Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Health ScienceO*NET 29-2033.00United States
Prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists.
- Median annual earnings
- $102,195
- Projected change
- +6.8%
- Typical education
- Associate degree
- Employment
- 18.64K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
62.6% of the workforce
Growing to 19.91K by 2035
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The work
What nuclear medicine technologists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician.
- Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.
- Process cardiac function studies, using computer.
- Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription.
- Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures.
- Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician.
- Record and process results of procedures.
- Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients.
- Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.
- Perform quality control checks on laboratory equipment or cameras.
- Gather information on patients' illnesses and medical history to guide the choice of diagnostic procedures for therapy.
- Maintain and calibrate radioisotope and laboratory equipment.
- Measure glandular activity, blood volume, red cell survival, or radioactivity of patient, using scanners, Geiger counters, scintillometers, or other laboratory equipment.
- Train or supervise student or subordinate nuclear medicine technologists.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $76,858
- 25th percentile
- $86,206
- 50th percentile
- $102,195
- 75th percentile
- $120,748
- 90th percentile
- $139,173
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $102,195 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+6.8%faster than average
202518,635 jobs
2035 projected19,909 jobs
1,274 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Associate degree
- 62.6%
- Bachelor's degree
- 27.3%
- Certificate
- 4.2%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 4.1%
- Some college
- 1.8%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Nuclear Medicine Technologists12,590 postings
- 02Nuclear Medicine/PET Technologists759 postings
- 03Travel Radiology Technicians327 postings
- 04Nuclear Radiologists287 postings
- 05Nuclear Medicine Technicians270 postings
- 06Nuclear Cardiology Technologists180 postings
- 07Radiologic/X-Ray Technologists127 postings
- 08PET Technologists114 postings
- 09Radiology Technologists96 postings
- 10Lead Nuclear Medicine Technologists94 postings
- 11Laboratory Technologists71 postings
- 12Nuclear Medicine Physicians62 postings
- 13Allied Health Professionals60 postings
- 14Nuclear Medicine Supervisors56 postings
- 15Molecular Technologists52 postings
- 16Multi-Modality Technologists49 postings
- 17Medical Technicians43 postings
- 18Technologists43 postings
- 19Radiology CT Technologists31 postings
- 20Nuclear Technicians28 postings
Top employers
- 01Soliant Health1,380 postings
- 02Aya Healthcare685 postings
- 03K&A Recruiting522 postings
- 04HCA Healthcare496 postings
- 05AMN Healthcare492 postings
- 06Accountable Healthcare Staffing349 postings
- 07Triage Staffing300 postings
- 08MedPro Healthcare Staffing291 postings
- 09Providence246 postings
- 10Supplemental Health Care245 postings
- 11LeaderStat243 postings
- 12Medical Solutions239 postings
- 13Titan Medical229 postings
- 14Siemens Healthineers220 postings
- 15Gqr219 postings
- 16Health Advocates Network194 postings
- 17Sunbelt Staffing169 postings
- 18Shared Medical Services167 postings
- 19Piedmont Healthcare137 postings
- 20AdventHealth130 postings
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