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The differences between radiologists and diagnostic radiologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a radiologist and a diagnostic radiologist. Additionally, a radiologist has an average salary of $298,405, which is higher than the $135,855 average annual salary of a diagnostic radiologist.
The top three skills for a radiologist include patients, pacs and patient care. The most important skills for a diagnostic radiologist are MRI, nuclear medicine, and thyroid.
| Radiologist | Diagnostic Radiologist | |
| Yearly salary | $298,405 | $135,855 |
| Hourly rate | $143.46 | $65.31 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 1,536 | 16,843 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Doctoral Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
A diagnostic radiologist specializes in operating special imaging equipment such as X-rays and ultrasound to help physicians diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries among patients. Besides operating equipment, a diagnostic radiologist is primarily in charge of assisting patients by answering any inquiries, explaining the processes and how they would feel, providing clear and step-by-step instructions, and helping them feel at ease the entire procedure. Moreover, a diagnostic radiologist gathers and analyzes the images produced by the equipment, communicating the findings to the physicians and nurses.
Radiologists and diagnostic radiologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Radiologist | Diagnostic Radiologist | |
| Average salary | $298,405 | $135,855 |
| Salary range | Between $124,000 And $714,000 | Between $43,000 And $419,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rochester, MN | Eau Claire, WI |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Allina Health | Frederick Health |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a radiologist and a diagnostic radiologist in terms of educational background:
| Radiologist | Diagnostic Radiologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 31% | Doctoral Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medicine |
| Most common college | Texas A&M University | Texas A&M University |
Here are the differences between radiologists' and diagnostic radiologists' demographics:
| Radiologist | Diagnostic Radiologist | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 64.2% Female, 35.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.7% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |