A radiologic technologist who assists in image-guided minimally invasive procedures like angioplasty, stenting, and embolization. BLS does not publish separate figures for radiologic technologists and technicians; it counts them within radiologic technologist and technician (SOC 29-2034), whose median pay is $80,110 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 29-2034
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Interventional Radiology Technologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $80,110a year, or $38.52/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $56KTop 10% $119K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.0%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 13,000234,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025234.2K
- Projected 2035246K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 234.2K Projected 2035 246K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: IR Technologist, Vascular Interventional Technologist, Special Procedures Technologist, Cardiovascular Interventional Technologist, IR Tech.
Pay
How much do Radiologic Technologists and Technicians make?
Every interventional radiology technologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$80,110
Middle half earn $64,810 to $98,750
- 10th
- $55,980
- 25th
- $64,810
- 75th
- $98,750
- 90th
- $118,660
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $55,980 |
| 25th | $64,810 |
| Median | $80,110 |
| 75th | $98,750 |
| 90th | $118,660 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $80,110
- Median hourly wage
- $38.52/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $83,840
- People employed
- 230,490
Versus all US occupations
At $80,110, Radiologic Technologists and Technicians earn 57% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $29,130 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 22% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $118,660 or more while the bottom 10% earn $55,980, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 59% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
California pays the most at $121,260, and still leads at $109,520 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Radiologic Technologists and Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $121,260 | $109,520 | 20,900 |
| 2Massachusetts | $103,620 | $97,979 | 5,500 |
| 3District of Columbia | $102,770 | $93,511 | 660 |
| 4Oregon | $102,290 | $98,964 | 2,700 |
| 5Washington | $102,090 | $95,400 | 4,130 |
| 6Hawaii | $101,700 | $92,496 | 690 |
| 7Alaska | $98,920 | $96,640 | 370 |
| 8New York | $98,470 | $91,243 | 13,450 |
| 9New Jersey | $95,000 | $87,312 | 6,320 |
| 10Vermont | $94,540 | $96,511 | 470 |
Job outlook
Is Interventional Radiology Technologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | +5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Radiologic Technologists and Technicians to change 5.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 11,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 13,000 openings are projected each year, 5.6% of the 234,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Interventional Radiology Technologist
IR technologists start as radiologic technologists, completing an accredited radiography program and earning the R.T.(R) credential from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). After gaining experience, often in general radiography or CT, they train in the interventional suite.
ARRT offers a postprimary credential in Vascular Interventional Radiography (VI), which requires documented clinical procedures and an exam. Cardiovascular Credentialing International's Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) is another credential some technologists hold. Strong sterile technique and knowledge of vascular anatomy and devices are key.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does an Interventional Radiology Technologist do?
Interventional radiology technologists work alongside interventional radiologists during procedures done through small incisions or needles under live imaging. They operate fluoroscopy and angiography equipment, prepare sterile fields, and pass catheters, wires, balloons, stents, and embolization materials to the physician.
Procedures include placing stents in blocked arteries, stopping internal bleeding, treating tumors with targeted therapies, placing ports and drainage tubes, and treating strokes by removing clots. Technologists position patients, manage contrast injections, monitor radiation dose, record images, and keep track of the large inventory of specialized devices used in the suite.
Day-to-day tasks
- Operate fluoroscopy and digital angiography equipment
- Prepare and maintain sterile fields for image-guided procedures
- Hand catheters, wires, balloons, and stents to the radiologist
- Position patients and monitor radiation dose
- Prepare and inject contrast using power injectors
- Assist with stroke clot retrieval and embolization procedures
- Track device inventory and procedure documentation
- Respond to on-call emergency cases
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
IR technologists work in hospital interventional radiology suites and some outpatient vascular centers. They wear lead aprons for long periods, stand through procedures, and help move patients. Most positions include on-call duty for emergencies such as strokes and internal bleeding, which can mean late-night returns to the hospital.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Active Listening3.8
- Speaking3.4
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Writing3.0
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Active Listening | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.4 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.5
- Service Orientation3.5
- Operations Monitoring3.1
- Operation and Control3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Quality Control Analysis3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Time Management3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.5 |
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Categorization or classification software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Information retrieval or search software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Interventional Radiology Technologist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIS) built on O*NET's Radiologic Technologist and Technician profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Interventional Radiology Technologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.9
- Investigative5.0
- Conventional4.8
- Social3.8
- Artistic1.0
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Interventional Radiology Technologist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician
$74,310median a year
Most earn $39K to $121K
+3.7%Associate's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with radiologic technologists and technicians highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Interventional Radiology Technologist$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Interventional Radiology Technologist | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Interventional Radiology Technologist appears on
Questions
Interventional Radiology Technologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Radiologic Technologists and Technicians make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for radiologic technologists and technicians. It counts them within radiologic technologist and technician, whose median pay is $80,110 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $64,810 and $98,750, and the top 10% earn $118,660 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Interventional Radiology Technologist?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians.
Is Interventional Radiology Technologist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.0% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 13,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Interventional Radiology Technologist do?
Interventional radiology technologists work alongside interventional radiologists during procedures done through small incisions or needles under live imaging. A typical task: operate fluoroscopy and digital angiography equipment. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Medical software, Object or component oriented development software.
Which states pay Radiologic Technologists and Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Radiologic Technologists and Technicians are California ($121,260), Massachusetts ($103,620), District of Columbia ($102,770) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Interventional Radiology Technologist?
O*NET scores Radiologic Technologists and Technicians highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.