Radiation Therapists
Radiation Therapists (SOC 29-1124) earn a median $105,310 a year ($50.63 an hour) in the United States, with 17,070 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What radiation therapists do
Radiation therapists provide the radiation treatments that a radiation oncologist has prescribed, according to established practices and standards. The therapist reviews the prescription, diagnosis, patient chart and identification, then positions the patient accurately for treatment, often using immobilization and protection devices. At the controls, the therapist enters data, sets the equipment and delivers the prescribed dose to specific parts of the body, while observing and reassuring the patient and reporting unusual reactions to the physician or switching the equipment off if an adverse reaction occurs. Most treatment sessions are conducted independently under the general direction of the patient's physician. They check the equipment to ensure it operates properly, follow principles of radiation protection for patients and others, and maintain records, reports and files. About half of respondents report an associate degree and over a third a bachelor's degree. The SOC notes that the work may include assisting in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report an associate degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (50 percent).
Also called: Computed Tomography Simulation Therapist (CT Simulation Therapist), Dosimetrist, Radiation Oncology Registered Nurse (Radiation Oncology RN), Radiation Therapist (RT), Radiation Therapy Technician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $38.73 | $44.26 | $50.63 | $60.74 | $75.34 | $55.28 | 17,070 |
| Annual | $80,560 | $92,060 | $105,310 | $126,340 | $156,710 | $114,990 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where radiation therapists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $62.57 | $63.25 | $80.02 | $87.57 | $100.05 | $77.83 | 1,720 | 0.09 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $130,150 | $131,570 | $166,450 | $182,140 | $208,100 | $161,890 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $51.86 | $54.75 | $63.27 | $68.57 | $76.69 | $63.70 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.75 |
| Annual | $107,870 | $113,890 | $131,600 | $142,620 | $159,500 | $132,500 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $42.59 | $51.96 | $62.32 | $68.07 | $78.64 | $62.35 | 820 | 0.09 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $88,590 | $108,090 | $129,620 | $141,580 | $163,580 | $129,690 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $52.72 | $57.67 | $62.24 | $66.33 | $77.27 | $66.33 | 600 | 0.14 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $109,650 | $119,960 | $129,460 | $137,960 | $160,720 | $137,970 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $47.19 | $52.13 | $60.52 | $66.92 | $83.98 | $71.40 | 540 | 0.15 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $98,160 | $108,430 | $125,880 | $139,190 | $174,670 | $148,520 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $62.57 | $63.25 | $80.02 | $87.57 | $100.05 | $77.83 | 1,720 | 0.09 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $130,150 | $131,570 | $166,450 | $182,140 | $208,100 | $161,890 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $38.90 | $44.26 | $48.52 | $50.62 | $58.06 | $48.31 | 1,280 | 0.13 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $80,910 | $92,060 | $100,920 | $105,280 | $120,770 | $100,480 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $42.71 | $48.62 | $50.85 | $61.58 | $64.58 | $62.36 | 1,000 | 0.07 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $88,840 | $101,130 | $105,770 | $128,080 | $134,320 | $129,700 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $42.59 | $51.96 | $62.32 | $68.07 | $78.64 | $62.35 | 820 | 0.09 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $88,590 | $108,090 | $129,620 | $141,580 | $163,580 | $129,690 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $38.36 | $40.71 | $47.72 | $49.93 | $52.51 | $47.92 | 710 | 0.14 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $79,780 | $84,680 | $99,250 | $103,850 | $109,210 | $99,680 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $82.89 | $85.55 | $99.21 | $101.85 | $102.02 | $94.89 | 130 | 0.11 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $172,410 | $177,940 | $206,350 | $211,850 | $212,200 | $197,360 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $72.97 | $90.93 | $98.88 | $101.18 | $108.35 | $94.91 | 220 | 0.09 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $151,770 | $189,130 | $205,670 | $210,450 | $225,370 | $197,410 | ||||
