Radiation therapist vs nurse

The differences between radiation therapists and nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a radiation therapist and a nurse. Additionally, a radiation therapist has an average salary of $84,981, which is higher than the $57,564 average annual salary of a nurse.

The top three skills for a radiation therapist include patients, patient care and radiation oncologist. The most important skills for a nurse are patients, home health, and CPR.

Radiation therapist vs nurse overview

	Radiation Therapist	Nurse
Yearly salary	$84,981	$57,564
Hourly rate	$40.86	$27.68
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	39,384	696,124
Job satisfaction	-	4
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	42	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a radiation therapist do?

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.

What does a nurse do?

Nurses are medical professionals assigned to a specific department in the hospital and provide their trusted department services. Nurses are in charge of taking patients' medical histories, getting vital signs, preparing patients for checkups or procedures, explaining upcoming practices, answering any questions, and communicating any concerns to the assigned doctor. Nurses should ensure that patients follow the medical advice given to them. They also assist patients in completing administrative requirements, such as filling out forms, validating details, and endorsing payments.

Radiation therapist vs nurse salary

Radiation therapists and nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Radiation Therapist	Nurse
Average salary	$84,981	$57,564
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $113,000	Between $38,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Mississippi	California
Best paying company	Cedars-Sinai	Conviva
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between radiation therapist and nurse education

There are a few differences between a radiation therapist and a nurse in terms of educational background:

	Radiation Therapist	Nurse
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	Duke University

Radiation therapist vs nurse demographics

Here are the differences between radiation therapists' and nurses' demographics:

	Radiation Therapist	Nurse
Average age	42	44
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	17%	9%

Differences between radiation therapist and nurse duties and responsibilities

Radiation therapist example responsibilities.

Manage all payroll, accounts receivable and payable, and maintain complete records of equipment and staff.
Manage daily clinical staffing needs by appropriately deploying PRN therapist when need, which save company from employing an additional FTE.
Perform SBRT and SRS, and IMRT treatments under the supervision of the physician.
Set up patients on treatment machine, port films and IGRT to line up patients.
Ensure treatment plans are consistent with oncologist's prescriptions and verify EMR for daily treatment delivery.
Monitor patients records through EMR, maintain weekly and monthly reports for the company, maintain and order supplies.

Nurse example responsibilities.

Monitor patients' status during surgery (circulate in operating room) and manage patients in PACU.
Manage high-acuity cardiac/pulmonary and psychiatric patients
Monitor patients for cardiac rhythm changes and implement medication according to ACLS guidelines.
Educate patients and families on diseases processes, medications, wind care, and iv infusion.
Provide care for patients on medical/surgical, transplant, cardiac, orthopedic, postpartum, neonatal ICU, and psychiatric units
Demonstrate competence in CPR and other medical emergency situations.

Radiation therapist vs nurse skills

Common radiation therapist skills

Patients, 28%
Patient Care, 9%
Radiation Oncologist, 8%
Patient Treatment, 6%
Dosimetry, 4%
Treatment Planning, 4%

Common nurse skills

Patients, 21%
Home Health, 7%
CPR, 6%
BLS, 6%
Acute Care, 5%
Acls, 4%

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Radiation Therapist
Radiation Therapist vs Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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