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Job outlook for radiation therapists in the United States
Radiation therapist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected radiation therapist job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 1,000 new jobs for radiation therapists are projected over the next decade.
Radiation therapist salaries have increased 8% for radiation therapists in the last 5 years.
There are over 13,258 radiation therapists currently employed in the United States.
There are 39,384 active radiation therapist job openings in the US.
The average radiation therapist salary is $84,981.
Are radiation therapist jobs in demand?
Radiation therapist job and salary trends over time
Radiation therapist jobs over time
Radiation therapist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13,258 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 14,365 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 14,753 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 15,083 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 14,249 | 0.00% |
Average radiation therapist salary over time
Radiation therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,981 | $40.86 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $83,719 | $40.25 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $80,559 | $38.73 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $78,836 | $37.90 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | $78,435 | $37.71 | --0.1% |
Radiation therapist jobs by state
Most common states for radiation therapists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 193 | 26% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 378 | 20% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 184 | 18% |
| 4 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,130 | 17% |
| 5 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 522 | 17% |
| 6 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 509 | 17% |
| 7 | Delaware | 961,939 | 162 | 17% |
| 8 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 112 | 16% |
| 9 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,090 | 15% |
| 10 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 938 | 15% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 834 | 15% |
| 12 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,508 | 14% |
| 13 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,185 | 14% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 854 | 14% |
| 15 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 192 | 14% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,660 | 13% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,186 | 13% |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 862 | 13% |
| 19 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 542 | 13% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 217 | 13% |
Most common cities for radiation therapists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia | 11 | 9% | $121,117 |
| 2 | Duluth | 4 | 5% | $73,306 |
| 3 | Spring Valley | 7 | 4% | $79,655 |
| 4 | Palo Alto | 3 | 4% | $124,822 |
| 5 | Paradise | 7 | 3% | $79,619 |
| 6 | Henderson | 7 | 2% | $79,608 |
| 7 | Brockton | 2 | 2% | $78,209 |
| 8 | Fargo | 2 | 2% | $119,107 |
| 9 | Las Vegas | 7 | 1% | $79,615 |
| 10 | Baltimore | 5 | 1% | $84,884 |
| 11 | Boston | 5 | 1% | $77,764 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 3 | 1% | $80,599 |
| 13 | Chula Vista | 2 | 1% | $122,854 |
| 14 | Cleveland | 2 | 1% | $82,098 |
| 15 | Los Angeles | 4 | 0% | $123,960 |
| 16 | Detroit | 3 | 0% | $83,594 |
| 17 | Albuquerque | 2 | 0% | $86,097 |
| 18 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $89,807 |
Radiation Therapist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of radiation therapist experts
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Springfield College
American Massage Therapy Association
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Human FactorsUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Psychology Department
What skills stand out on Radiation Therapist resumes?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Strong analytical skills are a must. This includes both logic and reasoning skills, but also data analysis skills. For many jobs, the ability to collect and scientifically evaluate data will be vital, if not an absolute necessity. Similarly, a strong understanding of experimental methods can put a candidate in a great position to be able to help a company evaluate existing programs and chart a path forward for new ones. Finally, I would say that a strong ability to write is critical. Those graduates who are able to effectively and persuasively communicate in writing are setting themselves up for success at any company and allowing the company to leverage them for increasingly important tasks.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Radiation Therapists?
Dr. Nathan Tenhundfeld Ph.D.: Technical skills like the ability to perform statistical analyses are critically important for most Psychology-related jobs. This allows a candidate to collect and analyze data but also to interpret and understand other existing data. A strong statistical background can also help set a candidate apart from their peers in the application process. This includes understanding when and how to use various parametric and nonparametric statistics to be able to answer questions regardless of the data one is working with.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Radiation Therapists to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth Morgan Ph.D.: One potential outcome of the pandemic is that place may matter less as jobs are created and sustained with remote work environments. For example, it might be possible to participate in education endeavors, community mental health, human services in general, or consulting remotely, which render geography less important.
In addition, there will likely be changes in the types of jobs available to graduates in Psychology as employers are rethinking employee productivity in the wake of the coronavirus and need human resources specialists or industrial/organizational psychologists to consult on organizational change. Individuals with training and experience in delivering services remotely may find themselves able to secure some of these new positions; recent graduates will have a leg up in that regard, since they experienced training in a remote environment.
What general advice would you give to a Radiation Therapist?
Ron Precht: Generally, metropolitan areas have had more openings for massage therapists. This is a report from the end of 2019 that has the most recent data we have available. Report