Radiologists Salary

The median radiologists salary in the United States is $420,860 per year ($202.34/hour). Salaries range from $89,010 at the entry level to $594,410+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 26,770 radiologists jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 2.7% through 2034.

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

Also known asRadiologist
Median Salary
$420,860
per year
Hourly Rate
$202.34
per hour
Employment
26,770
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$89,010
25th percentile
$216,800
Median
$420,860
75th percentile
$506,010
90th percentile
$594,410

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+2.7%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

800
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Training Needed

Internship/residency

Radiologists Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for radiologistss.

Radiologists interpret medical imaging (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, mammography, nuclear medicine) + perform image-guided procedures. Career splits: private practice groups (traditional path β€” partnership, highest income potential $500k-$1M+), teleradiology (from home, night hawk or dayhawk), academic (research + teaching + lower cash), sub-specialty focused (neuroradiology, MSK, breast, pediatric, interventional). Path: 4 yrs med school + PGY-1 internship + 4 yrs diagnostic radiology residency + optional 1-2 yr fellowship. Interventional radiology is now a distinct 5-year residency. Radiology consistently top-quartile for physician comp with excellent lifestyle. Compensation median $470-600k, top-quartile $700k-$1M+, especially interventional + sub-specialty at high-volume practices.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Cross-sectional imaging interpretation (CT + MRI)
Anatomy + pathology recognition. Understanding acquisition parameters. Recognizing artifacts + pitfalls.
Plain film + fluoroscopy interpretation
Chest, abdomen, MSK, spine radiographs. Fluoroscopic procedures + interpretation.
Ultrasound performance + interpretation
Abdominal, obstetric, small parts, vascular, musculoskeletal. Increasingly point-of-care used by clinicians.
Mammography + breast imaging (BI-RADS)
Screening + diagnostic mammography + breast US + breast MRI. Requires MQSA certification.
Nuclear medicine + molecular imaging
Bone scan, thyroid, cardiac perfusion, PET/CT. Radioisotope handling + interpretation.
Image-guided procedures (interventional radiology)
Biopsy, drainage, vascular access, embolization, angioplasty, stent placement. IR is separate residency now.
Structured reporting + report writing
Clear, actionable reports. Recommendations. Communication with referring clinicians.
PACS + workflow efficiency
Reading room technology + productivity. Meeting RVU targets in private practice.

How to Become a Radiologists

  1. 1
    Bachelor's + strong MCAT + medical school
    Standard med school. Strong Step scores + radiology rotation performance essential.
  2. 2
    PGY-1 preliminary or transitional year
    One year of clinical training before radiology residency. Some programs are combined.
  3. 3
    Diagnostic Radiology Residency (4 years) or Interventional Radiology Residency (5 years)
    IR is now separate integrated residency (5 yrs) or via IR/DR pathway (fellowship after DR).
  4. 4
    Optional fellowship (1-2 years β€” neuro, MSK, breast, abdominal, chest, peds, IR, nuclear medicine)
    Fellowship increasingly expected for competitive private practice + academic jobs. Neuroradiology + MSK highly competitive.
  5. 5
    Board certification (ABR β€” Core + Certifying Exam)
    Core exam during residency + Certifying Exam after fellowship or first year practice. Required for hospital privileges.
  6. 6
    First attending job β€” private group / hospital / teleradiology / academic
    Private groups partnership-based (2-3 year track). Teleradiology increasingly common. Academic pays less.
  7. 7
    Optional: partnership / practice ownership / leadership
    Practice managing partner, ASC medical director, teleradiology group leadership, department chair (academic).

Career Progression

Resident (PGY-1 to PGY-5)
0-5 yrs$65-85k/year salary
  • β€’Progressive imaging + reading autonomy
  • β€’Rotations across all modalities
  • β€’Board prep
Next: Fellowship or attending.
Fellow (Sub-specialty)
5-6 yrs$75-95k
  • β€’Sub-specialty training
  • β€’Research + presentations
  • β€’Building attending-level skill
Next: Sub-specialty attending.
Attending Radiologist (Employed / Group / Academic)
0-5 post-training yrs$450-580k Β· Interventional + Neuro higher $550-750k
  • β€’Independent reading + reporting
  • β€’Call coverage + weekend rotation
  • β€’Building sub-specialty niche
Next: Senior attending / partner.
Senior Attending / Group Partner / Sub-specialist
5-15 yrs$550-800k Β· IR / Neuro / MSK top $700k-$1M+
  • β€’Established practice + case complexity
  • β€’Practice governance + leadership
  • β€’Building referral relationships
Next: Chief / practice owner.
Department Chief / Practice President / Teleradiology Group Owner
15+ yrs$600-950k+ Β· Practice owner $800k-$1.5M+
  • β€’Practice management + P&L
  • β€’Hospital + payer contract negotiation
  • β€’Regulatory + hospital + community relations

