# Radiologists

US SOC code 29-1224. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/29-1224

Also called: Diagnostic radiologist, Radiology physician, Imaging physician, Attending radiologist, Neuroradiologist.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **26,770** US radiologists, with median pay of **$420,860** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2021, the highest was **31,960**, in May 2023. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://www.arrs.org/ARRSLIVE/HRS) of **1,200** from 1920, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for radiologists: Teleradiology and voice recognition, 2001 to 2015.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.4% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1224&ioType=o).

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend.

## Radiologists employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1896
- Latest US employment: 26,770 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $420,860 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [8]
- Outlook: +3.4% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [22]

### All 11 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1920 | 1,200 (estimate) | n/a | Est., American Roentgen Ray Society [1] |
| 1960 | 8,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., American Board of Radiology [2] |
| 1985 | n/a | $180,000 (estimate) | Est., Student Doctor Network [6] |
| 1995 | 27,906 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Sunshine et al [3] |
| 2000 | n/a | $310,000 (estimate) | Est., SalaryDr [7] |
| 2011 | 38,875 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Bhargavan-Bhatt et al. (2015) [4] |
| 2021 | 29,530 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 29,250 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 31,960 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 26,290 | n/a | BLS OEWS May 2024 [5] |
| 2025 | 26,770 | $420,860 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (54)

### Employment series

1. [American Roentgen Ray Society -- "A History of Radiological Sciences" (ARRS heritage resources)](https://www.arrs.org/ARRSLIVE/HRS), American Roentgen Ray Society
2. [American Board of Radiology -- "About the ABR: Our History" (ABR founded 1934; diplomate certification history)](https://www.theabr.org/about#our-history), American Board of Radiology
3. [Sunshine et al. -- "U.S. radiologists workload in 1995-1996 and trends since 1991-1992" (Radiology 1998; 208:19-24)](https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiology.208.1.9646788), Radiological Society of North America
4. [Bhargavan-Bhatt et al. (2015) -- "The U.S. Radiologist Workforce: An Analysis of Temporal and Geographic Variation by Using Large National Datasets" (Radiology 2015)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26509294/), Radiological Society of North America / PubMed
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [Student Doctor Network -- "Historical rads salary" thread (2004, citing early-1980s radiologist compensation from career-spanning recollections)](https://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/historical-rads-salary.128947/), Student Doctor Network
7. [SalaryDr -- "How Radiologists Are Paid: An Economic History" series (bubble years: 1993-2008 advanced imaging and income trajectory)](https://www.salarydr.com/blog/radiology-salary-2025), SalaryDr
8. [BLS OEWS May 2025, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

9. [APS News -- "November 8, 1895: Roentgen's Discovery of X-Rays" (discovery and rapid adoption history)](https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2001/11/1895-roentgens-discovery-xrays), American Physical Society
10. [PMC -- "Early victims of X-rays: a tribute and current perception" (radiation martyrs, early protection history)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3520298/), PubMed Central / NIH
11. [ARRT -- "A Timeline of Our Profession: Highlights of the History of Radiologic Technology" (film era professionalization, 1930s-1970s)](https://www.arrt.org/pages/arrt-timeline), American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
12. [American Board of Radiology -- "About the ABR: Our History" (ABR founded 1934; subspecialty certificate history)](https://www.theabr.org/about#our-history), American Board of Radiology
13. [Smithsonian Magazine -- "Fifty Years Ago, the First CT Scan Let Doctors See Inside a Living Skull" (Hounsfield, EMI, 1971 first scan, 1972 RSNA standing ovation)](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/fifty-years-ago-the-first-ct-scan-let-doctors-see-inside-a-living-skull-180978792/), Smithsonian Magazine
14. [Nobel Prize -- "The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1979" (Hounsfield and Cormack)](https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1979/perspectives/), Nobel Prize
15. [ITN Online -- "Raymond V. Damadian, MD, Recognized as Father of MRI" (Damadian, first body scan July 3 1977, FONAR first commercial MRI 1980)](https://www.itnonline.com/article/raymond-v-damadian-md-recognized-%E2%80%9C-father-mri%E2%80%9D-dies-86), Imaging Technology News
16. [ScienceDirect -- "How Radiologists Are Paid: An Economic History, Part II: Advanced Imaging and Radiologists' Incomes" (MRI/CT volume growth 1995-2006)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S154614402030171X), ScienceDirect / Journal of the American College of Radiology
17. [PostDICOM -- "The Evolution of PACS Radiology: From Film to Digital" (PACS history, DICOM 1993, filmless transition)](https://www.postdicom.com/en/blog/the-evolution-of-pacs-radiology), PostDICOM
18. [MIT -- "Teleradiology and the Emergence of Nighthawk Radiology" (Nighthawk founded 2001, teleradiology history, PACS-enabled remote reading)](https://web.mit.edu/sis07/www/goelman.pdf), MIT / Goelman 2007
19. [Annals of Emergency Medicine -- "Nighthawks Across a Flat World: Emergency Radiology in the Era of Globalization" (teleradiology expansion, workforce economics)](https://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644%2807%2901549-1/fulltext), Annals of Emergency Medicine
20. [RSNA Radiology AI journal (2025) -- radiology accounts for ~75% of all FDA AI/ML medical device authorizations; AI tools are decision-support; worklist prioritization AI reduces time-to-critical-finding 50-80% at deployment sites](https://pubs.rsna.org/journal/ryai), Radiological Society of North America
21. [Aidoc -- aiOS Platform: 30+ FDA-cleared AI algorithms covering ICH, LVO, PE, aortic dissection, pneumothorax; deployed at 1,000+ hospitals globally; PACS worklist integration](https://www.aidoc.com/), Aidoc

