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Patient care

Radiographer

Takes X-ray, CT and MRI images of the body to help diagnose illness and injury, or gives radiotherapy to treat cancer.

Diagnostic radiographers produce the images doctors use to find injury and disease, while therapeutic radiographers plan and give radiotherapy for cancer. It suits people who like technology and anatomy and can put anxious patients at ease.

Also called Diagnostic radiographer, Therapeutic radiographer, Radiologic technologist or Mammographer.

At a glance

Way in
Bachelor's degree, often in diagnostic radiography, therapeutic radiography, radiologic technology and medical imaging
Pay in the US
$80,110 a year, the medianFor radiologic technologists and technicians, 2025
Pay in the UK
£32,000 starting to £48,000 with experience
US outlook
Faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You like anatomy and technology and want short, regular contact with many patients.

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a radiographer do?

  • Position patients and equipment to take clear images with the lowest safe dose.
  • Run X-ray, CT and MRI scans and check that each image answers the clinical question.
  • Help with image-guided procedures such as biopsies and fluoroscopy.
  • Plan and give radiotherapy treatments with oncologists and medical physicists.
  • Explain each step to patients and watch for side effects during treatment.

Where they work

  • NHS and private hospitals
  • Cancer treatment centres
  • Imaging clinics
  • Emergency departments

Skills

The skills a radiographer needs

  • Anatomyknowing structures well enough to position patients and check images
  • Radiation safetyprotecting patients, staff and yourself
  • Technical skillrunning complex scanners and spotting faults
  • Patient carecalming people who are in pain, frightened or very unwell
  • Teamworkworking with radiologists, oncologists and nurses
  • Precisionexact positioning and careful dose records

Route in

How to become a radiographer

  1. Study science at school, with biology or physics the most useful.
  2. Choose diagnostic or therapeutic radiography and complete an approved course with clinical placements.
  3. Register or gain the certification you need to practise where you plan to work.
  4. Specialise later in an area such as CT, MRI, mammography or ultrasound.

Degrees people take

  • Diagnostic radiography
  • Therapeutic radiography
  • Radiologic technology
  • Medical imaging

In the UK, radiographers register with the HCPC, and a degree apprenticeship is another way in. In the US, radiologic technologists usually enter with an associate degree and ARRT certification.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

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Next to it

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Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

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