Nuclear Medicine Technologists: Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz

Job description

Nuclear Medicine Technologists prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.

• Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician.
• Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients’ bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.
• Process cardiac function studies, using computer.
• Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician’s prescription.

Salary

Nuclear Medicine Technologists with little to no experience tend to make between $55330 and $65720 while the more experienced ones can earn over $92080 per year.

One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist is to move to a higher paying state like CA. Right now, the highest paying states for Nuclear Medicine Technologists are CA, DC, WA, NJ and HI.

However, a higher pay at CA doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at CA might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.

Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.

Requirements

We asked other Nuclear Medicine Technologists what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had an Associate’s Degree followed by a Bachelor’s Degree.

Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.

Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Nuclear Medicine Technologist.

What is the job like

79% of Nuclear Medicine Technologists said they were satisfied with their job and 82% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.

Is this right for me

You can read more about these career personality types here.

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

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