The job duties of a radiologist consist of operating medical image rendering machines, assisting patients, and sometimes analyzing X-Rays, mammography and MRIs. A radiologist also might be asked to organize records and perform routine maintenance on machines. Radiologists work in health care facilities such as clinics, hospitals and hospices. Radiologists typically work 40 hours a week, but may be asked to be on-call.
Salary Factors
The salary of a radiologist depends on several factors, including the experience of the radiologist and the extent of her education. Another factor is the geographic location where the radiologist works due to how cost of living impacts salaries. The business the radiologist works for can also determine how much she is paid. For example, if a radiologist works for a small doctor's office, she will make less than if she worked for a large health care conglomerate.
Salary Averages
In May of 2008, the average hourly salary for a radiologist was $25.59, according to the Bureau of Labor of Statistics. The yearly average salary for a radiologist was $53,230, according to the same statistics. The median hourly salary for radiologists was $25.10, which amounts to $52,210 a year. The top 10 percent made $74,970 a year and the bottom 10 percent made $35,100 a year. This was based on salaries of 200,000 radiologists throughout the United States.
Salary Based on Employer
Radiologists who worked in hospitals in May of 2008 made an average of $25.86 an hour, which amounts to $53,790 a year. If the radiologist worked in a doctor's office, he averaged $24.14 an hour or $50,210 a year. Radiologists who worked in medical and diagnostic laboratories made the most, $27.05 a hour or $56,260 annually, according to the bureau.
Location
As of May of 2008, salaries of radiologists who work in certain states made less than those in other states. The difference is based on the number of radiologists in the state compared to the demand. For example, a radiologist in West Virginia made $20.03 a hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On the other end of the spectrum, a radiologist in Nevada made $31.04 an hour in the same timeframe. More specifically, a radiologist in the San Jose, Calif., made $36.82 an hour compared to one in Jackson, Tenn., who made $21.09 an hour.
Job Outlook
The number of jobs for radiologists is expected to increase 15 percent from 2006 to 2016. This is more than other occupations over the same time. The reason for the strong outlook for radiologist jobs is an aging population and a general demand for health care. This demand drives the market and creates jobs in the health care sector. This may push salaries higher during the time period.
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