Radiation therapist vs radiologist

The differences between radiation therapists and radiologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a radiation therapist, becoming a radiologist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a radiologist has an average salary of $298,405, which is higher than the $84,981 average annual salary of a radiation therapist.

The top three skills for a radiation therapist include patients, patient care and radiation oncologist. The most important skills for a radiologist are patients, pacs, and patient care.

Radiation therapist vs radiologist overview

	Radiation Therapist	Radiologist
Yearly salary	$84,981	$298,405
Hourly rate	$40.86	$143.46
Growth rate	6%	7%
Number of jobs	39,384	1,536
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Average age	42	48
Years of experience	2	6

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 radiologist do?

A radiologist is responsible for interpreting and evaluating medical image results to diagnose medical conditions and refer to medical professionals for immediate treatment plans. Radiologists analyze the patient's medical history to determine their medical conditions before the radiology procedure. They utilize various high-level machinery, requiring them to have strong knowledge of operating the equipment to ensure accurate results and reports. A radiologist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in discussing the medical processes to the patients and responding to any inquiries and concerns they may have.

Radiation therapist vs radiologist salary

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

	Radiation Therapist	Radiologist
Average salary	$84,981	$298,405
Salary range	Between $63,000 And $113,000	Between $124,000 And $714,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	Rochester, MN
Highest paying state	Mississippi	Minnesota
Best paying company	Cedars-Sinai	Allina Health
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between radiation therapist and radiologist education

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

	Radiation Therapist	Radiologist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 31%
Most common major	Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology	Medical Technician
Most common college	Duke University	Texas A&M University

Radiation therapist vs radiologist demographics

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

	Radiation Therapist	Radiologist
Average age	42	48
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6%
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, 5.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.6% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	17%	13%

Differences between radiation therapist and radiologist 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.

Radiologist example responsibilities.

Perform general radiology with emphasis on mammography, especially breast procedures.
Advocate for upgrade to digital mammography from film screen.
Experience with CR and DR equipment -Experience with fluoroscopic exams
Select as one of the top teachers by radiology residents.
Experience gain in diagnosis of OB/GYN disorders and diseases using ultrasound.
Review MRI studies for referring physicians/orthopedic surgeons outside of office hours.

Radiation therapist vs radiologist skills

Common radiation therapist skills

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

Common radiologist skills

Patients, 29%
Pacs, 10%
Patient Care, 10%
Mammography, 6%
Ct Scan, 6%
Thyroid, 5%

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Radiation Therapist
Radiation Therapist vs Radiologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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