Radiation therapists are typically part of an oncology team.
Radiation therapists are typically part of an oncology team that works to treat cancer with radiation. Becoming a radiation therapist requires a bachelor's degree, associate's degree, or certification in the field, with higher salaries tending to go to those with more education and experience. The salary range for radiation therapists varies depending on factors such as industry and location.
Salary Range
The average salary for radiation therapists in the United States was $77,340 as of 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median salary was $74,170, with the 10th percentile earning $49,980; the 25th percentile earning $60,530; the 75th percentile earning $90,650; and the 90th percentile earning $107,230.
Industry
Most radiation therapists are on staff at general medical and surgical hospitals, earning an annual average salary of $75,310. Those employed in the offices of physicians earned more at $80,810, and those at specialty hospitals earned even higher at $86,160. As of 2009, the highest wages for radiation therapists could be found in medical and diagnostic laboratories at an average of $90,720 a year. Colleges, universities and professional schools offered a mean annual wage of $84,200, while outpatient care centers paid $77,700.
Location
Demand for radiation therapy and cost of living will help determine where on the salary range a radiation therapist falls. As of 2009, Idaho was the state with the highest concentration of radiation therapists and offered a lower than average mean wage of $53,760. Washington D.C. and Arizona also had a high number of these workers, and offered average salaries of $67,630 and $66,570, respectively. South Carolina was the top-paying state for radiation therapists at $97,090, followed by Rhode Island at $90,330 and Washington at $89,420.
Outlook
As with most jobs in the health care industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment for radiation therapists to increase much faster than average; specifically, at a rate of 27 percent between 2008 and 2018. With experience, radiation therapists may see an increase in wages, particularly if they go on to manage radiation therapy programs. Radiation therapists can become dosimetrists with additional training, a job which focuses on calculating proper radiation doses.
Tags: radiation therapists, percentile earning, average salary, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics
