Is this a competitive Radiologists salary in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$89K
P25$217K
P50$421K
P75$506K
P90$594K
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Demand: HOT. Demand is hot -- health care job openings are running at 5.3% (JOLTS, June 2026), a tight market. Candidates have leverage, so a competitive offer sits at or above the median; below-median offers often will not close.
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Merit budget: Wages in health care are rising about 3.6% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 3.2-3.7% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $420,867 to $506,002 (market median to the 75th percentile). Lean toward the top of the range for senior or hard-to-fill roles.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Radiologists pay is moving in 2026
Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI
Hiring demand · HOT
Health Care & Social Assistance is running a 5.3% job-openings rate with quits at 1.9% (BLS JOLTS). Demand has cooled for 2 straight months (6.1% down to 5.3%).
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 6.7 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is wider than typical, so expect large pay differences by experience, employer size, and geography; build generous ranges and differentiate strongly.
What changed recently
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings fell from 5.9% to 5.3% (down 147K), the sharpest monthly cooling this year, though still the second-tightest market.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.6% per year, the fastest of any major sector. Health benefit costs rose 6.0% nationally.
Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Radiologists is $420,867 per year ($202.34/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $216,798 and $506,002 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $594,422 per year. There are approximately 26,770 radiologists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+2.7%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
800
per year, on avg
Workforce today
28K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
10% from new growth90% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Doctoral or professional degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Internship/residency
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Physicians
NAICS 621100
15K
$448,510
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
6K
$138,560
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
NAICS 621500
4K
$398,220
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
1K
$315,360
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
310
$548,480
Wage range across top 5 industries: $138,560 to $548,480 (296% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$42.79
$89,003
P25
$104.23
$216,798
P50MEDIAN
$202.34
$420,867
P75
$243.27
$506,002
P90
$285.78
$594,422
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.3%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings fell 147K to 1.35M in June, rate down from 5.9% to 5.3% -- the sector's biggest monthly cooling this year, though it remains the second-tightest market. Quits edged up to 1.9%; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average radiologists salary?
The national median salary for Radiologists is $420,867 per year ($202.34/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $216,798 and $506,002 annually.
How much do top-earning radiologists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Radiologists is $594,422 per year ($285.78/hr). The 75th percentile is $506,002 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for radiologists?
Entry-level Radiologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $89,003 per year ($42.79/hr). The 25th percentile is $216,798 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 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.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
