How much does a x-ray doctor make?
Answer: A typical x-ray doctor in the United States makes $420,860 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 27,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
X-ray doctor pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $89,010 | $420,860 | $594,410 | about 27,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $430,640 | about 680 |
| Florida | $417,690 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
Radiologists may earn differently because of experience, board certification, or extra training in a specialty. In the U.S., pay can also vary by employer and location; some doctors in procedure-focused specialties receive extra compensation for being on call.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a x-ray doctor do?
Diagnose and treat diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasounds. May perform minimally invasive medical procedures and tests.
What's a typical day like?
A radiologist studies X-rays, CTs, and MRIs for clues to illness or injury, then writes a report. They share important findings with the doctor who ordered the scan; some also guide tools during procedures.
How to get this job
In the U.S., earn an MD or DO, pass licensing exams, complete a one-year internship and four-year radiology residency, and get a state license. After about 13 years of education and training, many start around age 30; a fellowship or ABR board certification can take longer.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing.
Did you know?
Many patients never meet the radiologist who reads their scans, even though that doctor's report can help reveal a serious health problem.
Similar jobs
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Healthcare Practitioners and Technical jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
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/careeroutlook/2015/article/print/wage-differences.htm
- www.acr.org/Practice-Management-Quality-Informatics/Practice-Toolkit/Patient-Res
- www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/professions-diagnostic-radiology
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1224.00
- www.theabr.org/get-certified/diagnostic-radiology
- pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41679380
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY