Radiologic Technologists

Overall, employment for radiologic technologists is expected to grow faster than the average through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Major reasons for this growth are the passage of the Affordable Health Care Act, which has allowed more people to become eligible for health insurance; the development of new technologies, which are making many imaging modalities less expensive and more apt to be performed by radiologic technicians; and the increasing elderly population in the United States, which will create a need for medical imaging to diagnose conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. The demand for qualified technologists in some areas of the country far exceeds the supply. This shortage is particularly acute in rural areas and small towns. Those who are willing to relocate to these areas may improve their chances of landing a job. Radiologic technologists who are trained to do more than one type of imaging procedure will also find that they have increased job opportunities. Those specializing in CT and MRI should have better odds of securing work as these are being increasingly used as diagnostic tools.

In the years to come, increasing numbers of radiologic technologists will be employed in settings outside of hospitals, such as physicians' offices, clinics, health maintenance organizations, laboratories, government agencies, and diagnostic imaging centers. This pattern will be part of the overall trend toward lowering health care costs by delivering more care outside of hospitals. Nevertheless, hospitals will remain the major employers of radiologic technologists for the near future. Because of the increasing importance of radiologic technology in the diagnosis and treatment of disease, it is unlikely that hospitals will do fewer radiologic procedures than in the past. Instead, they try to do more on an outpatient basis and on weekends and evenings. This should increase the demand for part-time technologists and thus open more opportunities for flexible work schedules.