Career
Radiologists
Read medical images to diagnose disease.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Prepare comprehensive interpretive reports of findings.
- Perform or interpret the outcomes of diagnostic imaging procedures including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear cardiology treadmill studies, mammography, or ultrasound.
- Document the performance, interpretation, or outcomes of all procedures performed.
- Communicate examination results or diagnostic information to referring physicians, patients, or families.
- Obtain patients' histories from electronic records, patient interviews, dictated reports, or by communicating with referring clinicians.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
AI
BLS now cites artificial intelligence in this occupation's outlook: “share decreases as artificial intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly adopted in clinical practice, making the radiologist workflow more efficient.”
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on ideas & analysis, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Prepare comprehensive interpretive reports of findings.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
7–8 years of education after high school (doctoral or professional degree), for a median of $420,860 a year and 700 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- MedicineCIP 51.1201
- Osteopathic Medicine/OsteopathyCIP 51.1202
- Diagnostic Radiology/Nuclear Medicine Combined Specialty ProgramCIP 61.0102
- Nuclear Medicine Residency ProgramCIP 61.1201
- Nuclear Medicine Residency/Fellowship Programs, OtherCIP 61.1299
- Radiation Oncology Residency ProgramCIP 61.2501
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Cardiologists$496,010 · +4.8%
- Pediatric Surgeons$559,030 · +2.0%
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric$358,550 · +4.0%
- Radiologic Technologists and Technicians$80,110 · +5.0%
- Physicians, Pathologists$312,400 · +4.8%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.