lots of hospitals and clinics, but these health centers have come up in the smaller towns as well, and more are being set up every day. Of course, almost all of them will need to hire an X-Ray technician. But that’s not all. They can find a job at the doctor’s office too, and of course, there are hundreds and even thousands of such offices across the country. Some technicians would even take up a teaching opportunity at one of the colleges and universities to help the next generation of technicians.

So, there are actually plenty of opportunities for these professionals, and the X-Ray technician salary is decent enough in most of them.

How Much Can You Earn As an X-Ray Technician

You will naturally think about the money you can earn when you are deciding about the profession you want to take up. You will be happy to know that as a technician, you can earn a decent living, no matter where you are living. Of course, the actual salary you will get will depend on several factors, such as, your qualification, experience, whether you have any special skills or not, whether you are employed in a big city or small town, and others like this. But on an average, the pay is likely to be more than the national average. That’s a good start.

Data issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that the X-Ray technician can on an average earn about $55,000 every year, and the hourly average pay is about $27.00. But there are some individuals, for whom the average X-Ray technician salary is more than $70,000. They are certainly, the best people in the industry – the most qualified and the most experienced.

Most technicians are today working at surgical and medical hospitals, followed by those employed at the physician’s office, and those working at diagnostic and medical labs. The BLS or the US Bureau of Labor Statistics also tells us that the average X-Ray technician salary is the maximum in these states – Nevada, Maryland, Hawaii and Massachusetts. The pay seems to be the best in Boston, Quincy, Peabody, San Jose and Oakland. In these cities, the pay is way above the national average. The salary really peaks if the technician agrees to work beyond the hospital system.

Statistics and a study of the trends also tell us that a lot of jobs are being created today. More clinics, health centers and hospitals are coming up because America is aging – we today have more seniors than before, and they need medical attention, and also because, we are today more health conscious and would not take any chance. More people are thus prepared to spend money on medical tests these days. Naturally, these clinics and health centers will need to hire technicians, thus boosting the prospects of this profession all the time.

Do You Want to Become An X-Ray Technician?

You have taken a wonderful decision. Jobs are available, and the X-Ray technician salary is good too. What more could anyone want?

You can certainly get the X-Ray technician job you want, but remember, it is really essential that you have the right education. So join a school and get your education. Of course, the more qualified you are, the better will be the salary. The minimum you should get is a 1-year Certificate program. There is also the 2-year program, and the most detailed is a 4-year program.

Before selecting your school, check the program, the contents, and ensure that it is recognized by the major employers.