How To Become A Radiology Assistant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a radiology assistant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Radiology assistants are responsible for assisting with patient care throughout radiological procedures. They are involved with patient care and preparation before, during, and after radiological procedures, always under direct supervision. These assistants take patients' medical histories and perform all the administrative duties involved in checking the patients and getting them ready for their procedure.

Radiology assistants earn an average salary of $30,000 annually or $14 per hour. Their duties include diagnosing and treating injuries or diseases. They take a patient's medical history, perform radiologic procedures, and evaluate the information seen in diagnostic images. They also help radiologists manage and assess patients by performing radiologic procedures while calibrating and maintaining medical radiologic equipment.

Radiology assistants typically hold a bachelor's or master's degree in a related field from an accredited university. They are expected to have some years of experience in a similar role. Some employers prefer candidates with licensure and certification, which varies by state. The certificate can be obtained through one of the radiology organizations, such as the certification board for radiology practitioner assistants (CRPA).

ScoreRadiology AssistantUS Average

Salary

2.4

Avg. Salary $30,902

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.9

Growth Rate -5%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.69%

Asian 8.20%

Black or African American 8.94%

Hispanic or Latino 18.35%

Unknown 5.01%

White 58.80%

Gender

female 69.99%

male 30.01%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

7.9

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

7.7

Complexity Level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

9.4

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

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Key steps to become a radiology assistant

Explore radiology assistant education requirements

Most common radiology assistant degrees

Bachelor's

36.3 %

Associate

28.9 %

High School Diploma

18.2 %

Start to develop specific radiology assistant skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	28.27%
Patient Care	12.21%
Customer Service	6.54%
CPR	5.43%
Medical Terminology	4.93%

Complete relevant radiology assistant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New radiology assistants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a radiology assistant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real radiology assistant resumes.

Gain additional radiology assistant certifications

Radiology assistant certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific radiology assistant certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for radiology assistants include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Medical Assistant.

More About Certifications

Research radiology assistant duties and responsibilities

Manage patient transportation from room to room, discharges, admissions, surgery exam transportation and in hospital house transport.
Used Dictaphone, Digiscribe, RIS, Medrite, RMS, IDXRAD, and Flexirad.
Work closely with breast surgeons and oncologists to schedule breast MRI s prior to surgery.
Ensure patients who come in to retrieve their reports and images are in compliance with HIPAA regulations.

Prepare your radiology assistant resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your radiology assistant resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a radiology assistant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Radiology Assistant Resume templates

Build a professional Radiology Assistant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Radiology Assistant resume.

Apply for radiology assistant jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a radiology assistant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

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