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.
National median · BLS
$105,310
▲ +3.26%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$114,990
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
17,070
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Radiation Therapists
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$80,560
25th
$92,060
Median (50th)
$105,310
75th
$126,340
90th — top pay
$156,710
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Radiation Therapists
BLS projects employment of radiation therapists to grow 2.8% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 700 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
17,400 → 17,900
+500 jobs
Projected change
+2.8%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
700
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
No related experience required
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
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Radiation Therapists salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
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Skills & tools
Skills needed for Radiation Therapists
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening3.8
Reading Comprehension3.8
Critical Thinking3.5
Operations Monitoring3.4
Social Perceptiveness3.4
Coordination3.3
Monitoring3.3
Service Orientation3.3
Speaking3.3
Complex Problem Solving3.1
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.6
English Language4.0
Medicine and Dentistry4.0
Physics3.8
Mathematics3.6
Education and Training3.5
Computers and Electronics3.5
Therapy and Counseling3.4
Software and technology used
eClinicalWorks EHR softwareEclipse IDEEpic SystemsMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordBeam analysis softwareDose unit calculation softwareElectronic medical record EMR softwareImage processing softwareLifeline Software RadCalcNucletron planning systemsPatient management softwareProcedure scheduling softwareRadiation dose calculation softwareRadiation therapy equipment softwareSun Nuclear MapCHECKTreatment planning software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What radiation therapists do
Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.
Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards.
Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others.
Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification.
Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician.
Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage.
Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation.
Observe and reassure patients during treatment and report unusual reactions to physician or turn equipment off if unexpected adverse reactions occur.
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Radiation Therapists, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $105,310.
