Radiologic Technologist
Health Science
Run X-ray and imaging equipment that helps doctors see inside the body.
Why it matters here: Hospitals across Montgomery County staff imaging around the clock.
Labor Market — DMV Region
Sourced from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS releases (DMV metro and nationwide) plus MD, VA, and D.C. workforce agencies.
Local cost of living is why DMV pay often differs from the national median.
- DMV & state figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — OEWS wage & employment estimates and Employment Projections, with OEWS area pay relatives for the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro, Maryland, D.C., and Northern Virginia · View source
- Occupation profiles & skills: O*NET OnLine (U.S. Department of Labor) · onetonline.org
All salary figures are published estimates for groups of workers, not offers or guarantees for any individual role.
Education & Career Pathways
Multiple ways to get here — pick the one that fits your life.
Career Progression
How you can grow — with expected salary at each step.
- Entry-level Radiologic TechnologistLearning the role, supervised work, building core skills.$65,400
- Radiologic Technologist (experienced)Independent work, mentoring newer team members.$80,020
- Senior / Lead Radiologic TechnologistOwning projects, specialization, higher responsibility.$97,010
- Manager or specialist trackSupervising a team or moving into a high-demand specialty.$116,412
Skills Required
What you'll actually do — and how you'll be judged.
Imaging suite, rotating shifts including nights
Where you work
An imaging room with an X-ray, CT or MRI machine and a shielded control booth; also portable imaging at the bedside.
Hours and schedule
Hospitals staff imaging around the clock, so expect rotating evening, overnight and weekend shifts. Outpatient centers keep daytime hours.
Pace and pressure
Quick and repetitive — many short exams a day, punctuated by urgent orders from the ER.
Who you work with
You work alone with each patient and report to radiologists you may mostly know through the reading system.
Physical demands
Standing, pushing heavy portable units, helping patients position themselves.
What people wear
Scrubs plus a lead apron and dosimeter badge.
Remote reality
On site. Image reading is remote for radiologists, not for technologists.
Workplace culture: what's normal here
- Radiation safety is checked and documented every shift; nobody skips the badge.
- Positioning quality is peer-reviewed — retakes get discussed, not hidden.
- You explain a scary machine to a nervous patient dozens of times a day, so patience is the reputation-maker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Work Environment, with regional detail for the DMV.
Official data behind this career
Federal statistics for DMV Region, translated into plain language.
Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metro area
Source: U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates (tables DP03, DP02, DP05)
- The DMV functions as one labor market: workers routinely cross state lines to get to work.
- The largest employment destinations are D.C., Fairfax County and Montgomery County.
Top places these workers go to work
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — BEA regional GDP and personal income, most recent published year
Private-sector payroll data from ADP. It is a supplemental near-real-time indicator and does not replace BLS government employment statistics.
Source: ADP National Employment Report — Most recent monthly ADP National Employment Report
- 1U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH, OEWS, Employment Projections, CES) — Primary source for occupation wages, outlook, projected openings, education and training.
- 2U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey — Primary source for income, educational attainment, labor force and demographic context by place.
- 3Census LEHD (LODES / OnTheMap) — Primary source for where workers live versus where they work, and local workforce flows.
- 4U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Primary source for regional GDP, industry contribution, compensation and personal income.
- 5ADP National Employment Report — Supplemental near-real-time private-sector employment and pay indicator. Not a replacement for BLS.
Figures describe groups of workers, not any one person. Where an official figure is not published for a category, this page says “Data unavailable for this category.” rather than estimating.
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