The United States is experiencing a shortage of healthcare professionals across all specialties. Wellhart works to staff locum tenens radiologists at these locations in need of providers. But which states should radiologists strive to work in?
Scope of Practice
Radiologists are physicians who use medical imaging to diagnose and treat injuries or ailments. Physician radiologists are typically not limited by state government or laws.
They have the same practice autonomy as other types of physicians in each state. State governments regulate radiologic technologists and radiologist assistants. These radiology techs help in the diagnostic imaging process. Radiologists also usually supervise these positions.
Any legislation towards technologists or assistants can impact radiologist scope of practice. This applies if the legislation changes task delegation and procedure authority.
Radiologist Salary by State
Those looking for job opportunities focus on the compensation or salary provided. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the mean annual salary for radiologists is $353,960 as of May 2023. Yet, Medscape released a compensation report in 2024, stating that radiologists typically earn $498K a year. This average reflects the base salary of full-time physicians, along with incentive bonuses and profit-sharing contributions.
But radiologist salaries vary greatly by state. Medscape estimates the average salary by city and how many years of experience the radiologists have.
| 1 – 7 Years of Experience Chicago, IL at $316,537 a year San Francisco, CA at $303,381 a year Dallas, TX at $302,882 a year Los Angeles, CA at $296,787 a year Seattle, WA at $282,492 a year | 8 – 14 Years of Experience Sacramento, CA at $464,011 a year Rochester, MN at $448,770 a year Indianapolis, IN at $445,585 a year San Diego, CA at $434,818 a year Salt Lake City, UT at $432,092 a year |
| 15 – 21 Years of Experience Salt Lake City, UT at $533,158 a year San Diego, CA at $522,157 a year San Francisco, CA at $513,287 a year Dallas, TX at $509,785 a year Kansas City, KS at $504,773 a year | 22 – 28 Years of Experience Columbus, OH at $543,135 a year Dallas, TX at $522,988 a year Salt Lake City, UT at $521,670 a year Tampa, FL at $513,600 a year Chicago, IL at $511,892 a year |
| 29 – 35 Years of Experience Portland, OR at $512,234 a year Hartford, CT at $509,220 a year Milwaukee, WI at $506,846 a year Saint Louis, MO at $503,874 a year Sacramento, CA at $499,651 a year | 36+ Years of Experience Charlotte, MC at $495,987 a year Milwaukee, WI at $488,156 a year Birmingham, AL at $476,437 a year Seattle, WA at $466,776 a year Minneapolis, MN at $459,216 a year |
Cost of Living
Each of the states mentioned above pays well for radiologists. But this does scale to the prices and cost of living associated with each city.
Cities in California tend to pay higher for radiologists. But areas like Sacramento have a high cost of living, one that is 19% higher than the national average. Not just that, but the housing expenses are 43% higher as well, with the median home price being $644,355. The utility prices are also 6% higher, making the average energy bill around $187.78 a month.
Seattle, WA also has an incredibly high cost of living, at 50% higher than the national average. The housing expenses outdo many cities in California. Seattle’s housing expense is 111% higher than the national average, the median home price is $952,328. Yet the utility prices are the same as California at 6% higher than the national average.
Salt Lake City, UT is the highest paying city for radiologists with 15-12 years of experience. It has a more reasonable cost of living than the other options.
The cost of living is only 8% higher than the national average. The housing expenses are still expensive at 22% higher than the national average. The median home price at $551,918 in Salt Lake City.
The average salary peaks in Portland, OR for radiologists with 29-35 years of experience. Yet the cost of living is still higher than the national average at 24%. Housing expenses are also 62% higher than the national average.
This means that the median home price is $729,577. The utility expenses are somewhat cheaper, at 8% lower than the national average. The average energy bill is $161.97 a month.
States with a Shortage of Radiologists
The United States has been experiencing a shortage of physicians in the vast majority of specialties, radiology included. Various states always need healthcare professionals because of growing populations and higher life expectancy.
Becker’s Hospital Review reports seven states have a total radiologist employment of 40-90. This includes Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, South Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The lower populations or the rural nature of each state can explain the low employment as well.
A Detroit News article states that Michigan only has two hospitals that don’t report a radiologist shortage. Hospitals and other facilities have to compete with practices that offer the positions remotely as well.
Despite this shortage, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects radiologist employment to grow by 3.6% between 2022 and 2032. Radiologists are likely to find job openings all over the U.S. But it’s up to their discretion to choose which states are suitable for them. They should consider the compensation each one offers, along with the cost of living.
Get Started with Wellhart
Ready to find your next locum tenens assignment as a radiologist? Check out our job board to find open positions. For those interested in radiology and how to become licensed, read our guide on how to become a radiologist.
This article was written by Desirae Sin