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The differences between nuclear medicine technologists and radiation therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a nuclear medicine technologist and a radiation therapist. Additionally, a radiation therapist has an average salary of $84,981, which is higher than the $72,978 average annual salary of a nuclear medicine technologist.
The top three skills for a nuclear medicine technologist include patients, PET and radiopharmaceuticals. The most important skills for a radiation therapist are patients, patient care, and radiation oncologist.
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | Radiation Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $72,978 | $84,981 |
| Hourly rate | $35.09 | $40.86 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 56,975 | 39,384 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The job of a nuclear medicine technologist is to examine how the body functions to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and medical conditions. These professionals perform various tasks that include preparing and administering radiopharmaceuticals and other medications to patients, monitoring a patient's physical condition during the procedure, and providing patient information, images, and data analysis for diagnosis and treatment. They are expected to answer patients' questions and explain the procedure to them. Nuclear medical technologists are also required to follow radiation safety procedures.
A radiation therapist is a medical professional who works in hospitals or cancer treatment centers and treats cancer and other diseases in patients by giving radiation treatments. Radiation therapists are required to explain the treatment plans to patients as well as conduct x-ray tests on patients to determine the exact location of the area that requires treatment. They must examine radiation machines to ensure that they are safe and working properly. Radiation therapists must also follow safety procedures to protect patients and themselves from overexposure.
Nuclear medicine technologists and radiation therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | Radiation Therapist | |
| Average salary | $72,978 | $84,981 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $151,000 | Between $63,000 And $113,000 |
| Highest paying City | Modesto, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Mississippi |
| Best paying company | Community Medical Center | Cedars-Sinai |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a nuclear medicine technologist and a radiation therapist in terms of educational background:
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | Radiation Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology |
| Most common college | Texas A&M University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between nuclear medicine technologists' and radiation therapists' demographics:
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist | Radiation Therapist | |
| Average age | 47 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.4% Female, 53.6% | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 9.9% White, 69.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 8.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 4.5% White, 69.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 22% | 17% |