Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, growing
Magnetic resonance imaging technologists
Operate Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners. Monitor patient safety and comfort, and view images of area being scanned to ensure quality of pictures. May administer gadolinium contrast dosage intravenously. May interview patient, explain MRI procedures, and position patient on examining table. May enter into the computer data such as patient history, anatomical area to be scanned, orientation specified, and position of entry.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 68% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is moderate (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +7.7% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $95,480
- Job growth to 2035
- +7.7%
- Openings a year
- 2,300
- People doing it (2025)
- 43,900
- Usual route in
- Associate's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Read documents or materials to inform work processes
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Operate medical equipment
- Collect information about patients or clients
- Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures
What the work looks like
- Review physicians' orders to confirm prescribed exams.
- Conduct screening interviews of patients to identify contraindications, such as ferrous objects, pregnancy, prosthetic heart valves, cardiac pacemakers, or tattoos.
- Select appropriate imaging techniques or coils to produce required images.
- Operate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners.
- Provide headphones or earplugs to patients to improve comfort and reduce unpleasant noise.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as government and insurance policy changes steer patient demand for imaging procedures away from hospital settings.
- More of these jobs, as government and insurance policy changes steer patient demand for imaging procedures to non-hospital settings.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Veterinary technologists and techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +9.4%
- Diagnostic medical sonographersHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +13.9%
- Dental hygienistsHuman edge, growing, Index 96, +8.0%
- Surgical technologistsHuman edge, growing, Index 90, +5.0%
Also known as: MRI Coordinator (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Coordinator), MRI QA Coordinator (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Quality Assurance Coordinator), MRI Tech (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technician), MRI Technologist (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist), MRI Radiographer (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Radiographer), MRI Specialist (Magnetic Resonance Imaging Specialist), Research MRI Technologist (Research Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist).
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.