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The national median salary for Radiation Therapists is $101,982 per year ($49.03/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $86,528 and $120,370 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $141,544 per year. There are approximately 18,700 radiation therapists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+1.9%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
900
per year, on avg
Workforce today
19K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Associate's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
10K
$101,660
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
6K
$102,180
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals
NAICS 622300
880
$102,560
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
750
$121,360
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
380
$104,880
Wage range across top 5 industries: $101,660 to $121,360 (19% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$37.43
$77,854
P25
$41.60
$86,528
P50MEDIAN
$49.03
$101,982
P75
$57.87
$120,370
P90
$68.05
$141,544
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average radiation therapists salary?
The national median salary for Radiation Therapists is $101,982 per year ($49.03/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $86,528 and $120,370 annually.
How much do top-earning radiation therapists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Radiation Therapists is $141,544 per year ($68.05/hr). The 75th percentile is $120,370 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for radiation therapists?
Entry-level Radiation Therapists (10th percentile) earn approximately $77,854 per year ($37.43/hr). The 25th percentile is $86,528 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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