Wages for an X-Ray Technician in Portland, Oregon
X-ray technicians, technically called radiologic technicians or technologists, perform diagnostic imaging using radiographic methods. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics advises that X-ray technicians who have training in additional X-ray imaging methods such as mammography and computed tomography have the best job opportunities. Wages for an X-ray technician in Portland, Oregon, are generally higher than nationwide figures for this occupation.
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Employment
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About 2,250 radiologic technicians and technologists worked in Oregon in 2009, finds the BLS. Approximately 1,290 were employed in the greater Portland area, including suburbs of the city and Vancouver, Washington. Roughly 213,560 radiologic technicians and technologists worked nationwide in 2009.
Averages
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The Portland region was the highest-paying area in Oregon for radiologic technicians in 2009, with an average wage of $30.16 per hour, or $62,720 per year. That was about 5 percent higher than the Oregon statewide average of $60,000 per year for this occupation, and about 14 percent higher than the nationwide average of $54,180 per year.
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Salary Range
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The middle 50 percent of Portland radiologic technicians were earning $26.34 to $34.93 per hour in 2009, or $54,790 to $72,650 per year. The top 10 percent had annual salaries at or above $80,930, and only the bottom 10 percent were earning $46,630 and less. In comparison, the middle 50-percent range for radiologic techs statewide in Oregon was $50,650 to $70,480.
Comparisons
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The closest average pay rates in Oregon to the Portland annual average of $62,720 were in the coastal non-metropolitan area, where the average salary for radiologic technicians was $60,950 per year, and in Bend, at $60,530. Radiologic techs in other areas of Oregon, such as Corvallis, Eugene, Medford and Salem, were earning average pay in a range of about $53,000 to $59,500 annually.
Outlook
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The BLS expects fast employment growth for radiologic technologists of approximately 17 percent from 2008 to 2018. An aging population helps drive demand for this service, as these people are more prone to injury and illness that calls for diagnostic imaging.
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References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Radiologic Technologists and Technicians - Occupational Employment and Wages
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics Query System
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2009 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates - Oregon
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