Career profile · 29-2036
Medical Dosimetrists
Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.
What the work can involve
- Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
- Plan the use of beam modifying devices, such as compensators, shields, and wedge filters, to ensure safe and effective delivery of radiation treatment.
- Identify and outline bodily structures, using imaging procedures, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography.
- Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
- Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
- Develop radiation treatment plans in consultation with members of the radiation oncology team.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for substantial preparation, often including a bachelor’s degree or considerable relevant experience. An introductory vocational course alone may not provide an entry route.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Computers and Electronics
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Working with Computers
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Contact with others most of the time | 35.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 70.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Once a year or more but not every month | 47.4%08/2024 · sample 19 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 79.0%08/2024 · sample 19 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Continually or almost continually | 79.0%08/2024 · sample 19 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 80.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 70.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 100.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 65.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 80.0%08/2024 · sample 20 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Development environment software: Eclipse IDE
- Medical software: Epic Systems, MEDITECH software, Medical condition coding software
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for medical dosimetrists
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 27 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $142,090 | $68.31 | 40 |
| Arkansas | $138,260 | $66.47 | 30 |
| California | $140,380 | $67.49 | 240 |
| Florida | $153,490 | $73.79 | 320 |
| Georgia | $155,390 | $74.71 | 140 |
| Illinois | $163,860 | $78.78 | 140 |
| Indiana | $144,320 | $69.39 | 60 |
| Kansas | $150,670 | $72.44 | 40 |
| Maryland | $147,470 | $70.90 | 40 |
| Massachusetts | $140,990 | $67.78 | 60 |
| Michigan | $137,970 | $66.33 | 130 |
| Mississippi | $115,490 | $55.53 | 40 |
| Missouri | $129,610 | $62.31 | 80 |
| New Jersey | $170,650 | $82.04 | 90 |
| New York | $166,540 | $80.07 | 300 |
| North Carolina | $147,830 | $71.07 | 140 |
| Ohio | $150,900 | $72.55 | Not published |
| Oklahoma | $143,120 | $68.81 | 30 |
| Oregon | $183,990 | $88.46 | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $142,850 | $68.68 | 160 |
| South Carolina | $140,530 | $67.56 | 60 |
| Tennessee | $135,530 | $65.16 | 60 |
| Texas | $134,680 | $64.75 | 330 |
| Virginia | $142,830 | $68.67 | 90 |
| Washington | $189,280 | $91.00 | 60 |
| West Virginia | $45,350 | $21.81 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | $142,300 | $68.42 | 80 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 22 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
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Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 29-2036.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.