Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Employment of nuclear medicine technologists is expected to decline by 1 percent from 2023 through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. One factor limiting employment is an emphasis on less costly or noninvasive tests among medical providers and third-party payers (the government and private insurance companies). Most new job opportunities are expected to be in areas with large hospitals. Job opportunities for nuclear medicine technologists will be strong at outpatient care centers (+17.6 percent through 2033) and medical and diagnostic laboratories (+7.8 percent through 2033), but these entities only employ about 9 percent of technologists.

Advances in medical diagnostic procedures could lead to increased use of nuclear medicine technology in the diagnosis and treatment of more diseases, including cancer treatment and cardiology. In addition, as the country's population ages, there will be a growing number of middle-aged and older persons, who are the main users of diagnostic tests.

Nuclear technologists with a bachelor's degree from an accredited program and those with certification in specializations such as positron emission tomography, nuclear cardiology, or computed tomography have the best job prospects.