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Radiology Assistant Salaries
By Allison Skoglind, allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 23 2011
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What is the average salary for radiology assistants?
Since radiology assistants each have their own unique background with regard to education, experience, and skill level, average salaries can vary rather dramatically. For instance, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (US BLS) has reported that in 2008, the average radiology technician and technologist typically earned a yearly income of about $63,010. However, radiology technicians and technologists in the top 10% earned substantially higher incomes of $74,970 annually.
Of course, radiology assistants are considerably different from radiology technicians and technologists because they receive additional advanced training and education through specialized radiology assistant programs, which prepares 
them to perform tasks related to image evaluation. Yet these figures still provide relevant insight into salaries for professionals working in the field of radiology. The American Medical Association (AMA) and the ASRT, on the other hand, suggests that registered radiology assistants actually earn an average salary of $102,972, with the top 5% earning as much as $112,615.
What factors influence radiology assistant salaries?
Just like the salaries for most health care and medical professions, radiology assistant salaries can be determined by numerous considerations. To start, RAs with high levels of formal education through respected radiology assistant schools tend to receive better paying jobs. Therefore, it is always wise to continue pursuing advanced degrees or academic certificates in areas of radiology or radiology assisting.Salaries can also differ according to years of previous work experience. Here, entry-level radiology assistants will need to work towards gaining as much additional on-the-job training as possible.
In addition, employers may also award superior salaries to radiology assistants that have gained and maintained national certification from a recognized agency as such as the ARRT versus those that have not.
Radiology assistants may also receive different average salaries depending of their industry of employment. According to the US BLS the top paying industries are as follows: scientific research and development services (1), management, scientific, and technical consulting services (2), employment services (3), office administrative services (4), and specialty hospitals (5). Geographic location of employment may shift salary averages for radiology assistants as well. Therefore, RAs with the ability to relocate often benefit from higher-than-average salaries.
The US BLS ranks Massachusetts, Nevada, Maryland, Hawaii, and Washington, DC among the top paying states for employees working in radiology across the country.
