RT wages continue upward trend
Radiologic technologists (RTs) in the U.S. earn an annual average compensation of $58,673, an increase of 12.8 percent from the 2004 average compensation rate, according to the results of a wage survey conducted by the Albuquerque, N.M.-based American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT). Although compensation rates continue to increase, the rate of increase has slowed down from 19 percent surge seen between 2001 and 2004, according to the ASRT.
The ASRT’s director of research, Richard Harris, PhD, said that he believes the gap from the shortage of radiologic technologists experienced a few years ago is closing, which helps explains why the RT compensation increase trend is slowing.
The survey of nearly 10,000 RTs registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) was conducted between February and March this year; more than 9,900 responses were received.
Survey results also showed California had the highest annual compensation at $75,873, followed by Massachusetts at $71,574, Washington, D.C., at $68,585, Connecticut at $66,471, and Oregon at $66,152. The nation's lowest base annual compensation was in West Virginia with an average annual compensation of $45,627, followed by South Dakota at $48,902, Alabama at $49,131, Arkansas at $50,244, and North Dakota at $50,601.
Benefit packages have become more ubiquitous as more than 69 percent of those surveyed had life insurance, 82 percent had health insurance, nearly 69 percent had dental insurance, more than 83 percent participated in retirement or pension programs and nearly 59 percent had tuition assistance available to them.
Overtime and on-call pay differentials are available to more than half the survey respondents. More than 75 percent reported receiving additional pay for hours worked outside a normal 40-hour work week. Forty-four percent of respondents said they are paid for being on call. Each time they are called in, they receive an average of $38.28 per hour or earn $74.26 for each session, according to the survey results.
Of those who are paid for overtime, about 71 percent indicated that overtime pay accounted for 5 percent or less of their total annual compensation, while 5.4 percent said that it accounted for more than 20 percent of their total compensation.
The complete survey is available at the ASRT's website at http://www.asrt.org/wss2007.
The ASRT’s director of research, Richard Harris, PhD, said that he believes the gap from the shortage of radiologic technologists experienced a few years ago is closing, which helps explains why the RT compensation increase trend is slowing.
The survey of nearly 10,000 RTs registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) was conducted between February and March this year; more than 9,900 responses were received.
Survey results also showed California had the highest annual compensation at $75,873, followed by Massachusetts at $71,574, Washington, D.C., at $68,585, Connecticut at $66,471, and Oregon at $66,152. The nation's lowest base annual compensation was in West Virginia with an average annual compensation of $45,627, followed by South Dakota at $48,902, Alabama at $49,131, Arkansas at $50,244, and North Dakota at $50,601.
Benefit packages have become more ubiquitous as more than 69 percent of those surveyed had life insurance, 82 percent had health insurance, nearly 69 percent had dental insurance, more than 83 percent participated in retirement or pension programs and nearly 59 percent had tuition assistance available to them.
Overtime and on-call pay differentials are available to more than half the survey respondents. More than 75 percent reported receiving additional pay for hours worked outside a normal 40-hour work week. Forty-four percent of respondents said they are paid for being on call. Each time they are called in, they receive an average of $38.28 per hour or earn $74.26 for each session, according to the survey results.
Of those who are paid for overtime, about 71 percent indicated that overtime pay accounted for 5 percent or less of their total annual compensation, while 5.4 percent said that it accounted for more than 20 percent of their total compensation.
The complete survey is available at the ASRT's website at http://www.asrt.org/wss2007.