Radiologists earn $350,000-$550,000+ per year, making it one of the highest-paid specialties with a better lifestyle than most surgical fields.
Average Radiologist Salary in 2026
| Experience Level |
Salary Range |
| New Attending (1-3 years) |
$350,000-$400,000 |
| Mid-Career (5-10 years) |
$420,000-$480,000 |
| Experienced (10+ years) |
$480,000-$550,000 |
| National Average |
$427,000 |
Radiologist Salary by Subspecialty
| Subspecialty |
Average Salary |
Fellowship |
| Interventional Radiology |
$520,000 |
2 years |
| Neuroradiology |
$450,000 |
1-2 years |
| Nuclear Medicine |
$430,000 |
1 year |
| Body/Abdominal Imaging |
$420,000 |
1 year |
| Breast Imaging |
$410,000 |
1 year |
| Musculoskeletal Radiology |
$415,000 |
1 year |
| Pediatric Radiology |
$390,000 |
1 year |
| Emergency Radiology |
$400,000 |
1 year |
| General Diagnostic |
$395,000 |
— |
Interventional radiology is the highest-paid subspecialty due to procedural work.
Radiologist Salary by State
| State |
Average Salary |
vs. National |
| Wisconsin |
$510,000 |
+19% |
| Wyoming |
$500,000 |
+17% |
| Nebraska |
$495,000 |
+16% |
| Kentucky |
$485,000 |
+14% |
| Oklahoma |
$480,000 |
+12% |
| Indiana |
$470,000 |
+10% |
| Tennessee |
$460,000 |
+8% |
| Texas |
$445,000 |
+4% |
| Florida |
$430,000 |
+1% |
| California |
$420,000 |
-2% |
| New York |
$410,000 |
-4% |
| Massachusetts |
$400,000 |
-6% |
Rural areas and underserved regions pay significant premiums.
Radiologist Salary by Practice Setting
| Practice Type |
Salary Range |
Notes |
| Private Practice (Partner) |
$500,000-$650,000 |
Highest earning potential |
| Teleradiology |
$400,000-$550,000 |
Remote work, flexible |
| Hospital-Employed |
$380,000-$480,000 |
Stable, benefits |
| Academic |
$300,000-$400,000 |
Teaching, research |
| Locum Tenens |
$450,000-$600,000 |
Per diem work |
| Outpatient Center |
$420,000-$500,000 |
Good lifestyle |
Radiologist vs. Radiology Technologist
| Factor |
Radiologist (MD) |
Rad Tech |
| Average Salary |
$427,000 |
$68,000 |
| Education |
13+ years |
2-4 years |
| Student Debt |
$250,000-$400,000 |
$20,000-$50,000 |
| Role |
Interpret images, diagnose |
Perform imaging |
| Start Earning |
Age 31+ |
Age 20-24 |
Path to Becoming a Radiologist
| Stage |
Duration |
Cost/Salary |
| Bachelor’s degree |
4 years |
$50,000-$200,000 debt |
| Medical school |
4 years |
$200,000-$350,000 debt |
| Radiology residency |
5 years |
$65,000-$90,000/year |
| Fellowship (optional) |
1-2 years |
$80,000-$100,000/year |
| Total Training |
13-15 years |
— |
| Average Debt |
— |
$280,000-$380,000 |
Radiologist Work-Life Balance
| Factor |
Typical Range |
| Hours per week |
45-55 |
| Night call |
2-6 nights/month |
| Weekend call |
1-2 weekends/month |
| Vacation weeks |
5-8 |
| Remote work |
Increasing (teleradiology) |
Radiology offers one of the best lifestyles among high-paying specialties.
Teleradiology Growth
| Factor |
Impact |
| Market size (2026) |
$8+ billion |
| Growth rate |
8-10% annually |
| Remote work opportunities |
Expanding rapidly |
| Overnight reads |
High demand |
| International competition |
Growing (but credentialing barriers) |
Teleradiology enables radiologists to work from home and set flexible schedules.
Radiologist Salary After Taxes
| Gross Salary |
Federal Tax |
FICA |
State Tax (5%) |
Take-Home |
| $350,000 |
$84,000 |
$11,773 |
$17,500 |
$236,727 |
| $427,000 |
$109,000 |
$11,773 |
$21,350 |
$284,877 |
| $550,000 |
$156,000 |
$11,773 |
$27,500 |
$354,727 |
AI Impact on Radiology
| Factor |
Assessment |
| AI replacing radiologists? |
No — augmenting, not replacing |
| Job growth (2024-2034) |
+4% (stable) |
| AI-assisted reading |
Becoming standard |
| Skills in demand |
Complex interpretation, procedures |
AI is expected to handle routine reads, allowing radiologists to focus on complex cases.
Career Earnings Comparison
| Career Path |
Training Debt |
30-Year Earnings |
Net Lifetime |
| Academic Radiology |
-$300,000 |
$10.5M |
~$10M |
| Hospital-Employed |
-$300,000 |
$13.5M |
~$13M |
| Private Practice |
-$300,000 |
$16.5M |
~$16M |
| Teleradiology |
-$300,000 |
$15M |
~$15M |
Tips for Maximizing Income
- Interventional fellowship — Highest-paid subspecialty
- Teleradiology side gigs — Overnight reads pay premium
- Rural practice — 15-25% pay premiums
- Partnership track — Private groups pay highest
- Negotiate RVU bonuses — Productivity can add $50k-$100k
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Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medscape Physician Compensation Report, MGMA, ACR. Updated March 2026.