When a person embarks on higher education, they will have to make decisions based on the career path they intend to follow, and expected salary will be a large factor. For those in the medical profession, this is especially true, and the area of radiology requires specific choices, specialties and education.

Radiologist Salary will be Affected by Specialty and Subspecialty

With radiology, more than almost any other specialty, the subspecialty will have a great impact on expected salary. Interventional radiologists can often garner income on par with surgical subspecialties and are protected from outsourcing.

A general radiologist is a physician who has completed a radiology residency program. They are responsible for reading and interpreting imaging studies and guiding some image-based biopsies. They can oversee radiology technicians who operate the imaging systems like X-ray machines, CT-scanners, MRI machines, P.E.T. scanners, and ultrasound machines.

Subspecialists can focus their practices on particular imaging modalities, radiation based therapies, or procedures that require imaging guided interventions.

Each specialty or sub-specialty can impact the salary range that a person in this field can expect.

Location and Medical Facility will be a Factor for Radiology Salaries

In addition to understanding that subspecialty will have a great impact on salary, other factors also affect radiology pay scales. A person’s salary can be affected by the size of the medical facility where they work, the type of facility, and the geographic location.

The advent of telemedicine has also impacted radiology jobs and salary. For some, telemedicine is a boon, allowing them to read studies from anywhere. For others, it has been a detriment because they now have to be price-competitive with radiologists scattered across the world. For the general radiologist, telemedicine has put downward pressure on compensation levels.

Understanding the Compensation Plans When Searching for Jobs

When a radiologist begins searching for a position, researching compensation structures is a must. As the profession of radiology changes with technology, outsourcing, and evolving accreditation standards for hospitals and emergency facilities, so do the basic compensation plans and schemes available.

There is a high demand for radiologists, so there are generally a large number of facilities hiring. Knowing what one expects to be paid will help them choose the right facility.

Further Radiologist Salary Resources

Job search website offering searches for radiology professionals

Information from the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

Payscale Radiologist salary information

Wikipedia definition of radiology