Travel Radiology Tech Jobs

The salary of a radiologic technologist can vary by the specific title as well as the location, facility, and assignment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians was $648,40 in 2020 with the majority earning between $50,670 and $76,520. Entry Level positions or those paying the lowest 10% of salaries earned around $42,180 while the highest 10% earned more than $92,660. Typically, a travel radiology tech job will provide considerably higher hourly and weekly pay than permanent positions in the same location, though this varies widely by assignment and the skills and experience of each traveler.

California pays the highest average salary to Radiologic Technologists according to the BLS with an average annual wage of $95,010 and an hourly wage of $45.68. California is followed by Hawaii ($82,990 per year, $39.90 per hour), the District of Columbia ($82,270 per year, and $39.55 per hour), Alaska ($79,330 per year, and $38.14), and Massachusetts ($78,830 per year, and $37.90 per hour).

Seeking the highest-paying contract doesn't always mean that you should take travel radiology technologist jobs with the highest weekly pay. Factoring in the cost of living of each state can often give a better indication of what a travel rad tech can expect to earn from an assignment. When comparing the cost of living adjusted average rad tech salary, Minnesota would be the highest paying state for rad techs. The next highest paying states for rad techs when factoring in the cost of living includes Washington State, California, Ohio, and Idaho.

Education

Most Radiology Technologists will complete an associate's degree from a program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT). That is the fastest way to begin working as a rad tech, and graduates will understand biology, physiology, anatomy, patient care, and clinical skills through work in the classroom and clinical settings. It is also possible to pursue a Bachelor's degree in radiologic science which provides more in-depth instruction and can lead to greater opportunities to pursue a higher salary and leadership positions.

Certifications and License

MRI techs will generally be required to take a national certifying exam, the most common of which is administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Radiology technologists must complete their Radiography (ARRT R) certification after graduation in order to work as an xray tech or rad tech. State licensure requirements for radiology technologists can vary by state and they are separate from certification.

Radiology Technologists - also known as Rad Techs or X-Ray Technologists - use heavy equipment that takes black, gray, and white images using radiation of a patient’s anatomy. The images are captured on film or digitally and read by a radiologist to help diagnose and prescribe treatment for a patient. X-ray Techs are responsible for taking special precautions to protect and reduce patient’s exposure to radiation. X-ray techs may complete studies that allow for live X-ray imaging to assist physicians with procedures such as barium x-rays (GI studies), arthrography, cystourethrograms (VCUG), myelography, and hysterosalpingograms (HSG). Typical X-ray exams can take anywhere from five minutes to two hours for GI studies and surgeries.

While compensation offers can vary greatly depending on the contract or agency offering, pay packages for travel rad tech jobs typically have four major components: hourly taxable wages, meals and incidentals, housing, and travel.

Hourly Pay

Full-time rad techs working at healthcare facilities receive a salary, but most travel allied health employers offer hourly wages. Every pay package must include a taxable hourly wage, and the amount can vary depending on the shifts offered, location, and specialty required of the assignment.

Housing

Housing stipends can be included in a payment from an allied staffing agency. This is typically offered in two ways. Either the company is providing housing, or the traveler is taking the housing stipend. It is more beneficial for the traveler to take the housing stipend for two primary reasons. First, they will have a choice in where they stay. Everyone’s definitions of comfortable and acceptable are different. The second reason the housing stipend is more beneficial for them is that it can be given as a nontaxable amount.

Meals and Incidentals

Also known as per diems, meal and incidental stipends provide travelers a daily budget for daily living expenses. These standards vary depending on the cost of living in cities and states across the country.

Travel Expenses

Travel is the last portion of the pay package. While a travel stipend can be used to cover the cost of a flight for the traveler, it is more often than not used to subsidize the traveler’s expenses to and from an assignment. Travel expenses can be offered as a reimbursement rate per mile, though many agencies will opt to offer a flat rate to and from an assignment.