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | Hourly | $72.17 | $81.91 | $87.61 | $100.05 | $114.06 | $90.01 | 110 | 0.10 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $150,120 | $170,360 | $182,240 | $208,100 | $237,240 | $187,220 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $63.69 | $72.02 | $82.45 | $84.94 | $91.91 | $80.36 | 140 | 0.09 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $132,470 | $149,800 | $171,500 | $176,670 | $191,180 | $167,150 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $63.25 | $68.44 | $81.32 | $84.63 | $92.29 | $79.04 | 480 | 0.08 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $131,570 | $142,350 | $169,150 | $176,020 | $191,960 | $164,410 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $52.71 | $61.37 | $65.17 | $70.83 | $79.40 | $69.26 | 960 | 0.10 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $109,640 | $127,650 | $135,550 | $147,330 | $165,160 | $144,060 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $63.25 | $68.44 | $81.32 | $84.63 | $92.29 | $79.04 | 480 | 0.08 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $131,570 | $142,350 | $169,150 | $176,020 | $191,960 | $164,410 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $43.90 | $51.24 | $57.67 | $58.91 | $63.15 | $55.96 | 390 | 0.14 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $91,310 | $106,580 | $119,960 | $122,530 | $131,350 | $116,410 | ||||
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | Hourly | $40.29 | $40.90 | $47.72 | $49.05 | $52.51 | $48.52 | 360 | 0.27 | 2.42 |
| Annual | $83,810 | $85,080 | $99,250 | $102,030 | $109,210 | $100,910 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $48.13 | $49.28 | $50.85 | $64.58 | $64.58 | $60.55 | 350 | 0.11 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $100,110 | $102,500 | $105,770 | $134,320 | $134,320 | $125,950 | ||||
Top industries employing radiation therapists
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 54.8% of radiation therapists nationally (9,350 jobs) at a median $103,880 a year ($49.94 an hour), followed by Offices of Physicians (27.9%) and Outpatient Care Centers (5.6%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 9,350 | 54.8% | $103,880 | $49.94 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 4,770 | 27.9% | $110,610 | $53.18 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 960 | 5.6% | $127,680 | $61.39 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals NAICS 622300 | 900 | 5.3% | $120,910 | $58.13 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 350 | 2.1% | $81,540 | $39.20 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (17,070). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $82,790 for radiation therapists in May 2021 and $105,310 in May 2025, with employment of 16,050 and 17,070.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $82,790 | $39.80 | 16,050 |
| May 2022 | $89,530 | $43.04 | 15,510 |
| May 2023 | $98,300 | $47.26 | 16,640 |
| May 2024 | $101,990 | $49.03 | 18,700 |
| May 2025 | $105,310 | $50.63 | 17,070 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
46 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $80.02 | $166,450 | $130,150 | $208,100 | 1,720 | 0.09 | 0.86 |
| 2 | Oregon profile | $63.27 | $131,600 | $107,870 | $159,500 | 160 | 0.08 | 0.75 |
| 3 | New York profile | $62.32 | $129,620 | $88,590 | $163,580 | 820 | 0.09 | 0.77 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $62.24 | $129,460 | $109,650 | $160,720 | 600 | 0.14 | 1.28 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $60.52 | $125,880 | $98,160 | $174,670 | 540 | 0.15 | 1.37 |
| 6 | Hawaii profile | $60.35 | $125,520 | $110,610 | $131,460 | ** | ** | ** |
