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Nuclear Medicine Technologist

$97,020
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Prepare and administer radioactive drugs, then run scanners that image how organs and tissues work.

Where you work

Hospitals and imaging centers, near radiation safety controls.

The hours

Mostly full-time days, with some on-call

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$97,020
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~900
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+3%
About average
Working in the U.S.
20,000
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Associate degree

Training path: Associate degree + certification.

License or certification

Most employers require certification through the NMTCB or ARRT, and some states also require a license.

What it takes

Imaging equipmentPatient careRadiation safetyAttention to detail

The honest take

One of the strongest associate-degree paychecks in health care, though openings stay thin.

Standard Occupational Classification 29-2033. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.