Medical Dosimetrists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-2036 · O*NET 29-2036.00
Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.
Medical Dosimetrists fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Medical Dosimetrists earn a median salary of $138,110 per year, ranking in the top 3% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +3.5% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do medical dosimetrists earn?
The median annual wage for medical dosimetrists is $138,110. That puts medical dosimetrists at #27 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $103,760 |
| 25th percentile | $125,600 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $138,110 |
| 75th percentile | $157,840 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $176,360 |
| Median hourly wage | $66.40/hr |
Is medical dosimetrists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for medical dosimetrists is +3.5%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 4K positions in 2024 to 4K in 2034, a net change of 0K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do medical dosimetrists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working medical dosimetrists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
- 2.Teach medical dosimetry, including its application, to students, radiation therapists, or residents.
- 3.Conduct radiation oncology-related research, such as improving computer treatment planning systems or developing new treatment devices.
- 4.Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
- 5.Plan the use of beam modifying devices, such as compensators, shields, and wedge filters, to ensure safe and effective delivery of radiation treatment.
- 6.Identify and outline bodily structures, using imaging procedures, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography.
- 7.Supervise or perform simulations for tumor localizations, using imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography scans.
- 8.Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
Top skills for medical dosimetrists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become medical dosimetrist?
Entry into medical dosimetrists typically requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, often coupled with state licensing exams or clinical hours. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about medical dosimetrists
What is the median salary for medical dosimetrists?
The median annual salary for medical dosimetrists is $138,110 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is medical dosimetrists a growing career?
BLS projects +3.5% growth for medical dosimetrists from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become medical dosimetrist?
The typical entry path requires an associate degree or accredited postsecondary certificate, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to medical dosimetrists?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.