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Hospitals
Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, HCA Healthcare
Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Nuclear medicine technologists give patients small doses of radioactive tracers and then use specialized scanners to watch where those tracers go in the body. The work is unusual because it blends patient care, imaging, and strict radiation control in the same shift; the tradeoff is good pay and specialized skills, but the field is small, tightly regulated, and not growing fast.
Also known as Nuclear Medicine TechnologistNuclear Med TechNuclear Medicine TechPET TechnologistPET/CT Technologist
Median Salary
$97,020
Mean $99,690
U.S. Workforce
~17K
0.9K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3%
20K to 20.6K
Entry Education
Associate's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Nuclear Medicine Technologists sits in the Healthcare category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~17K workers, with a median annual pay of $97,020 and roughly 0.9K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 20 K in 2024 to 20.6K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Associate's degree in nuclear medicine technology, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Radiologic Technologist and can progress toward Imaging Supervisor. High-value skills usually include Radiopharmaceutical Preparation & IV Administration, PET/CT, SPECT & Gamma Camera Operation, and Radiation Safety, Shielding & Dosimetry, paired with soft skills such as Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Give patients radioactive medicine through a vein or by mouth so doctors can see how an organ or tissue is working.
- Position patients and run the scanner that follows the tracer and turns it into an image.
- Handle radioactive waste and store supplies safely so no one is exposed unnecessarily.
- Check, clean, and calibrate the imaging equipment before and during use.
Keep exploring: more Healthcare careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Give patients radioactive medicine through a vein or by mouth so doctors can see how an organ or tissue is working.
02 Position patients and run the scanner that follows the tracer and turns it into an image.
03 Handle radioactive waste and store supplies safely so no one is exposed unnecessarily.
04 Check, clean, and calibrate the imaging equipment before and during use.
05 Use detectors and counters to measure things like blood flow, organ activity, or how much tracer a tissue absorbs.
06 Save the images and procedure notes, then send the results for a physician to review.
Industries That Hire
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Outpatient Diagnostic Imaging Centers
RadNet, SimonMed Imaging, RAYUS Radiology
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Cancer Treatment Centers
MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, City of Hope
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Academic Medical Centers
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Mass General Brigham, UCLA Health
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Veterans and Government Health Systems
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong for the education required: the mean wage is $99,690 and the median is $97,020, while the usual entry point is an associate's degree.
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You can enter the field without prior work experience or on-the-job training, according to BLS.
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The work uses specialized scanners and radioactive tracers, so your skills are not easy to replace with generic imaging work.
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There are about 0.9K annual openings, which means hiring keeps happening even in a small field.
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The job combines patient contact with technical problem-solving, so the day-to-day work is varied rather than repetitive.
Challenges
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Growth is only 3% from 2024 to 2034, and total employment rises from 20.0K to just 20.6K, so the field is not expanding quickly.
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The occupation is small, with only about 16,960 workers, so openings can be limited and location matters a lot.
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You work with radioactive materials, which means strict safety rules, extra documentation, and no room for shortcuts.
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Career progression can stall unless you move into lead, supervisor, teaching, or another imaging specialty.
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Hiring can depend on expensive scanners, tracer supply, and hospital budgets, so departments may be cautious when volumes or reimbursement tighten.
Career Progression
Radiologic Technologist
0-2 years
$60K-$75K
Learns patient positioning, scanner workflow, and radiation basics before moving into the tracer-based work of nuclear medicine.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist
2-6 years
$88K-$108K
Prepares patients, gives radiopharmaceuticals, runs imaging studies, and checks image quality so physicians can interpret the results.
Lead Nuclear Medicine Technologist THIS ROLE
6-10 years
$110K-$128K
Handles complex cases, troubleshoots equipment issues, trains newer technologists, and keeps safety checks consistent.
Imaging Supervisor
10+ years
$130K-$155K
Oversees staffing, compliance, inventory, and day-to-day operations for the imaging department.
Education Paths
Associate's degree in nuclear medicine technology
The most common entry point, used by 62.63% of workers in this role.
Bachelor's degree in nuclear medicine, radiologic sciences, or health sciences
A larger academic route used by 21.5% of workers, often for people who want broader imaging options or advancement later on.
Post-baccalaureate certificate in nuclear medicine technology
An alternative path for people who already have a degree; 5.76% of workers report this level.
Post-secondary certificate with clinical training
A less common route, seen in 4.24% of workers, usually paired with a prior imaging background.
Key Skills
Technical
Radiopharmaceutical Preparation & IV Administration 82%
PET/CT, SPECT & Gamma Camera Operation 80%
Radiation Safety, Shielding & Dosimetry 78%
Equipment Calibration & Quality Control 75%
PACS, RIS & EMR Documentation 72%
Scintillometers, Geiger Counters & Uptake Measurements 70%
Soft Skills
Critical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringReading ComprehensionCoordination Job Outlook and Trends
+3%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.9K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 20K to 20.6 K over the next decade, representing 3% growth. Around 0.9 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Rare. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.