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Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary | Nuke Med Tech Job Overview, Education Requirements

Nuclear medicine technologists, also called “nuke med techs,”  use scanners to create images of various areas of a patient’s body. They may work in specialized areas such as cardiac stress labs, where they prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to patients undergoing the scans or cardiac testing. These radioactive drugs enable healthcare professionals to examine the body with much greater detail.

In this article (and corresponding video), you’ll learn about the nuclear medicine technologist job overview, education requirements, and salary statistics, including detailed salary information by state.

Nuclear Medicine Technologist Job Overview

What exactly does a nuke med tech do on the job? The list below provides a sample of some of the duties performed by nuclear medicine technologists:

  • Explain imaging procedures to the patient and answer any questions that may arise during or before a procedure
  • Follow safety procedures to protect themselves and the patient from unnecessary radiation exposure. This may involve wearing protective clothing or even special equipment that can detect radiation levels.
  • Examine machines to ensure that they are working properly
  • Prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to the patient via mouth, injection, inhalation, and other means.
  • Monitor the patient to check for unusual reactions to the drugs
  • Operate equipment that creates images of areas in the body, such as images of organs
  • Keep detailed records of procedures


Radioactive drugs, known as radiopharmaceuticals, give off radiation, allowing special scanners to monitor tissue and organ functions. This is one of the potential dangers of working as a nuclear medicine technologist, especially when accidents result in radiation exposure.

When a radioactive drug is administered, abnormal areas show higher-than-expected or lower-than-expected concentrations of radioactivity. Physicians and surgeons then interpret the images to help diagnose the patient’s condition. For example, tumors can be seen in organs during a scan because of their concentration of the radioactive drugs. They are also used to examine the heart to check for blockages.

Job Growth

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Nuclear medicine technologists held about 20,900 jobs in 2012.  Employment of nuclear medicine technologists is projected to grow 20 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. However, because it is a small occupation, the growth will result in only about 4,200 new jobs over the 10-year period. Also, this field can be quite competitive in some areas.

Nuclear Medicine Tech Education Requirements

Nuclear medicine technologists typically need an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree in nuclear medicine technology. It is also possible to become qualified by completing an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree program in a related health field, such as radiologic technology or nursing, and then completing a 12-month certificate program in nuclear medicine technology. In addition to the classroom training, clinical hours must be completed.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Nuclear medicine technologists must be licensed in some states; requirements vary by state. For specifics, contact your state’s health board. Some nuclear medicine technologists become certified. Although certification is not required for a license, it fulfills most of the requirements for state licensure on its own.

Some employers require certification, regardless of state regulations. Certification usually involves completing required coursework and having the necessary hours of clinical experience, as well as graduating from an accredited nuclear medicine technology program. Certification is available from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB).

In addition to receiving general certification, technologists can earn specialty certifications that show their proficiency in specific procedures or on certain equipment. A technologist can earn certification in positron emission tomography (PET) or nuclear cardiology (NCT).

Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary Overview

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of 2014), nuclear medicine technologists earn an average annual salary of $73,230, and an average hourly wage of $35.21. Detailed statistics are listed below.

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment Employment RSE Mean hourly wage Mean annual wage Wage RSE
20,320 1.8 % $35.21 $73,230 0.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50% (Median) 75% 90%
Hourly Wage $25.04 $29.68 $34.66 $41.06 $46.43
Annual Wage $52,080 $61,730 $72,100 $85,410 $96,570

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 13,850 0.26 $35.09 $72,980
Offices of Physicians 4,160 0.17 $36.05 $74,980
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 1,260 0.51 $33.05 $68,740
Outpatient Care Centers 310 0.04 $37.72 $78,450
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 220 0.09 $36.88 $76,700

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 90 n/a $40.72 $84,700
Outpatient Care Centers 310 0.04 $37.72 $78,450
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 220 0.09 $36.88 $76,700
Offices of Physicians 4,160 0.17 $36.05 $74,980
Offices of Other Health Practitioners 70 0.01 $35.56 $73,950

Top paying states for this occupation:

State Employment Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
California 1,560 0.10 0.69 $47.27 $98,320
Hawaii 80 0.14 0.90 $41.15 $85,590
New Jersey 590 0.15 1.02 $40.85 $84,970
Connecticut 330 0.20 1.31 $40.65 $84,540
Washington 460 0.16 1.06 $40.44 $84,120

Lowest Paying States:

 

Nuclear medicine tech average wage and salary by state:

State: Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Alabama 28.92 60,160
Alaska 39.40 81,940
Arizona 36.97 76,890
Arkansas 30.09 62,600
California 47.27 98,320
Colorado 37.35 77,690
Connecticut 40.65 84,540
Delaware 35.99 74,860
District of Columbia 37.72 78,460
Florida 34.70 72,170
Georgia 33.73 70,160
Hawaii 41.15 85,590
Idaho 34.00 70,720
Illinois 34.89 72,580
Indiana 32.30 67,190
Iowa 33.02 68,680
Kansas 33.56 69,810
Kentucky 28.79 59,890
Louisiana 29.09 60,500
Maine 36.31 75,530
Maryland 37.66 78,330
Massachusetts 36.93 76,820
Michigan 31.48 65,470
Minnesota 37.99 79,010
Mississippi 31.42 65,350
Missouri 33.32 69,310
Montana 34.04 70,810
Nebraska 31.67 65,880
Nevada 36.93 76,810
New Hampshire 36.47 75,860
New Jersey 40.85 84,970
New Mexico 35.90 74,670
New York 37.89 78,810
North Carolina 32.09 66,750
Ohio 31.58 65,700
Oklahoma 30.21 62,840
Oregon 38.24 79,540
Pennsylvania 32.10 66,760
Puerto Rico 18.77 39,050
Rhode Island 39.87 82,930
South Carolina 30.84 64,150
South Dakota 27.48 57,170
Tennessee 30.55 63,540
Texas 34.15 71,040
Utah 32.57 67,740
Virginia 32.97 68,570
Washington 40.44 84,120
West Virginia 27.48 57,170
Wisconsin 35.24 73,300
Wyoming 30.75 63,960

References:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, on the Internet at bls.gov.

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