### Forecasts and exposure studies

22. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 29-1224 Radiologists (2025: 28.7 thousand; 2035: 29.6 thousand; +3.4%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1224&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Historical notes

23. [APS News -- "November 8, 1895: Roentgen's Discovery of X-Rays"](https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2001/11/1895-roentgens-discovery-xrays), American Physical Society
24. [PMC -- "Early victims of X-rays: a tribute and current perception" (Clarence Dally, 1904; Kassabian, 1910; early radiation martyrs)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3520298/), PubMed Central / NIH
25. [American Board of Radiology -- "About the ABR: Our History" (ABR founding 1934; founding societies; subspecialty certificates 1994)](https://www.theabr.org/about#our-history), American Board of Radiology
26. [Smithsonian Magazine -- "Fifty Years Ago, the First CT Scan Let Doctors See Inside a Living Skull"](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/fifty-years-ago-the-first-ct-scan-let-doctors-see-inside-a-living-skull-180978792/), Smithsonian Magazine
27. [ScienceDirect -- "How Radiologists Are Paid: An Economic History, Part III: The Bubble Years" (RBRVS 1992, CT/MRI boom 1993-2008, reimbursement history)](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1546144020301654), ScienceDirect / Journal of the American College of Radiology
28. [MIT -- "Teleradiology and the Emergence of Nighthawk Radiology" (Nighthawk 2001 founding, PACS-enabled offshore model)](https://web.mit.edu/sis07/www/goelman.pdf), MIT / Goelman 2007
29. [ACR -- "How Will We Solve Our Radiology Workforce Shortage?" (ACR Bulletin 2024; workforce shortage context)](https://www.acr.org/clinical-resources/publications-and-research/acr-bulletin/How-Will-We-Solve-Our-Radiology-Workforce-Shortage), American College of Radiology

### Predecessors & successors

30. [ARRT -- "A Timeline of Our Profession" (pre-specialty era: physicians and photographers among first X-ray operators)](https://www.arrt.org/pages/arrt-timeline), American Registry of Radiologic Technologists
31. [O\*NET 29-1224.00 -- interventional radiology as core task scope (biopsies, ablations, angioplasty, drainage)](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1224.00), O\*NET / BLS

