Radiologists
Also called: Diagnostic Radiologist, Nuclear Medicine Physician, Physician, RadiologistDiagnose and treat diseases and injuries using medical imaging techniques, such as x rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasounds. May perform minimally invasive medical procedures and tests.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 20 of its 30 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.4% by 2035. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 5.0 hires for every 10 job openings in health care and social assistance, which employs about 95% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.5.0 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $470,640 | $242,830 to $688,200 | not published |
| Arkansas | $75,600 | $66,640 to $289,680 | 150 |
| California | $270,560 | $106,000 to $496,790 | 690 |
| Colorado | $344,270 | $129,370 to $352,050 | 500 |
| Connecticut | $191,990 | $191,730 to $226,130 | not published |
| Delaware | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more to $239,200 or more | 160 |
| District of Columbia | $182,450 | $182,150 to $455,050 | 80 |
| Florida | $417,690 | $395,170 to $503,850 | 1,680 |
| Georgia | $335,190 | $335,190 to $426,180 | not published |
| Hawaii | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more to $239,200 or more | 80 |
| Illinois | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more to $239,200 or more | not published |
| Indiana | $430,640 | $405,210 to $431,410 | 680 |
| Iowa | $405,220 | $115,800 to $445,670 | 130 |
| Kansas | $179,990 | $179,990 to $194,800 | not published |
| Kentucky | $279,990 | $112,790 to $592,050 | not published |
| Maine | $555,750 | $236,560 to $578,230 | not published |
| Maryland | $581,510 | $194,850 to $581,560 | not published |
| Massachusetts | $426,560 | $371,090 to $459,750 | not published |
| Michigan | $485,920 | $208,490 to $485,920 | 360 |
| Minnesota | $708,340 | $196,980 to $708,340 | 440 |
| Mississippi | not published | not published | 100 |
| Missouri | not published | not published | 280 |
| Montana | $360,330 | $207,010 to $365,520 | 110 |
| Nebraska | not published | not published | 160 |
| Nevada | $386,210 | $131,490 to $465,760 | 410 |
| New Hampshire | $506,010 | $438,150 to $523,650 | 210 |
| New Jersey | $482,700 | $117,300 to $555,900 | not published |
| New Mexico | $96,170 | $80,740 to $109,290 | 170 |
| New York | $441,580 | $102,440 to $515,990 | 2,010 |
| North Dakota | $553,140 | $546,740 to $709,960 | 120 |
| Ohio | $260,000 | $83,290 to $402,670 | 770 |
| Oklahoma | not published | not published | 110 |
| Oregon | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more to $239,200 or more | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $455,380 | $398,220 to $518,320 | 1,360 |
| South Carolina | $174,480 | $86,500 to $458,680 | not published |
| South Dakota | $586,010 | $500,320 to $669,020 | 70 |
| Texas | $319,320 | $100,550 to $456,760 | 2,330 |
| Utah | $417,250 | $357,600 to $450,010 | 380 |
| Virginia | $376,270 | $284,320 to $557,540 | not published |
| Washington | $239,200 or more | $239,200 or more to $239,200 or more | 1,480 |
| West Virginia | $471,650 | $107,900 to $493,010 | 360 |
| Wisconsin | $392,610 | $289,360 to $511,550 | 980 |
| Wyoming | $161,750 | $100,790 to $408,820 | 30 |
Nationally: $420,860. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 20 of its 30 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Obtain patients' histories from electronic records, patient interviews, dictated reports, or by communicating with referring clinicians. | Not published |
| AI + software | Confer with medical professionals regarding image-based diagnoses. | Not published |
| AI + software | Perform or interpret the outcomes of diagnostic imaging procedures including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computer tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), nuclear cardiology treadmill studies, mammography, or ultrasound. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Review or transmit images and information using picture archiving or communications systems. | Not published |
| AI + software | Communicate examination results or diagnostic information to referring physicians, patients, or families. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Develop or monitor procedures to ensure adequate quality control of images. | Not published |
See all 30 tasks
| AI + software | Document the performance, interpretation, or outcomes of all procedures performed. | Not published |
| AI alone | Prepare comprehensive interpretive reports of findings. | under 0.01% |
| Not much | Instruct radiologic staff in desired techniques, positions, or projections. | Not published |
| AI + software | Participate in continuing education activities to maintain and develop expertise. | Not published |
| Not much | Recognize or treat complications during and after procedures, including blood pressure problems, pain, oversedation, or bleeding. | Not published |
| AI alone | Establish or enforce standards for protection of patients or personnel. | Not published |
| AI alone | Provide counseling to radiologic patients to explain the processes, risks, benefits, or alternative treatments. | Not published |
| AI alone | Participate in quality improvement activities including discussions of areas where risk of error is high. | Not published |
| Not much | Coordinate radiological services with other medical activities. | Not published |
