Radiologists use targeted X-rays to treat tumors.
Although most medical centers rely upon radiology technicians to administer X-ray photography to most patients, it takes physicians who specialize in radiology to interpret the images. Doctors of radiology specialize in reading X-rays and, in some cases, administering treatment to tumors and other growths using X-ray radiation and radioactive isotopes.
Average Salary
The average annual salary for radiologists is $402,924, as reported on the MySalary.com website in January 2011, with half of all doctors of radiology reporting salaries that ranged from $335,066 to $455,567. Doctors who receive salaries at this level have two to four years of experience in the field.
Academic Versus Private Radiologists
Salaries vary greatly between academic radiologists and those in private practice, with private practice radiologists earning much higher salaries than their counterparts. Because of this, salary ranges are difficult to pin down. Mean salaries for all radiologists certified by the American Board of Radiology range from $100,000 to $338,978 as of January 2011, although PayScale reports salaries for those in private practice may range into the $500,000 range.
Salaries by Location
In addition to the salary difference between academic and private doctors, physicians who specialize in radiology may earn drastically different salaries dependent upon the portion of the country in which they work. Radiologists in Atlanta earn the highest average annual salaries in the nation, $358,381 as of January 2011, according to the Salary Expert website, with those in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Indianapolis, Indiana, also earning average salaries close to $350,000. In contrast, doctors of radiology earn average annual salaries of $210,994 in Chicago, the city in which they receive the smallest incomes. Radiologists in half of the cities surveyed by Salary Expert reported average incomes between $237,314 and $308,341.
Comparison to Other Specialists' Salaries
Radiologists are some of the highest paid specialists in the health care industry. Interventional diagnostic radiologists are the sixth highest-paid specialists in the nation, with a median salary of $478,000 as of 2010, according to the Cejka Search website. Non-interventional radiologists received annual salaries of $454,205, making them the ninth highest-paid specialists in the health care industry. Radiologists earn higher average salaries than trauma surgeons, cardiologists, anesthetists and many other specialties.
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