SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-2033.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $78,080 | $6,507 | $1,502 | $37.54 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $86,720 | $7,227 | $1,668 | $41.69 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $101,370 | $8,448 | $1,949 | $48.74 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $117,120 | $9,760 | $2,252 | $56.31 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $134,500 | $11,208 | $2,587 | $64.66 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Nuclear Medicine Technologists is $101,370, which is 99% higher. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 35 by median pay. With 17,080 jobs, it makes up about 1.1 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Nuclear Medicine Technologists pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($162,380), Washington ($126,200) and Hawaii ($125,650). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($52,930), Kansas ($64,610) and West Virginia ($76,460). The most jobs were in Florida (1,740), California (1,500) and Texas (1,060). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 2.8 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,500 | $162,380 | $160,110 | $78.07 |
| Washington | 320 | $126,200 | $127,880 | $60.67 |
| Hawaii | 30 | $125,650 | $121,430 | $60.41 |
| New Jersey | 540 | $124,280 | $122,290 | $59.75 |
| Oregon | 180 | $122,100 | $118,570 | $58.70 |
| New York | 890 | $118,650 | $116,660 | $57.04 |
| Massachusetts | 380 | $118,250 | $117,860 | $56.85 |
| Connecticut | 170 | $117,150 | $116,440 | $56.32 |
| Colorado | 200 | $116,990 | $116,200 | $56.25 |
| District of Columbia | 30 | $116,630 | $121,850 | $56.07 |
| Utah | 120 | $111,770 | $110,560 | $53.74 |
| Nevada | 120 | $109,150 | $112,580 | $52.47 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $107,890 | $110,240 | $51.87 |
| Minnesota | 200 | $107,380 | $108,480 | $51.63 |
| Illinois | 620 | $104,950 | $105,110 | $50.46 |
| Idaho | 80 | $104,630 | $104,770 | $50.31 |
| Nebraska | 120 | $104,320 | $99,750 | $50.15 |
| Maryland | 330 | $104,150 | $104,970 | $50.07 |
| Rhode Island | 110 | $104,000 | $109,160 | $50.00 |
| Indiana | 280 | $103,230 | $102,670 | $49.63 |
| North Dakota | 50 | $102,640 | $97,050 | $49.34 |
| Virginia | 430 | $101,820 | $102,090 | $48.95 |
| Texas | 1,060 | $101,170 | $101,770 | $48.64 |
| Georgia | 540 | $100,880 | $98,590 | $48.50 |
| Montana | 50 | $100,490 | $93,340 | $48.31 |
| Delaware | 70 | $100,470 | $102,570 | $48.30 |
| Arizona | 430 | $100,130 | $101,170 | $48.14 |
| Maine | 70 | $99,500 | $97,370 | $47.84 |
| Wisconsin | 390 | $98,450 | $96,680 | $47.33 |
| New Mexico | 70 | $98,400 | $97,960 | $47.31 |
| Missouri | 360 | $98,010 | $95,800 | $47.12 |
| Ohio | 670 | $97,570 | $94,990 | $46.91 |
| Florida | 1,740 | $97,310 | $96,390 | $46.78 |
| Kentucky | 270 | $95,470 | $93,430 | $45.90 |
| Michigan | 640 | $95,400 | $91,300 | $45.86 |
| Pennsylvania | 740 | $94,570 | $93,430 | $45.47 |
| Iowa | 150 | $92,890 | $92,130 | $44.66 |
| Oklahoma | 200 | $90,640 | $90,360 | $43.58 |
| South Carolina | 280 | $90,230 | $90,760 | $43.38 |
| Louisiana | 170 | $87,670 | $88,010 | $42.15 |
| North Carolina | 600 | $85,240 | $87,490 | $40.98 |
| Tennessee | 390 | $84,470 | $88,550 | $40.61 |
| Arkansas | 190 | $83,670 | $83,160 | $40.23 |
| Mississippi | 160 | $83,340 | $83,410 | $40.07 |
| Alabama | 320 | $82,630 | $83,240 | $39.72 |
| South Dakota | 140 | $82,010 | $79,620 | $39.43 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $81,900 | $93,980 | $39.37 |
| West Virginia | 150 | $76,460 | $81,620 | $36.76 |
| Kansas | 380 | $64,610 | $76,770 | $31.06 |
| Puerto Rico | 240 | $52,930 | $50,390 | $25.45 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$115,210 a year
- Radiation Therapists$105,310 a year
- Physical Therapists$102,760 a year
- Occupational Therapists$100,330 a year
- Genetic Counselors$100,040 a year
- Dental Hygienists$98,100 a year
Common questions
How much do Nuclear Medicine Technologists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $101,370 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $78,080 and the highest-paid 10% more than $134,500.
How many people work as Nuclear Medicine Technologists?
About 17,080 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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