Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, growing
Radiologic technologists and technicians
Take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient's bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Includes radiologic technologists and technicians who specialize in other scanning modalities.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 68% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +5.0% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence and ethical judgement.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $80,110
- Job growth to 2035
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 13,000
- People doing it (2025)
- 234,000
- Usual route in
- Associate's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance
- 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
- Maintain health or medical records
- Monitor health conditions of humans or animals
What the work looks like
- Explain procedures and observe patients to ensure safety and comfort during scan.
- Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.
- Perform procedures, such as linear tomography, mammography, sonograms, joint and cyst aspirations, routine contrast studies, routine fluoroscopy, or examinations of the head, trunk, or extremities under supervision of physician.
- Record, process, and maintain patient data or treatment records and prepare reports.
- Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
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
- Diagnostic medical sonographersHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +13.9%
- Licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesHuman edge, steady, Index 82, +3.0%
- Veterinary technologists and techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +9.4%
- Surgical technologistsHuman edge, growing, Index 90, +5.0%
Also known as: CT Tech (Computed Tomography Technologist), Multimodality Technologist, RT (Radiologic Technologist), X-Ray Tech (X-Ray Technologist), Mammographer, Radiographer, Radiologic Technician (RAD Tech), Radiology Technician (Radiology Tech).
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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.