Nuclear Medicine Technologists Salary

The median nuclear medicine technologists salary in the United States is $101,370 per year ($48.74/hour). Salaries range from $78,080 at the entry level to $134,500+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 17,080 nuclear medicine technologists jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 3% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asNuclear Medicine TechNuclear Medicine Technologist
Median Salary
$101,370
per year
Hourly Rate
$48.74
per hour
Employment
17,080
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$78,080
25th percentile
$86,720
Median
$101,370
75th percentile
$117,120
90th percentile
$134,500

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+3%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

900
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Associate's degree

Nuclear Medicine Technologists Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for nuclear medicine technologistss.

Nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs) prepare and administer radiopharmaceuticals, perform SPECT and PET/CT imaging, and support radiation therapy in hospitals, cancer centers, and outpatient imaging centers. Entry (post-ARRT NMT or NMTCB) $72-92k; established $85-115k; senior/PET-CT dual $105-138k; lead/supervisor $125-175k. Cyclotron and radiopharmacy positions and theranostic centers (Lu-177 PSMA and DOTATATE for prostate and neuroendocrine cancer) pay premium. Traveler NMT contracts $2,800-4,200/week including tax-free stipends.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Radiopharmaceutical handling and dosing
Preparation, quality control (radiochromatography, pH), calibration in the dose calibrator, patient-specific dosing calculations, and safe injection technique. Understanding decay tables and half-life for each isotope.
Radiation safety and ALARA
NRC and state regulatory compliance, dose limits, shielding, contamination monitoring, spill procedures, and waste disposal. RSO awareness at the site level.
SPECT and PET/CT imaging protocols
Bone scans, MPI (myocardial perfusion imaging), thyroid uptake, HIDA, gastric emptying, PET/CT oncology with FDG, brain PET, and theranostic imaging with Lu-177. Optimizing acquisition parameters and reconstruction.
Patient care and communication
Explaining scans, managing anxiety, IV placement, monitoring during 30-90 minute scans, and safety for pediatric and disabled patients.
PACS, RIS, and dose management systems
Epic Radiant, Sectra, McKesson RIS; PACS platforms; dose management software (Bayer Radimetrics, Sectra DoseTrack) for radiation dose tracking.
Cardiac stress testing coordination
Working with cardiologists on pharmacological stress (regadenoson, dobutamine) and exercise stress protocols for myocardial perfusion studies. EKG interpretation basics.
Theranostics and radionuclide therapy
Lu-177 PSMA (Pluvicto), Lu-177 DOTATATE (Lutathera), Y-90 SIRT, I-131 for thyroid. Growing specialty; centers with theranostic programs pay 10-20% above general NMT.

How to Become a Nuclear Medicine Technologists

  1. 1
    Complete an ARRT- or JRCNMT-accredited nuclear medicine program
    Post-primary route: after ARRT R.T.(R) rad tech, 12-24 months of nuclear med certification training. Primary route: 2-4 year JRCNMT-accredited program direct entry. Programs include 1,200+ clinical hours.
  2. 2
    Pass the NMTCB or ARRT N credentialing exam
    $275 exam. State licensure in most states. Some employers require both NMTCB and ARRT N for maximum flexibility.
  3. 3
    Take a first role at $72-92k at a hospital, cancer center, or outpatient imaging
    Level 1 trauma centers, academic medical centers, and NCI-designated cancer centers pay premium. Outpatient imaging centers offer more predictable hours.
  4. 4
    Cross-train on PET/CT and cardiac if you're SPECT-only
    PET/CT dual competency adds $8-15k. Cardiac NMT (MPI) is often a separate sub-specialty pay tier.
  5. 5
    Advance to senior, lead, supervisor, or theranostics
    Senior/lead $115-150k. Supervisor/manager $135-175k. Theranostic coordinator at NCI centers $130-175k+. Traveler NMTs earn $145-220k annualized on 13-week assignments.

