Travel Radiation Therapist Jobs

The salary of Radiation Therapists 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 Radiation Therapists was $86,850 in 2020 with the majority earning between $71,350 and $107,830. Entry Level positions or those paying the lowest 10% of salaries earned around $60,080 while the highest 10% earned more than $132,930. typically, travel radiation therapist jobs will provide higher hourly and weekly pay than permanent positions in the same location, though this varies widely from position to position.

California pays the highest average salary to Radiation Therapists according to the BLS with an average annual wage of $126,610 and an hourly wage of $60.87. California is followed by New York ($120,470 per year, $57.92 per hour), Oregon ($107,920 per year, $51.88 per hour), Washington ($106,450 per year, $51.18 per hour), and Montana ($103,570 per year, $49.80 per hour).

Seeking the highest-paying contract doesn't always mean that you should take the radiation therapist job with the highest weekly pay. Factoring in the cost of living of each state can often give a better indication of what a travel radiation therapist can expect to earn from an assignment. When comparing the cost of living adjusted average radiation therapist salary, Mississippi would be the highest paying state followed by Montana, Alabama, Ohio, and Texas.

Radiation Therapists operate machines linear accelerators to deliver concentrated radiation therapy that kills cancer cells or slows down the growth of cancer cells in a patient’s body. The therapist uses the machine to aim radiation beams at the patient’s body, where the beams are absorbed by the cancer cells. Radiation therapists are part of large oncology teams who work to treat patients suffering from cancer.

Education

To work as a radiation therapist, one needs to obtain a degree from a program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JCERT). Many pursue bachelor's degrees in radiologic science degree, though it is required to have at least an associate's degree to be eligible for certification and registration required by most employers.

Certifications and License

Radiation Therapists will generally be required to become certified by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) which is responsible for licensing radiation therapy professionals. Those who want to become a radiation therapist, someone would need to earn their ARRT (T) certification which is the certification sought after by most companies for radiation therapist travel jobs. State licensure requirements for radiation therapists are separate from their professional certification vary by state.

Getting Started as a Traveling Radiation Therapist

Many radiation therapists find work through allied health agencies and marketplaces, which means you have better access to job boards to choose your schedule, location, and salary. When you begin browsing for jobs, be sure to consider the housing options, the benefits, the guaranteed hours' policy, and the recruiting company’s overall reputation.

The good news is that Fusion Marketplace has everything you need when it comes to finding the perfect radiation therapy jobs. Here, you have the freedom to compare perks and benefits offered by staffing agencies in one place - including pay packages, 401k plans, medical, and dental insurance. So create a profile and find your next job today.

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

Hourly Pay

Full-time radiation therapists 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 shift, location, and specialty required of the assignment.

Housing

Housing payments can be included in a payment from a healthcare 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 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. Many recruiters may not even offer travel and instead put that money into the per diems or housing for their travelers so they are receiving the benefits over the entire contract, not just at the very beginning or end of the contract. 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.