How much does a nuclear medicine tech make?
a year · about $49 an hour
A typical nuclear medicine tech in the United States makes $101,370 a year, about $49 an hour, about 2× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They explain the scan, prepare and give a radioactive tracer, then position the patient by a camera for images, following safety rules. Between patients, they check equipment, record procedures, and handle radioactive waste.
Did you know? Some U.S. nuclear medicine techs may help as emergency responders if a nuclear disaster happens.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $78,080 and $134,500How do you become one?
U.S. entrants usually finish an accredited associate program with supervised clinical practice and pass a certification exam such as NMTCB’s; this is a college route, not usually an apprenticeship. State licenses vary, and many graduates start in their early 20s.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like building and doing and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience and certification can affect earnings, and pay also varies by workplace and location: outpatient centers, labs, hospitals, and doctors’ offices do not pay alike. Hours matter too; some technologists work evenings or weekends.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($162,380), lowest in North Carolina ($85,240).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $78,080 | $101,370 | $134,500 | about 17,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $162,380 | about 2,000 |
| New Jersey | $124,280 | about 540 |
| New York | $118,650 | about 890 |
| Illinois | $104,950 | about 620 |
| Texas | $101,170 | about 1,000 |
Official definition: 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. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nuclear-medicine-technologists.htm
- www.nmtcb.org/exams/nuclear-medicine
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/print/wage-differences.htm
- snmmi.org/common/Uploaded%20files/Advocacy/NMT%20Scope%20of%20Practice%203rd%20E
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY