Radiologic Technologist
This occupation's moderately high structural score (63/100) reflects genuinely hands-on clinical work that current AI systems don't perform directly.
We have not ingested real-world usage data for this occupation yet. We show a band only where genuine data exists, rather than estimate one.
What a radiologic technologist actually does
Radiologic technologists operate diagnostic imaging equipment, X-ray and CT machines primarily, positioning patients precisely for each exam and adjusting equipment settings based on the specific body part and diagnostic purpose. Daily work includes preparing and administering contrast materials, processing radiographic images for physician review, maintaining strict radiation-safety protocols for both patients and staff, monitoring patient condition and comfort throughout a procedure, performing equipment quality-control checks, and assisting physicians during more complex imaging procedures.
The work is physically hands-on and requires direct, real-time patient interaction: positioning a patient correctly, explaining a procedure to someone anxious or in pain, and adjusting technique on the fly for a specific patient's body and condition. Radiologic technologists work in hospitals, imaging centers, and physician offices, and most states require licensure or certification to practice.
Why it reads this way
This occupation's moderately high structural score (63/100) reflects genuinely hands-on clinical work that current AI systems don't perform directly.
Real, current AI diagnostic-imaging tools do exist and are increasingly used in radiology, but every credible source is consistent on where that technology actually operates: AI reads and helps interpret X-rays and CT scans to assist a radiologist's diagnosis, a genuinely different task from the technologist's own job of physically positioning a patient, operating the imaging equipment, and managing the patient experience during a procedure.
Most states require licensure, and American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification is required for licensure in 51 jurisdictions and functions as the de facto employer standard even in the small number of states without a formal license requirement, a real, individually-held credential most of the field can't practice without.
BLS projects faster-than-average growth (5%) through 2034 for this role alongside MRI technologists, a real, current demand signal consistent with a field that AI is assisting from an adjacent role rather than displacing directly.
Skills this role draws on
We don't yet have task-by-task time-share data for this occupation, so we can't show which specific tasks carry the exposure score above. This is the real skill set instead.
Typical salary range (USD)
$55,980–$118,660
Average: $80,110/yr
Range source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics / O*NET OnLine, 2025
Average source: O*NET OnLine 2025 wage data (Annual Median Wage) for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians (29-2034.00); min/max from BLS OEWS May 2025 10th/90th percentile, same-year data
Related careers
Head-to-head comparisons
Radiologic Technologist scores 63/100, reflecting genuinely hands-on clinical work: positioning patients, operating imaging equipment, and managing the patient experience during a procedure. Real, current AI diagnostic-imaging tools exist, but consistently operate at the interpretation stage assisting a radiologist's diagnosis, a genuinely different task from the technologist's own physical, patient-facing work. Most states require licensure, and ARRT certification is required for licensure in 51 jurisdictions, a real, individually-held credential. BLS projects faster-than-average growth (5%) through 2034.
This is a researched judgment (checklist v1.2), not a statistical measurement — it sits alongside, not instead of, the structural exposure signal above. Next scheduled review: 2027-02-19.
Data sources & methodology
Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics / O*NET OnLine, 2025. Min/max figures represent the 10th–90th percentile annual wage range across the United States. Average figure sourced separately: O*NET OnLine 2025 wage data (Annual Median Wage) for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians (29-2034.00); min/max from BLS OEWS May 2025 10th/90th percentile, same-year data.
Automation Risk Score: Based on O*NET occupational analysis (29-2034.00) evaluating task complexity, physical requirements, social intelligence, and environmental variability. Methodology based on research from Frey & Osborne (Oxford, 2017).
Growth projections: 5% (2024-2034, faster than average, per BLS Radiologic and MRI Technologists outlook; ~15,400 annual openings), based on BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.