| 7 | Illinois profile | $59.91 | $124,600 | $96,340 | $124,850 | ** | ** | ** |
| 8 | Connecticut profile | $55.85 | $116,170 | $84,780 | $155,980 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
| 9 | Kansas profile | $52.32 | $108,830 | $85,540 | $166,680 | 240 | 0.17 | 1.54 |
| 10 | Arizona profile | $52.29 | $108,760 | $83,200 | $133,360 | 410 | 0.13 | 1.16 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $51.93 | $108,020 | $90,970 | $130,750 | 320 | 0.11 | 1.02 |
| 12 | Utah profile | $51.76 | $107,660 | $92,870 | $166,660 | 70 | 0.04 | 0.39 |
| 13 | Maryland profile | $51.50 | $107,120 | $80,790 | $132,430 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.81 |
| 14 | Massachusetts profile | $51.10 | $106,300 | $83,160 | $133,820 | 330 | 0.09 | 0.83 |
| 15 | New Hampshire profile | $51.09 | $106,270 | $83,310 | $123,900 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.74 |
| 16 | Texas profile | $50.85 | $105,770 | $88,840 | $134,320 | 1,000 | 0.07 | 0.65 |
| 17 | Montana profile | $50.67 | $105,400 | $77,220 | $135,260 | 50 | 0.11 | 0.97 |
| 18 | Virginia profile | $49.67 | $103,310 | $81,380 | $134,620 | 500 | 0.12 | 1.10 |
| 19 | Maine profile | $49.03 | $101,980 | $85,060 | $142,420 | 140 | 0.22 | 1.96 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $48.59 | $101,060 | $84,070 | $124,160 | 50 | 0.17 | 1.51 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $48.52 | $100,920 | $80,910 | $120,770 | 1,280 | 0.13 | 1.17 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $48.46 | $100,790 | $75,510 | $119,890 | 200 | 0.09 | 0.77 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $48.34 | $100,540 | $77,390 | $122,690 | 560 | 0.09 | 0.84 |
| 24 | District of Columbia profile | $48.20 | $100,250 | $82,780 | $132,300 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.96 |
| 25 | New Mexico profile | $48.08 | $100,010 | $58,700 | $128,540 | 100 | 0.12 | 1.06 |
| 26 | Missouri profile | $48.03 | $99,890 | $70,340 | $133,190 | 420 | 0.14 | 1.31 |
| 27 | Idaho profile | $47.92 | $99,660 | $81,540 | $126,590 | 100 | 0.12 | 1.05 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $47.72 | $99,250 | $79,780 | $109,210 | 710 | 0.14 | 1.31 |
| 29 | Nebraska profile | $47.44 | $98,670 | $69,620 | $142,880 | 120 | 0.12 | 1.07 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | $47.43 | $98,650 | $76,640 | $123,920 | 690 | 0.12 | 1.13 |
| 31 | Oklahoma profile | $47.30 | $98,390 | $76,310 | $125,520 | 120 | 0.07 | 0.64 |
| 32 | Minnesota profile | $47.11 | $98,000 | $79,540 | $108,630 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.66 |
| 33 | Kentucky profile | $47.00 | $97,760 | $56,010 | $127,470 | 170 | 0.09 | 0.78 |
| 34 | South Dakota profile | $46.86 | $97,470 | $80,140 | $138,030 | ** | ** | ** |
| 35 | Indiana profile | $46.49 | $96,690 | $75,750 | $113,310 | 360 | 0.11 | 1.04 |
| 36 | Michigan profile | $46.10 | $95,890 | $79,610 | $110,030 | 450 | 0.10 | 0.94 |
| 37 | Louisiana profile | $45.54 | $94,710 | $76,350 | $107,430 | 230 | 0.12 | 1.06 |
| 38 | Georgia profile | $45.41 | $94,460 | $80,670 | $128,910 | 470 | 0.10 | 0.88 |
| 39 | Wisconsin profile | $45.00 | $93,600 | $77,980 | $114,380 | 550 | 0.19 | 1.70 |
| 40 | Nevada profile | $44.71 | $92,990 | $85,860 | $127,040 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.67 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $42.36 | $88,100 | $68,530 | $102,650 | 70 | 0.06 | 0.53 |
| 42 | Alabama profile | $41.99 | $87,330 | $62,420 | $104,670 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.53 |
| 43 | Tennessee profile | $40.15 | $83,520 | $77,730 | $101,340 | 350 | 0.11 | 0.98 |
| 44 | Iowa profile | $39.24 | $81,610 | $66,590 | $102,270 | 120 | 0.08 | 0.71 |
| 45 | Arkansas profile | $37.96 | $78,950 | $62,300 | $108,910 | 80 | 0.06 | 0.56 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $34.42 | $71,590 | $54,880 | $106,140 | 120 | 0.18 | 1.61 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (29-1120), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1124 Radiation Therapists.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1124, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1124.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.