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Radiologists (29-1224.00): tasks, work activities, technology skills, knowledge domains; 28,200 employed 2024; median $239,200+; projected growth 3-4% 2024-2034](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1224.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Aidoc aiOS Platform — 30+ FDA-cleared AI algorithms; covers ICH, LVO, PE, aortic dissection, pneumothorax, incidental nodules; deployed at 1,000+ hospitals globally; integrates with EHR, PACS, scheduling; PACS worklist Widget for multi-vendor AI result consolidation](https://www.aidoc.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Viz.ai Care Coordination Platform — 50+ FDA-cleared AI algorithms; neurovascular, cardio, vascular, pulmonary; 2,500+ hospitals in 100+ countries; 20,000+ daily scans; 750+ publications, 25+ clinical trials, 11 NEJM publications](https://www.viz.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [RapidAI — 30 FDA-cleared modules; RAPID stroke (LVO, hemorrhage), RAPID PE, RAPID Aortic, Navigator Pro worklist prioritization; 2,500+ hospitals; 750+ publications](https://www.rapidai.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Rad AI Reporting + Impressions + Continuity — generative AI for radiology reporting; Impressions saves 60+ min/shift per radiologist; zero-click impression generation; Continuity tracks 50+ incidental finding categories for follow-up management](https://www.radai.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Nuance PowerScribe One / Microsoft Dragon Copilot — used by ~70% of U.S. radiologists; Smart Reporting auto-populates structured templates; Dragon Copilot ambient documentation at 750+ U.S. health systems; 50-70% documentation time reduction at high-volume sites](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/health-solutions/clinical-workflow/dragon-copilot), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Siemens Healthineers AI-Rad Companion — CT/MRI/CXR structured report pre-population; Chest CT nodule detection, coronary calcium, aortic measurement; Brain MR volumetrics; Prostate MR segmentation; organ segmentation \<90 sec; deployed at 500+ radiology departments globally](https://www.siemens-healthineers.com/digital-health-solutions/ai-rad-companion), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Annalise.ai Enterprise CXR — FDA-cleared; 124 clinical findings in chest X-ray; annotated image overlays; seconds-after-acquisition processing; 40+ peer-reviewed publications; deployed in U.S., UK, and Australia](https://annalise.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Lunit Insight MMG — FDA-cleared mammography CAD; 99% sensitivity; 2,400+ hospitals in 50+ countries; 36.2% workload reduction with 95% sensitivity for urgent cases maintained](https://www.lunit.io/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lunit-INSIGHT-MMG.jpg), accessed 2026-05-24
- [iCAD ProFound AI — FDA-cleared AI for digital breast tomosynthesis; ProFound AI v3.0: 8% increase in cancer detection rate, 37% reduction in false positives vs. unassisted reader (Radiology 2024 multi-reader study); 2,000+ mammography sites in the U.S.](https://www.icadmed.com/breast-health/ai-breast-cancer-detection/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Qure.ai — FDA-cleared and CE-marked; qXR (25+ CXR findings), qER (stroke/TBI CT triage), qMSK (MSK X-ray); 5,500+ sites in 105+ countries; 45M+ lives impacted](https://www.qure.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [HeartFlow FFR-CT — FDA-cleared AI FFRCT from CCTA; 0.94 AUC; 97% optimal diagnosis rate; 88% lower 3-yr cardiovascular death; 600+ peer-reviewed publications; 1,200+ hospitals; ADVANCE trial: 12-20% reduction in unnecessary catheterizations](https://www.heartflow.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Subtle Medical SubtleMR / SubtlePET — FDA 510(k)-cleared; SubtleMR 50-80% scan time reduction; SubtlePET 50-75% radiotracer dose reduction; validated in Radiology AI 2025 and RSNA AI 2024](https://subtlemedical.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Philips IntelliSpace AI Workflow Suite — embedded PACS AI orchestration; Worklist AI (study prioritization), SmartExam (MRI planning), DoseWise AI (CT dose benchmarking); 300+ health systems globally](https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/enterprise-solutions/medical-imaging), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Abridge AI Scribe — KLAS Best in KLAS Ambient AI 2025 + 2026; deployed at 250+ health systems including UPMC; radiology-specific note templates; Epic-integrated](https://www.abridge.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [OpenEvidence — 200,000+ U.S. clinician users; radiologists use for ACR Appropriateness Criteria, Fleischner Society guidelines, BI-RADS/PI-RADS/LI-RADS decision support, RadElement structured reports](https://www.openevidence.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Radiology AI journal (RSNA) 2025 — radiology accounts for ~75% of all FDA AI/ML medical device authorizations; AI tools are decision-support not autonomous diagnosticians; radiologist employment demand growing as imaging volume increases faster than AI efficiency gains; worklist prioritization AI reduces time-to-critical-finding notification 50-80% at deployment sites](https://pubs.rsna.org/journal/ryai), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [McKinsey — The economic potential of generative AI in healthcare (2023, updated 2025): clinical documentation and clinical decision support as near-term value pools; imaging AI augments radiologists given FDA regulatory gating and legal accountability](https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/healthcare/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.