Information Provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook
Radiation Therapists
Good job opportunities are expected; applicants who are certified and who possess a bachelors or an associate degree or a certificate in radiation therapy should have the best prospects. Employment is projected to grow faster than average. Radiation therapists need good communication skills because their work involves a great deal of patient interaction.
On average, Radiation Therapists earn $ 66,170 per year.
Job Opportunities for Health Care Careers are
expected to:
Increase faster than average.
Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
Treating cancer in the human body is the principal use of radiation therapy. As part of a medical radiation oncology team, radiation therapists use machinescalled linear acceleratorsto administer radiation treatment to patients. Linear accelerators, used in a procedure called external beam therapy, project high-energy x rays at targeted cancer cells. As the x rays collide with human tissue, they produce highly energized ions that can shrink and eliminate cancerous tumors. Radiation therapy is sometimes used as the sole treatment for cancer, but is usually used in conjunction with chemotherapy or surgery.
A bachelors degree, associate degree, or certificate in radiation therapy generally is required. Many States also require radiation therapists to be licensed. With experience, therapists can advance to managerial positions.
Radiation therapists held about 15,000 jobs in 2006. About 73 percent worked in hospitals, and about 17 percent worked in the offices of physicians. A small proportion worked in outpatient care centers.
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
American Society of Radiologic Technologists
