It takes time and effort to become an expert radiologist. However, the effort is worth it. High salary rates are among the main factors influencing individuals’ decision-making when choosing their career path. One should complete an average of 13 years of schooling and training until a person can officially start earning the radiologist’s salary. Still, if you feel passionate about helping others, love medicine, and feel an interest in diagnostics, it’s worth completing such a long way of schooling and training to start helping people and get a decent salary for your work.
How much do niche-specific specialists earn in America in 2022? Let’s dive in and see how much money you will make after schooling and becoming a radiologist.
What Should a Radiologist Be Able to Do?
The duties of a radiologist include conducting radiation diagnostics of the human body and analyzing the results. Being in constant contact with the attending physicians of patients, radiologists actively identify the causes of a particular disease or neoplasm (pneumonia, tumor, cyst, abscess, etc.). Radiologists also participate in regular preventive examinations of different groups of people.
Radiologists work with sophisticated diagnostic equipment. They work in general hospitals and sanatoriums, making x-rays and conducting diagnostics. Modernecialists also work with ultrasound machines and computed tomography.
When conducting diagnostics drawing up a conclusion based on the studies performed, the radiologist makes a diagnosis and determines how the patient should be treated further. Depending on the clinical course of the disease, he may decide in favor of conservative therapy or surgical intervention.
Any radiologist is, first of all, an excellent diagnostician who is versed in a wide range of medical areas. Only he can speak the same language as clinicians who refer their patients to him in this case. In addition, radiologists are well aware of the anatomy and physiology of the human body, taking into account age-related changes and characteristics of patients from different groups.
The specialty of the radiologist assumes that the doctor will:
- Determine the indications for radiological examinations following the anamnesis and medical history of the patient.
- Select the best methods and plan diagnostic testing.
- Work with medical equipment and perform radiographs, including contrast agents.
- Own the technique of tomography (computer, magnetic resonance).
- Analyze the results of studies, enter them into the recorded documentation, and draw up a conclusion for the attending physician.
The radiologist must be oriented in matters of the norm and pathology of the human body, know the features of “radiation symptoms” and describe them when they are found on the pictures, provide specialized medical assistance in accordance with the professional standard. His duties also include an assessment of the completeness of the scheme of studies prescribed by the attending physician, the rationale and description of additional methods, if necessary, their inclusion in the preliminary list.
The radiologist is responsible for testing safety and supervises subordinate personnel’s work – laboratory assistants, nurses, and consults on radiation diagnostics.
Radiologist Reputation
Many factors influence radiologist salary. One of them is the reputation of the medical worker. People often search for reviews left by other patients concerning the quality of service and qualifications of a specific radiologist before planning their visit.
Taking care of public relations of medical workers is part of the job provided by PRNEWS.IO. Doctors are normally busy taking care of patients. Their online reputation is the last thing they have time and energy to handle at the end of a difficult working day. That’s why it is better to rely on professionals who know what PR strategies work best for doctors.
Average Radiologist Salary by State
As we’ve already mentioned, the average radiologist’s salary is influenced by many factors. One of them is the place where a person works. Suppose you consider starting working in the US. In that case, the following table of average radiologist salaries by states should give you a hint on where you’d like to build your career or climb the professional ladder.
| State | Average Radiologist Salary | Radiologist Salary per Hour |
| California | $162,602 | $78.17 |
| New York | $169,312 | $81.40 |
| Florida | $176,461 | $84.84 |
| Texas | $177,281 | $85.23 |
| Michigan | $194,361 | $93.44 |
| Ohio | $185,410 | $89.14 |
| Georgia | $185,932 | $89.39 |
| New Jersey | $189,918 | $91.31 |
| Virginia | $178,788 | $85.96 |
| Illinois | $182,603 | $87.79 |
| Massachusetts | $189,824 | $91.26 |
Prospects for the Profession
The development of radiology continues, and if a few decades ago the doctor was at constant risk of radiation exposure, and the range of diagnostic options was limited, today it is possible to obtain high-quality images and volumetric images of even deep tissue structures in a much safer workspace.
It is impossible to imagine modern medical activity without radiation diagnostics. The radiologist is the “second eye” of the surgeon and therapist. Given the lack of an alternative and the improvement of existing methods, we can confidently say that the profession will remain in demand for a very long time.
Bottom Line:
The average radiologist’s salary depends on many factors. The salary rates are based on the person’s education, certification, experience, and skills. The medical worker’s online reputation also plays an important factor in how much a radiologist will get for the work. If you consider becoming a niche-specific specialist in the US, consider the average radiologist salary rates by state to find the best place for doing your favorite job and getting generous monetary rewards for it.
FAQ: Radiologist Salary
📍How much does a radiologist make?
Radiologists’ salary rates vary based on the state. As for 2022, Michigan’s highest average radiologist salary makes up $194,361. Surprisingly, the lowest rates are in New York – $169,312.
📍How long does it take to become a radiologist?
The entire process of schooling and training can last for up to 13 years. A person working as a radiologist should complete high school before going to medical college, finishing an internship, followed by an average of four years of training in Diagnostic Radiology.
📍What does a radiologist do?
Radiologists are medical workers specializing in disease diagnostics based on the information they get using medical imaging techniques. The techniques include x-rays, ultrasound, computed tomography, etc.
