Career profile · 29-1124
Radiation Therapists
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
What the work can involve
- Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.
- Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards.
- Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others.
- Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification.
- Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician.
- Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
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
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Speaking
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
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
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
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
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 | Constant contact with others | 98.2%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 31.6%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Every day | 87.1%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 52.0%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Less than half the time | 73.5%07/2013 · sample 34 |
| Spend Time Standing | More than half the time | 36.9%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 61.1%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 71.5%07/2013 · sample 36 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 35.2%07/2013 · sample 35 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 95.3%07/2013 · sample 36 |
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
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Image processing software
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Medical software: Beam analysis software, Dose unit calculation software, Electronic medical record EMR software, Epic Systems
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
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 radiation therapists
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
- Associate'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 46 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $87,330 | $41.99 | 120 |
| Arizona | $108,760 | $52.29 | 410 |
| Arkansas | $78,950 | $37.96 | 80 |
| California | $166,450 | $80.02 | 1,720 |
| Colorado | $108,020 | $51.93 | 320 |
| Connecticut | $116,170 | $55.85 | 110 |
| District of Columbia | $100,250 | $48.20 | 70 |
| Florida | $100,920 | $48.52 | 1,280 |
| Georgia | $94,460 | $45.41 | 470 |
| Hawaii | $125,520 | $60.35 | Not published |
| Idaho | $99,660 | $47.92 | 100 |
| Illinois | $124,600 | $59.91 | Not published |
| Indiana | $96,690 | $46.49 | 360 |
| Iowa | $81,610 | $39.24 | 120 |
| Kansas | $108,830 | $52.32 | 240 |
| Kentucky | $97,760 | $47.00 | 170 |
| Louisiana | $94,710 | $45.54 | 230 |
| Maine | $101,980 | $49.03 | 140 |
| Maryland | $107,120 | $51.50 | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $106,300 | $51.10 | 330 |
| Michigan | $95,890 | $46.10 | 450 |
| Minnesota | $98,000 | $47.11 | 210 |
| Mississippi | $88,100 | $42.36 | 70 |
| Missouri | $99,890 | $48.03 | 420 |
| Montana | $105,400 | $50.67 | 50 |
| Nebraska | $98,670 | $47.44 | 120 |
| Nevada | $92,990 | $44.71 | 110 |
| New Hampshire | $106,270 | $51.09 | 60 |
| New Jersey | $129,460 | $62.24 | 600 |
| New Mexico | $100,010 | $48.08 | 100 |
| New York | $129,620 | $62.32 | 820 |
| North Carolina | $99,250 | $47.72 | 710 |
| Ohio | $98,650 | $47.43 | 690 |
| Oklahoma | $98,390 | $47.30 | 120 |
| Oregon | $131,600 | $63.27 | 160 |
| Pennsylvania | $100,540 | $48.34 | 560 |
| South Carolina | $100,790 | $48.46 | 200 |
| South Dakota | $97,470 | $46.86 | Not published |
| Tennessee | $83,520 | $40.15 | 350 |
| Texas | $105,770 | $50.85 | 1,000 |
| Utah | $107,660 | $51.76 | 70 |
| Vermont | $101,060 | $48.59 | 50 |
| Virginia | $103,310 | $49.67 | 500 |
| Washington | $125,880 | $60.52 | 540 |
| West Virginia | $71,590 | $34.42 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $93,600 | $45.00 | 550 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 77 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: 29-1124.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.