Career Progression

Staff Nuclear Medicine Technologist
0-3 yrs$72-92k + shift and on-call differential
  • β€’Perform routine SPECT and PET/CT exams
  • β€’Dose preparation and radiation safety
  • β€’Cardiac stress test coordination
  • β€’PACS/RIS workflow
Next: Senior Tech or Dual Modality at 2-5 years.
Senior / PET-CT Dual / Cardiac Specialty
3-10 yrs$95-125k + differentials
  • β€’Complex PET/CT protocols (oncology, cardiac, brain)
  • β€’Theranostics preparation and administration
  • β€’Train new techs
  • β€’Own QC and radiation safety projects
Next: Lead / Supervisor at 6-12 years.
Lead / Chief NMT / Theranostics Coordinator
6-15 yrs$115-158k
  • β€’Own scheduling for 4-10 techs
  • β€’Coordinate with nuclear medicine physicians and radiologists
  • β€’RSO or Assistant RSO role
  • β€’Manage cyclotron and radiopharmacy relationships
Next: Imaging Manager at 10-15 years.
Imaging Manager / Radiation Safety Officer
12+ yrs$135-215k+
  • β€’Manage nuclear medicine and adjacent modalities (PET, MRI, CT)
  • β€’Own department P&L and capital planning
  • β€’NRC licensee reporting; radiation safety program
  • β€’Report to Director of Imaging
Next: Director of Imaging or Radiology Administrator.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through your radiation safety practice at the beginning of a shift.technical
Check the daily linearity of the dose calibrator (constancy check with a long-lived source). Survey the injection room and hot lab with a Geiger counter for contamination. Confirm shielding is in place. Log daily QC. Personal dosimeter on. Check the day's schedule and calculate the total anticipated dose to plan minimum-exposure workflow. Radiation safety is not a moment; it's a discipline across the whole shift.
Q2. A patient's kit doesn't pass QC β€” the pH is out of range. What do you do?situational
Do not administer. Log the QC failure per site policy. Contact the manufacturer or radiopharmacy for a replacement kit. Communicate with the ordering physician about the delay and confirm the patient can be rescheduled or a same-day replacement is available. Never administer a failed-QC radiopharmaceutical β€” dosimetry and image quality will be off, and it's a compliance issue.
Q3. How do you handle a pregnant patient scheduled for a bone scan?situational
Confirm the pregnancy status directly with the patient β€” do not rely on chart alone. Escalate to the ordering physician and the nuclear medicine physician for a risk-benefit discussion. Most elective nuclear medicine studies are postponed until after delivery. Urgent studies proceed only with informed consent and shielding to reduce fetal dose. Document everything.
Q4. Which modalities are you certified in and comfortable running independently?technical
Name them: SPECT (planar and SPECT/CT), PET/CT with FDG and specialty tracers (Ga-68 DOTATATE, F-18 PSMA), cardiac SPECT and PET rubidium, and theranostic administration. Say which vendor platforms you're strongest on (GE Discovery, Siemens Biograph, Philips Vereos). Managers dispatch cases based on modality fluency.
Q5. Where do you see your career in 5 years?closer
Senior/dual modality, theranostics specialty, lead tech, or supervisor/RSO track. Say which and defend. Managers invest in techs with direction.

Resume Template β€” Nuclear Medicine Technologist (3-10 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Nuclear Medicine Technologist (3-10 yrs)
  • β–ΈStaff NMT at 380-bed NCI-designated cancer center; 10-14 SPECT and PET/CT cases per day.
  • β–ΈNMTCB + ARRT N + PET certifications; state-licensed.
  • β–ΈTheranostics-trained (Lu-177 PSMA and Lu-177 DOTATATE); administered 180+ therapeutic doses.
  • β–Έ$102k base + $6k on-call + $4k specialty differential + PSLF-eligible.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Weak on radiation safety β€” a contamination incident is a career-ending event.
  • βœ—Cannot dose calibrate or interpret QC failures without a supervisor.
  • βœ—Poor IV placement β€” slows the department and drives patient dissatisfaction.
  • βœ—Weak on cardiac stress and pharmacological stress; a hard gate for MPI-heavy sites.
  • βœ—No PET/CT experience; increasingly required at every NMT job.
  • βœ—Poor documentation of doses, injection times, and QC β€” regulatory audit risk.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“PET/CT dual competency adds $8-15k above SPECT-only.
  • βœ“Theranostics-trained (Lu-177 PSMA and DOTATATE) adds $10-20k at cancer centers.
  • βœ“NCI-designated cancer centers and academic medical centers pay 10-20% above community hospitals.
  • βœ“Cardiac SPECT and PET rubidium at high-volume cardiology practices commands specialty pay.
  • βœ“Metro cost-of-living β€” California, NYC, Boston, DC, Seattle add 20-40% over national averages.
  • βœ“PSLF eligibility at non-profit and public hospitals β€” worth $30-100k over 10 years.
  • βœ“Traveler NMT contracts $2,800-4,200/week ($145-220k annualized) with housing stipend.

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  • βœ“ All 13 interview questions with expert answers
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  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
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Nuclear Medicine Technologists Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$65K
$162Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

California
$162K
+60%
Washington
$126K
+24%
Hawaii
$126K
+24%
New Jersey
$124K
+23%
Oregon
$122K
+20%
New York
$119K
+17%
Massachusetts
$118K
+17%
Connecticut
$117K
+16%
Colorado
$117K
+15%
District of Columbia
$117K
+15%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
California$162,380+60.2%
Washington$126,200+24.5%
Hawaii$125,650+24.0%
New Jersey$124,280+22.6%
Oregon$122,100+20.4%
New York$118,650+17.0%
Massachusetts$118,250+16.7%
Connecticut$117,150+15.6%
Colorado$116,990+15.4%
District of Columbia$116,630+15.1%
1–10 of 49

Nuclear Medicine Technologists Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$198,950+96.3%
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$189,790+87.2%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$173,260+70.9%
Modesto, CA$172,530+70.2%
Fresno, CA$163,380+61.2%
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$162,380+60.2%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$156,410+54.3%
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$150,870+48.8%
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$133,380+31.6%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$128,560+26.8%
1–10 of 100
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
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A nuclear medicine technologists earning $101,370/year would need 588 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 631 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
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View Nuclear Medicine Technologists salary trend (2011–2024) β†’