Radiation Therapists: salary, outlook & degrees
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
Middle half $92,060–$126,340. 17,070 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
79% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $78,204.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 700 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Medium preparation.
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment Therapy Professions | 36% | Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences |
| Medical Technologies Technicians | 17% | Allied Health (Imaging / Therapy / Tech) · Medical Laboratory Science |
| General Medical And Health Services | 5% | Health Sciences |
| Chemistry | 4% | Chemistry |
| Nursing | 4% | Nursing |
| Nuclear, Industrial Radiology, And Biological Technologies | 3% | — |
| Biology | 3% | Biology |
| Communication Disorders Sciences And Services | 3% | Speech-Language Pathology / Communication Disorders |
| Multi-Disciplinary Or General Science | 3% | Biological and Physical Sciences |
| Hospitality Management | 2% | Hospitality Management |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| California | $166,450 |
| Oregon | $131,600 |
| New York | $129,620 |
| New Jersey | $129,460 |
| Washington | $125,880 |
| Hawaii | $125,520 |
| Illinois | $124,600 |
| Connecticut | $116,170 |
| Kansas | $108,830 |
| Arizona | $108,760 |
| Colorado | $108,020 |
| Utah | $107,660 |
| Maryland | $107,120 |
| Massachusetts | $106,300 |
| New Hampshire | $106,270 |
| Texas | $105,770 |
| Montana | $105,400 |
| Virginia | $103,310 |
| Maine | $101,980 |
| Vermont | $101,060 |
| Florida | $100,920 |
| South Carolina | $100,790 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,540 |
| District of Columbia | $100,250 |
| New Mexico | $100,010 |
| Missouri | $99,890 |
| Idaho | $99,660 |
| North Carolina | $99,250 |
| Nebraska | $98,670 |
| Ohio | $98,650 |
| Oklahoma | $98,390 |
| Minnesota | $98,000 |
| Kentucky | $97,760 |
| South Dakota | $97,470 |
| Indiana | $96,690 |
| Michigan | $95,890 |
| Louisiana | $94,710 |
| Georgia | $94,460 |
| Wisconsin | $93,600 |
| Nevada | $92,990 |
| Mississippi | $88,100 |
| Alabama | $87,330 |
| Tennessee | $83,520 |
| Iowa | $81,610 |
| Arkansas | $78,950 |
| West Virginia | $71,590 |
| PR | $37,560 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$92,060
- Jacksonville$96,180
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$99,930
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$98,890
- Lakeland-Winter Haven$100,460
- Naples-Marco Island$102,730
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$108,450
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$103,140
- Richmond$101,380
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$169,150
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$205,670
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$171,500
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$206,350
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$182,240
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$130,800
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Monitoring
Knowledge used
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Cooperation
- Empathy
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
People in this job tend to have Realistic (hands-on), Social (helping), Investigative (analytical) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Radiation Therapists: questions
How much do radiation Therapists make?
Radiation Therapists earn a U.S. median $105,310 a year; the middle half earn $92,060 to $126,340 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $78,204 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is radiation Therapists a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 700 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a radiation Therapist?
BLS lists the typical entry education as associate's degree. In O*NET's survey, 38% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is treatment Therapy Professions (36%).
How much do radiation Therapists make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $100,920 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $105,310 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 29-1124. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Radiation Therapists: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/radiation-therapists.