| Not much | Perform interventional procedures such as image-guided biopsy, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, transhepatic biliary drainage, or nephrostomy catheter placement. | Not published |
| AI + software | Develop treatment plans for radiology patients. | Not published |
| Not much | Administer radioisotopes to clinical patients or research subjects. | Not published |
| AI alone | Advise other physicians of the clinical indications, limitations, assessments, or risks of diagnostic and therapeutic applications of radioactive materials. | Not published |
| AI + software | Calculate, measure, or prepare radioisotope dosages. | Not published |
| AI + software | Check and approve the quality of diagnostic images before patients are discharged. | Not published |
| AI alone | Compare nuclear medicine procedures with other types of procedures, such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography. | Not published |
| Not much | Direct nuclear medicine technologists or technicians regarding desired dosages, techniques, positions, and projections. | Not published |
| AI alone | Establish and enforce radiation protection standards for patients and staff. | Not published |
| AI alone | Formulate plans and procedures for nuclear medicine departments. | Not published |
| AI + software | Monitor handling of radioactive materials to ensure that established procedures are followed. | Not published |
| Not much | Prescribe radionuclides and dosages to be administered to individual patients. | Not published |
| Not much | Review procedure requests and patients' medical histories to determine applicability of procedures and radioisotopes to be used. | Not published |
| Not much | Teach nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology, or other specialties at graduate educational level. | Not published |
| Not much | Test dosage evaluation instruments and survey meters to ensure they are operating properly. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. O*NET hasn't rated 13 of the tasks, so they come last, in O*NET's own order. 3 of the 30 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 30 tasks fall under 27 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #4 Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise
- #37 Determine operational methods or procedures
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyze health or medical data | |||
| Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care | |||
| Determine operational methods or procedures | |||
| Explain medical information to patients or family members | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure compliance with regulations or standards | |||
| Develop safety standards, policies, or procedures | |||
| Train others on health or medical topics | |||
| Maintain current knowledge in area of expertise |
Show all 27 activities
| Evaluate the quality or accuracy of data | |||
| Advise others on healthcare or wellness issues | |||
| Prepare mixtures or solutions | |||
| Verify personal information | |||
| Monitor health conditions of humans or animals | |||
| Monitor operations to ensure adequate performance | |||
| Collect information about patients or clients | |||
| Evaluate patient or client condition or treatment options | |||
| Administer basic health care or medical treatments | |||
| Develop patient or client care or treatment plans | |||
| Treat injuries, illnesses, or diseases | |||
| Direct organizational operations, activities, or procedures | |||
| Prepare health or medical documents | |||
| Process shipments or mail | |||
| Inspect commercial, industrial, or production systems or equipment | |||
| Supervise personnel activities | |||
| Operate medical equipment | |||
| Maintain health or medical records | |||
| Prescribe medical treatments or devices |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- A document or report40%
- An explanation or answer25%
- An analysis or summary16%
- Advice or a recommendation4%
- An email or message3%
How they worked with Claude
47% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for radiologists specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 36,033 moves out
- 1 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 19%
- 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 8%
- 3 Management Analysts Very high +10.1% 5%
- 4 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary Very high +17.9% 5%
- 5 Chief Executives Very high +3.2% 4%
Where people moved in from
of 41,353 moves in
- 1 Medical and Health Services Managers High +24.2% 16%
- 2 Postsecondary Teachers, All Other Very high +2.0% 4%
- 3 Registered Nurses High +5.6% 4%
- 4 Nursing Assistants Low +2.6% 3%
- 5 Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary Very high +17.9% 3%
The resume data uses 2010 occupation codes. This occupation comes from “Physicians and Surgeons, All Other”, which today also includes “Cardiologists”, “Dermatologists”, “Emergency Medicine Physicians”, “Neurologists”, “Physicians, Pathologists”, “Physicians, All Other” and “Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric”, so these figures cover those too. Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
O*NET survey of workers in this occupation
- 3% postsecondary certificate
- 11% associate's
- 28% research doctorate
- 58% post-doctoral training
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers in this occupation · 22 people answered.
2 programs: Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
BLS publishes no credential figures for this occupation.
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS
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