Just the thought of the nuclear medicine technologist salary in the United States should be enough to get you excited. Indeed, it is a fascinating occupation with rewards from all points of view. However, how much does a nuclear medicine technologist make in the U.S.? Well, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual nuclear medicine technologists salary in our country is $73,360 (with the nuclear medicine technologist salary per hour of $35.27). Compare this to the national average for all occupations in the U.S. economy of $36,200 a year and you can understand how satisfying the average salary for nuclear medicine technologist is. But do all nuclear medicine technologist company jobs pay the same? No, they don’t. The average salary of nuclear medicine technologist can vary, depending on several factors that define it. Learn about what can influence your nuclear medicine technologist jobs salary below.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary Influencers
1. Industry
To begin with, there are three main industries that hire employees after graduating from nuclear medicine technologist schools. Between them, these industries have about a $5,000 annual nuclear medicine technologist average salary difference. These are:
- Average salary of a nuclear medicine technologist in offices of physicians – $75,100
- Hospitals (state, local and private) average salary nuclear medicine technologist – $73,050
- Medical and diagnostic laboratories nuclear med tech salary – $70,110
Nevertheless, there are a few others factors that influence the answer to ‘how much does a medical technologist make an hour or a year?’.
2. Geographic Area
You might not think that location could have such a big impact on the nuclear medicine technologist salary. In the end, how much can a city count? However, your location can be decisive for the nuclear medicine technology salary you get. For instance, if you live in California or you move there for work, the nuclear medicine tech salary you get is the best in the country – $105,180 a year. There are a few other states with top nuclear medicine salary estimates, which you can discover below:
- Nuclear medical technologist salary in Connecticut – $87,870
- Washington nuclear medicine technician salary – $87,350
- Nuclear technologist salary in New Jersey – $87,280
- Hawaii nuc med tech salary – $86,080
- Nuclear medicine technologist salary in Rhode Island – $83,820
But you might also be interested in the nuclear medicine technologist salary in Florida ($72,980), as this state has the most job opportunities in the country. Some other states with top employment rates are:
- California
- Texas
- New York
- Pennsylvania
The states you should avoid if you’re looking for a high nuclear medicine technologist starting salary are:
- Alabama – $60,900
- Louisiana – $60,820
- Kentucky – $59,370
- West Virginia – $58,860
- South Dakota – $57,890
3. Experience
You can imagine how experience plays a critical role in determining a nuclear medicine technologist salary. Payscale offers us more information in this regard, highlighting the differences between the nuclear medicine technologist entry level salary and the annual wage for mid-career, experienced and senior professionals:
- Entry-level nuclear medicine technologist salary (0-5 years) – $57,000
- Nuclear medicine technologist salary mid-career (5-10 years) – $63,000
- Experienced nuclear medicine technologist salary (10-20 years) – $68,000
- Nuclear medicine technologist salary late-career (>20 years) – $74,000
Working Hours and Environment
The BLS reports that 69% of nuclear medicine technologists work in state, local and private hospitals. The job involves standing for long periods of time, so you should keep this aspect in mind. The nuclear medicine technologist job description usually involves working full time, with over time for emergencies.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary by State
| State | Annual mean wage ($) |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 60900 |
| Alaska | 80940 |
| Arizona | 78360 |
| Arkansas | 68780 |
| California | 105180 |
| Colorado | 76380 |
| Connecticut | 87870 |
| Delaware | 77120 |
| District of Columbia | 82170 |
| Florida | 72980 |
| Georgia | 70670 |
| Hawaii | 86080 |
| Idaho | 72100 |
| Illinois | 74190 |
| Indiana | 68840 |
| Iowa | 71030 |
| Kansas | 70410 |
| Kentucky | 59370 |
| Louisiana | 60820 |
| Maine | 76110 |
| Maryland | 77980 |
| Massachusetts | 76160 |
| Michigan | 65910 |
| Minnesota | 78490 |
| Mississippi | 65630 |
| Missouri | 69690 |
| Montana | 70250 |
| Nebraska | 66540 |
| Nevada | 80980 |
| New Hampshire | 74020 |
| New Jersey | 87280 |
| New Mexico | 75020 |
| New York | 79760 |
| North Carolina | 66390 |
| Ohio | 66990 |
| Oklahoma | 62650 |
| Oregon | 81800 |
| Pennsylvania | 69910 |
| Puerto Rico | 41130 |
| Rhode Island | 83820 |
| South Carolina | 65760 |
| South Dakota | 57890 |
| Tennessee | 65270 |
| Texas | 73610 |
| Utah | 71380 |
| Virginia | 71070 |
| Washington | 87350 |
| West Virginia | 58860 |
| Wisconsin | 74150 |
| Wyoming | 63820 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bonuses and Benefit Packages
As far as typical health benefits are concerned, about 76% of nuclear medicine technologists get medical insurance. Moreover, 60% get dental insurance and 48% have vision coverage. Only about 21% of nuclear medicine technologists don’t have any medical benefits.
These professionals can get anywhere between $33.96 and $61.75 an hour for overtime. Furthermore, they can get an annual bonus of up to $1,956 based on their activities.
Job Outlook
One of the downsides related to the nuclear medicine technologist salary is the bleak job outlook. Until 2024, job opportunities for employees in this field are expected to grow only 2%, which is visibly slower than the national median for all occupations (7%). However, it is still better than other positions which face a job outlook in decline.
You can help increase your chances of getting hired as a nuclear medicine technologist by getting a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program.
Also, you should never just apply in one place. Do thorough research on all the employers in your area and see what job openings they have. If necessary, you can even consider relocating to one of the states with high employment rates that we mentioned above. You could try California as your first option, considering that they not only have a top nuclear medicine technologist salary, but you also have access to more than enough employment opportunities to get you started.
Conclusion
To wrap everything up, the nuclear medicine technologist salary is a great reason to get you interested in this occupation, as well as the personal and professional satisfaction. Even though the job market isn’t booming with opportunities, you can create your own by doing your very best to excel as a professional in this field. Study often, work hard and always sharpen your skills to get the chance to earn a nuclear medicine technologist salary that you really deserve.
Image credits: 1.
Leave a Reply