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Radiologists

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeHigh pressure

What they do

Diagnose and treat diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasounds. May perform minimally invasive medical procedures and tests.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $420,860 Median per year · $202.34/hr Most earn $89,010–$594,410

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Prepare comprehensive interpretive reports of findings.
  • Communicate examination results or diagnostic information to referring physicians, patients, or families.
  • Obtain patients' histories from electronic records, patient interviews, dictated reports, or by communicating with referring clinicians.
  • Review or transmit images and information using picture archiving or communications systems.
  • Communicate examination results or diagnostic information to referring physicians, patients, or families.
  • Participate in continuing education activities to maintain and develop expertise.

Job outlook

United States
3% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Offices of physicians53.5%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals20.2%
  • Medical and diagnostic laboratories12.3%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools5.5%
  • Self-employed (their own business)3.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Doctoral or professional degreeExperience before this job: 4 to 6 years

Radiology is not an entry-level job. Most radiologists spend about 12 to 14 years after high school on college, medical school, and a residency before they practice on their own. The path is long, but each step builds on the last, and the work involves a mix of medicine, technology, and problem solving.

  1. Bachelor's degree in biology or another science

    4 years

    Take science courses such as biology, chemistry, physics, and math, and keep your grades strong. Medical schools look for this foundation, and you will need to finish the pre-med requirements.

  2. Medical school (MD or DO degree)

    4 years

    You learn anatomy, disease, and how the body works, then do clinical rotations in different areas of medicine. Along the way, you can explore radiology and see how imaging helps doctors make decisions.

  3. Diagnostic radiology residency

    4-5 years

    You train in a hospital under experienced radiologists, reading X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds, and learning to perform image-guided procedures. This hands-on training is what prepares you to practice independently.

  4. Radiologist

    Ongoing career

    You diagnose and treat diseases and injuries using medical imaging, and you may perform minimally invasive procedures. Most radiologists also pass board certification exams to confirm their skills.

Where it can lead

  1. Radiology Section Chief

    5-10 years of experience first

    You take on leadership of a team of radiologists, handling scheduling, quality reviews, and training of residents. This usually requires strong communication skills and a record of solid clinical work.

  2. Radiology Department Chair

    10+ years of experience first

    You guide the whole imaging department, which includes budgets, staffing, equipment decisions, and planning for the future. People in this role typically have many years of clinical experience and proven leadership.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take the strongest science and math classes you canBiology, chemistry, physics, and advanced math build the foundation you will need for college pre-med courses.
  • Join a science or health clubClubs like science olympiad, HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), or a biology club let you explore medicine and work on team projects.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, clinic, or nursing homeVolunteering gives you a real look at healthcare settings and shows colleges that you care about patient care.
  • Enter a science fair or research competitionWorking on a project from question to results teaches you the research skills that medical school and residency demand.
  • Get a starter job or summer jobWork in a store, restaurant, or office to build responsibility and communication skills, which matter in every healthcare role.

In college

  • Major in biology, chemistry, or another scienceA science major covers most pre-med requirements and gives you the knowledge you will use in medical school.
  • Take the classes needed for medical schoolPlan courses in general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biology early so you can meet the entry requirements on time.
  • Get research experience with a professorWorking in a campus lab teaches you how to read scientific papers, collect data, and think critically, all skills that help in radiology.
  • Shadow or volunteer in a medical settingShadowing a doctor, especially one who uses imaging, shows you what radiologists do and helps you decide if this path is right for you.
  • Work a campus job or join a pre-health clubCampus jobs build teamwork and time management, and pre-health groups connect you with advisors and other students on the same path.

Tips for getting started

  • Look for jobs or volunteer work in a hospital or clinic, even in a non-medical role like patient transport or front desk. Seeing how imaging departments run will show you whether this path fits you.
  • Build strong study habits early. Medicine requires years of learning, so good time management and steady effort in science classes matter a lot.
  • Talk with a doctor, a radiology technologist, or a school counselor about their day-to-day work. Their stories will give you a realistic picture of the career.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

  • Medicine Professional degree: typical pay 1 year after finishing $65,192 a year · typical debt $207,472

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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