Radiologist Salary Guide

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics average annual radiologists salary is $329,080 per year in the U.S. However, radiologists make a total of $438,000 per year, according to Medscape’s 2023 radiologist compensation report.  

Locum tenens radiologists can make an average of $287 per hour on average, however, there are many factors that impact rates including location, years of experience, and the level of demand.

If you were to extrapolate that rate over a year (at 40 hours per week), the average locum salary comes out to around $598,000.

That means locum tenens radiologists can make up to roughly 36% more than the average provider. However, making direct salary comparisons can be complicated. While perm radiologists are more likely to be salaried, locum tenens radiologists are independent contractors earning an hourly rate, which can vary based on which assignments they take in a year. 

Furthermore, because locum tenens radiologists are paid by the hour, the hours they work are directly reflected in their pay, while a salaried radiologists additional hours may not be reflected in their salary.

Finally, paid time off and insurance may be reflected in the perm radiologists salary structure, but locum tenens providers do have options when it comes to health insurance.

While in the most recent state breakdown of radiologist salaries comes from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics,  was not able to collect enough data for all 50 states, the top 5 highest paying states for radiologist salary are:

• Connecticut
• Hawaii
• Indiana 
• Montana 
• Nevada

Radiologists are in the top 10 highest earners in average annual compensation of the 30+ physician specialties surveyed in the Medscape 2023 compensation report. The top five specialties (plastic surgery, orthopedics, cardiology, urology, gastroenterology) all reported annual income of greater than $500,000.

Radiologists were among the few specialties that experienced an increase in annual salary from 2022 to 2023.

Radiologist salaries have been increased over the last several years, with a 38% increase in reported salary since 2015. 

In 2023, radiologist salaries increased 10% from the previous year. If radiologist compensation continues to follow this trend, radiologists can expect to make $531,300 in 2024, making this a lucrative specialty.