Explore radiologist salary ranges, hourly rates, and how subspecialty and locum work shape earning potential.
Most radiologists earn between $360,000 and $590,000 annually, with interventional radiology, subspecialty reads, and locum coverage pushing compensation even higher.
That range is driven less by geography alone and more by:
Radiology is one of the clearest examples in medicine where the highest compensation comes from how physicians structure their work, not just the specialty itself.
| Source | What it Measures | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS — Radiologists SOC 29-1224 (May 2024 release) | Mean annual wage | $359,820 |
| Medscape Physician Compensation Report (2025) | Average total compensation | $526,000 |
| Doximity Physician Compensation Report (2025)) | Median total compensation | $571,749 |
| SalaryDr (as of April 2026) | Median verified compensation | $590,000 |
| Merritt Hawkins 2025 Recruiting Incentives Review | Average starting salary | $551,000 |
Radiology starting salaries rose 11.3 percent year-over-year in the 2025 Merritt Hawkins data. The workforce shortage, rising imaging volume, and continued expansion of teleradiology have created a recruitment environment where signing bonuses, relocation assistance, and partnership track structures all layer on top of base pay.
Not all salary data measures the same thing.
Each source is valid, but the gap between a salaried hospital-employed radiologist and a private practice partnership can be $200,000 or more at full productivity, which is the structure of radiology earnings.
Radiology compensation is typically quoted annually, not hourly, because most radiologists carry mixed loads across diagnostic reads, procedural work, consultation, and academic duties. That said, locum radiology is priced by the hour for on-site coverage, by the day or week for block assignments, and often per-study for teleradiology contracts.
| Compensation Type | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| W-2 employed (BLS derived hourly) | ~$173 per hour |
| Locum tenens market rate (diagnostic, on-site) | $290 to $475 per hour |
| Teleradiology locum range | $290 to $370 per hour (also priced per study) |
| Interventional radiology locum range | $375 to $450 per hour |
Sources: BLS OEWS 29-1224 Radiologists (May 2024 release) for the W-2 hourly derivation. The locum rate bands reflect industry-cited rates from aggregated public market data for on-site diagnostic, interventional, and teleradiology coverage.
The locum radiology market has more rate variation by subspecialty than nearly any other specialty. Interventional and mammography command different day rates, teleradiology reads are often priced per study, and on-site diagnostic coverage sits at the top of the per-hour band.
The highest-paying radiology markets consistently cluster in regions where imaging demand exceeds radiologist supply. Minnesota, South Dakota, Arizona, Maine, and several Midwestern markets report compensation well above national benchmarks, while aggressive recruitment incentives continue pushing starting salaries higher across the West.
| Region | Average Starting Salary |
|---|---|
| West | $620,000 |
| Northeast | $558,493 |
| Southeast | $509,562 |
| Southwest | $509,255 |
Source: Merritt Hawkins 2025 Physician Recruiting Incentives Review.
Radiology pay follows imaging demand and staffing gaps more than prestige markets. Mid-sized and underserved systems consistently pay premiums to secure stable coverage.
Radiology workload varies by modality, procedural mix, and call structure, but most full-time radiologists operate in the range of roughly 43 to 50 clinical hours per week. Diagnostic reads, procedural work, consultations, and call responsibilities all layer together differently depending on subspecialty and practice environment.
Across the specialty, imaging volume continues rising faster than workforce growth, which is one of the primary reasons locum demand remains elevated.
Locum radiology is one of the highest-rate markets in healthcare, with pricing structures varying by modality, subspecialty, and coverage type.
To exceed $800,000 per year in locum radiology income, physicians typically target interventional coverage, high-acuity on-site diagnostic blocks, or combine on-site coverage with teleradiology reads during off-block weeks. Subspecialty reads (neuroradiology, pediatric, musculoskeletal) also run above the general diagnostic band.
Radiology locum income scales with modality scarcity. Interventional, subspecialty, and hard-to-staff on-site coverage consistently command the highest premiums.
Higher locum rates create more than additional earning potential. 1099 radiologists gain flexibility in how income, taxes, geography, and workload are structured over time.
While independent physicians manage their own benefits, retirement planning, and taxes, they also gain access to advantages unavailable in most employed models, including business deductions, larger retirement contribution limits, the Qualified Business Income deduction, and S-corp tax optimization at higher income levels.
For many radiologists, the larger shift is control. Schedule, modality mix, call burden, and geographic flexibility become variables they can actively design around their career goals.
Most physicians do not optimize this alone. Barton partners with Earned, a wealth and tax firm built specifically for doctors, to give locum clinicians entity formation, tax planning, and long-term financial strategy designed around how physicians earn.
Subspecialty and modality mix are the biggest drivers of radiology compensation variation beyond the W-2 versus 1099 split:
The biggest compensation lever in radiology is the modality and subspecialty mix, followed by the employment model. A diagnostic radiologist at a community hospital reading a general mix earns meaningfully less than a neuroradiologist at an academic medical center or an interventional radiologist in private practice, even at the same FTE.
Radiology compensation has continued to rise sharply across the major benchmarks. Marit Health (2025 benchmarks) reports 2025 median compensation of $632,535 for radiology — one of the highest figures in the Marit dataset. SalaryDr (as of April 2026) reports a 2026 median of $590,000 and a related verified compensation median of $485,000 in its broader physician set. BLS OEWS May 2024 reports a mean annual wage of $359,820 for employed radiologists, up from $353,960 in the previous period. Merritt Hawkins 2025 reported a 11.3 percent year-over-year increase in average starting salary, with average signing bonuses of $39,706.
On the workforce side, HRSA 2025 workforce projections forecast radiology supply at 90 percent of projected 2038 demand — a 10 percent shortage. AAMC Physician Workforce Data estimates continued workforce pressure in radiology tied to rising imaging volume and fixed fellowship output. The American College of Radiology has documented the gap between imaging volume growth and radiologist workforce as one of the top policy priorities for the specialty.
Radiology compensation, recruitment bonuses, and locum rates are all moving in the same direction because imaging demand continues growing faster than radiologist supply.
The locum industry has a baseline problem. Some agencies introduce friction through credentialing delays, licensing gaps, unclear malpractice coverage, and payment issues. That’s where Barton shines,
Barton Associates also differentiates through:
Physician-led clinical leadership. Barton has a Chief Medical Officer and physician-led clinical oversight, a structure that is unheard of in the locum staffing category.
Earned partnership for physician financial life. Barton partners with Earned, a wealth and tax firm built specifically for doctors, to give locum clinicians access to entity formation, tax planning, and long-term financial strategy designed around physician income.
Reflective-practice continuing medical education platform. Barton operates a continuing medical education platform built around reflective practice on clinical work physicians are already doing.
A reliable locum partner shows up in the moments when something goes wrong. Ask any agency how it handles a credentialing delay, a clinical concern at a site, or a mid-assignment malpractice question. The answer separates established partners from everything else.
Barton coordinates your job search from start to finish!
We’ll schedule a phone consultation to discuss your interests, goals, and work history to find the right opportunities.
Your Barton rep will submit your information to the facility you want to take an assignment at and work on next steps.
Barton handles licensing, credentialing, and travel arrangements before you arrive so you’re ready on day one.
Most earn between $360K and $590K annually depending on subspecialty and structure.
~$173/hr W-2, $290–$475/hr locum.
Often yes, especially in interventional and on-site diagnostic coverage.
Interventional radiology, subspecialty reads, and underserved markets.
Yes. Imaging demand continues to outpace workforce growth.
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