What the occupation covers
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 29-1124.
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 | $80,560 | $6,713 | $1,549 | $38.73 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $92,060 | $7,672 | $1,770 | $44.26 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $105,310 | $8,776 | $2,025 | $50.63 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $126,340 | $10,528 | $2,430 | $60.74 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $156,710 | $13,059 | $3,014 | $75.34 |
* 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 Radiation Therapists is $105,310, which is 107% higher. Among the 71 occupations of the field Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks number 33 by median pay. With 17,070 jobs, it makes up about 1.1 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Radiation Therapists pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($166,450), Oregon ($131,600) and New York ($129,620). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($37,560), West Virginia ($71,590) and Arkansas ($78,950). The most jobs were in California (1,720), Florida (1,280) and Texas (1,000). The occupation is most concentrated in Maine, where its share of all jobs is 2.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 1,720 | $166,450 | $161,890 | $80.02 |
| Oregon | 160 | $131,600 | $132,500 | $63.27 |
| New York | 820 | $129,620 | $129,690 | $62.32 |
| New Jersey | 600 | $129,460 | $137,970 | $62.24 |
| Washington | 540 | $125,880 | $148,520 | $60.52 |
| Hawaii | not published | $125,520 | $122,670 | $60.35 |
| Illinois | not published | $124,600 | $114,470 | $59.91 |
| Connecticut | 110 | $116,170 | $116,830 | $55.85 |
| Kansas | 240 | $108,830 | $112,750 | $52.32 |
| Arizona | 410 | $108,760 | $111,000 | $52.29 |
| Colorado | 320 | $108,020 | $110,640 | $51.93 |
| Utah | 70 | $107,660 | $115,170 | $51.76 |
| Maryland | 250 | $107,120 | $107,270 | $51.50 |
| Massachusetts | 330 | $106,300 | $112,170 | $51.10 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $106,270 | $102,230 | $51.09 |
| Texas | 1,000 | $105,770 | $129,700 | $50.85 |
| Montana | 50 | $105,400 | $109,190 | $50.67 |
| Virginia | 500 | $103,310 | $109,790 | $49.67 |
| Maine | 140 | $101,980 | $111,460 | $49.03 |
| Vermont | 50 | $101,060 | $106,510 | $48.59 |
| Florida | 1,280 | $100,920 | $100,480 | $48.52 |
| South Carolina | 200 | $100,790 | $100,690 | $48.46 |
| Pennsylvania | 560 | $100,540 | $101,110 | $48.34 |
| District of Columbia | 70 | $100,250 | $112,400 | $48.20 |
| New Mexico | 100 | $100,010 | $99,010 | $48.08 |
| Missouri | 420 | $99,890 | $99,520 | $48.03 |
| Idaho | 100 | $99,660 | $100,170 | $47.92 |
| North Carolina | 710 | $99,250 | $99,680 | $47.72 |
| Nebraska | 120 | $98,670 | $114,800 | $47.44 |
| Ohio | 690 | $98,650 | $102,160 | $47.43 |
| Oklahoma | 120 | $98,390 | $96,510 | $47.30 |
| Minnesota | 210 | $98,000 | $97,140 | $47.11 |
| Kentucky | 170 | $97,760 | $105,000 | $47.00 |
| South Dakota | not published | $97,470 | $106,820 | $46.86 |
| Indiana | 360 | $96,690 | $95,500 | $46.49 |
| Michigan | 450 | $95,890 | $95,400 | $46.10 |
| Louisiana | 230 | $94,710 | $95,730 | $45.54 |
| Georgia | 470 | $94,460 | $99,010 | $45.41 |
| Wisconsin | 550 | $93,600 | $95,270 | $45.00 |
| Nevada | 110 | $92,990 | $107,250 | $44.71 |
| Mississippi | 70 | $88,100 | $87,940 | $42.36 |
| Alabama | 120 | $87,330 | $85,760 | $41.99 |
| Tennessee | 350 | $83,520 | $88,630 | $40.15 |
| Iowa | 120 | $81,610 | $86,080 | $39.24 |
| Arkansas | 80 | $78,950 | $90,030 | $37.96 |
| West Virginia | 120 | $71,590 | $78,310 | $34.42 |
| Puerto Rico | not published | $37,560 | $42,700 | $18.06 |
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
- Nurse Practitioners$132,300 a year
- Veterinarians$130,100 a year
- Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other$115,210 a year
- Physical Therapists$102,760 a year
- Nuclear Medicine Technologists$101,370 a year
- Occupational Therapists$100,330 a year
Common questions
How much do Radiation Therapists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $105,310 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $80,560 and the highest-paid 10% more than $156,710.
How many people work as Radiation Therapists?
About 17,070 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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