X-ray technician/radiology technologist

What is an X-ray technician and what is a radiology technologist?

For readers looking into this career path for the first time, you’ll be happy to know that X-ray technician and radiology technologist are simply different names for the same job function. They are in charge of capturing images of the inside of the human body. They are also responsible for providing bedside manners that will keep anxious patients at ease and explaining imaging purposes and procedures. Doctors use images captured by radiology technologists for diagnoses.

Training and credentials

An associate’s degree is required along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certifications. Some states require licensing as well.

Make sure a school has the appropriate credentials before enrolling in coursework. The school must be accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT). The school must also be accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, according to ARRT. There are many schools and accreditation agencies that are not legitimate. Click on the following link to read more on “degree mills” and “accreditation mills”.

https://www.jrcert.org/degree-accreditation-mills/

Wages

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

The median annual wage for radiologic technologists was $61,370 in May 2021..

X-ray technicians may go on specialize in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and earn additional income. Additional certification and experience is needed in order to specialize in MRI. The BLS states on their website that

The median annual wage for MRI technologists was $77,360 in May 2021..

Below salaries for radiologic technology positions throughout the country have been listed. The positions all com from and approximate estimates found on the BLS website. In the future, non-federal jobs will be added to the list.