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 12 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through your approach to reading a chest CT.technical
Concrete: Systematic review β€” lungs, mediastinum, vessels, heart, pleura, bones, soft tissues. Compare to prior. Report structured (findings, impression, recommendations). Communication if urgent. Screens for real reading approach.
Q2. How do you handle an unexpected critical finding?situational
Concrete: Immediate direct communication to ordering physician (phone, not just report). Document communication in report. Follow-up ensure receipt. Never rely on report alone for critical finding. Screens for safety culture.
Q3. Tell me about a difficult diagnosis you missed.behavioral
STAR. Real case (de-identified). Honest ownership. Root cause (systematic review gap, atypical presentation, missed prior comparison). Learning applied. Screens for humility + accountability.
Q4. Why our practice / hospital?culture
Research required: modality mix, sub-specialty, group dynamics, technology, growth. Concrete citation. Screens for genuine fit.
Q5. How do you balance workload + accuracy?situational
Concrete: Structured reading approach. Time-per-study standards without rushing critical findings. Use of comparisons + prior imaging. Communication when overloaded. Screens for practice discipline.

Resume Template β€” Attending Radiologist (0-5 yrs post-training)

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

Attending Radiologist (0-5 yrs post-training)
  • β–ΈAttending Radiologist, [Institution]. Board certified ABR. Fellowship in neuroradiology.
  • β–Έ2024 read volume: 12,400 studies (58% CT + 22% MRI + 15% X-ray + 5% mammography). Meeting all quality benchmarks.
  • β–ΈNeuroradiology sub-specialty lead. 3,200 neuro CT + MRI reads with peer-review agreement >97%.
  • β–ΈPrecept residents on neuroradiology rotation. Rated top-quartile teacher on annual evaluations.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Board complaints or missed findings without honest disclosure.
  • βœ—Poor read volume + speed during training.
  • βœ—Discomfort with critical findings or emergency reads.
  • βœ—Inflexible reading approach or over-reliance on ancillary studies.
  • βœ—Bad-mouthing prior training program or partners.
  • βœ—Weak communication with clinicians.
  • βœ—Inability to articulate a missed finding and its lesson.
  • βœ—Not comfortable with sub-specialty range required for private practice.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Base + productivity (RVU-based comp typical).
  • βœ“Sign-on bonus $50-200k common; higher for IR + neuro + rural.
  • βœ“Educational loan repayment.
  • βœ“Call schedule + weekend + evening distribution.
  • βœ“Malpractice tail coverage.
  • βœ“Partnership track timeline + buy-in structure.
  • βœ“Fellowship differential (IR, neuro, MSK).
  • βœ“Vacation (8-12 weeks common for radiologists).
  • βœ“CME budget $10-20k/year.
  • βœ“Home reading station stipend.
  • βœ“Sub-specialty case allocation.
  • βœ“Non-compete radius + duration.

Radiologists Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired radiologistss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Radiologists Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 12 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 7 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • 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
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

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Radiologists Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$76K
$708Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Minnesota
$708K
+68%
South Dakota
$586K
+39%
Maryland
$582K
+38%
Maine
$556K
+32%
North Dakota
$553K
+31%
New Hampshire
$506K
+20%
Michigan
$486K
+15%
New Jersey
$483K
+15%
West Virginia
$472K
+12%
Arizona
$471K
+12%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Minnesota$708,340+68.3%
South Dakota$586,010+39.2%
Maryland$581,510+38.2%
Maine$555,750+32.1%
North Dakota$553,140+31.4%
New Hampshire$506,010+20.2%
Michigan$485,920+15.5%
New Jersey$482,700+14.7%
West Virginia$471,650+12.1%
Arizona$470,640+11.8%
1–10 of 34

Radiologists Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$745,230+77.1%
Sioux Falls, SD-MN$669,020+59.0%
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH$592,050+40.7%
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$581,510+38.2%
Portland-South Portland, ME$578,230+37.4%
Bismarck, ND$553,140+31.4%
Bangor, ME$550,480+30.8%
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$525,930+25.0%
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$488,670+16.1%
Charleston, WV$482,670+14.7%
1–10 of 46
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A radiologists earning $420,860/year would need 142 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 152 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
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πŸ“ˆ See how radiologists salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Radiologists salary trend (2011–2024) β†’