Travel radiology technologists are essential to patient care, using modalities like X-ray, CT, MRI, and fluoroscopy to help diagnose a wide range of conditions. If you're ready to take your skills on the road, Nomad Health connects you with hundreds of high-demand travel radiology tech jobs nationwide. We support your career journey with competitive pay, comprehensive insurance, generous reimbursements for licenses and travel, and a dedicated team of Navigators and clinical experts to ensure you succeed on every assignment.

What is a travel radiology technologist?

According to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), radiology technologists are medical professionals that perform “diagnostic imaging examinations and administer radiation therapy treatments.” As a travel radiology tech, you'll bring this critical expertise to a wide variety of settings, such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, and physician’s offices. You'll also have the opportunity to lend your skills to multiple clinical specialties, including cardiovascular, orthopedics, prenatal, and pediatric care. Whether you are using your X-ray certification to capture images of a patient’s soft tissue, internal organs, or bones, you play a direct, hands-on role in helping patients get the answers they need.

Steps to become a travel radiology tech

Making the pivot to a travel radiology tech career is an exciting way to expand your clinical skills, boost your earning potential, and explore new facilities nationwide. If you are ready to take your imaging expertise on the road, here are the essential steps to help you get started.

1. Get a degree or complete an accredited program

To become a traveling radiology technologist, the first step is to graduate from an accredited radiologic technologist program; either an associate's or bachelor's degree is acceptable. 

2. Get certified

The gold standard organization for certification is the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). The ARRT offers six different specialties that are considered primary pathways. Depending on the course of study in your degree program, you can qualify to test for a number of radiology certifications. The most common primary specialty is the ARRT (R).

• ARRT (MR)- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• ARRT (N)- Nuclear Medicine
• ARRT (T)- Radiation Therapy
• ARRT (R)- Radiographer
• ARRT (S)- Sonography
• ARRT (VS)- Vascular Sonography

Aside from facility preference, individual states have licensing requirements that vary greatly. If you intend to work in a specific state, be sure to double check if additional testing and licensing are required. The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) provides an ongoing list of state requirements.

3. Expand your credentials

Travel radiology technologists can test for post-primary credentials with ARRT in order to learn new skills and expand their knowledge in other modalities. The post-primary specialties, with the exception of the ARRT(MR) and ARRT(VS), must be paired with an initial primary pathway certification.

• ARRT (BD)- Bone Densitometry
• ARRT (BS)- Breast Sonography
• ARRT (CI)- Cardiac Interventional Radiography
• ARRT (CT)- Computed Tomography
• ARRT (MR)- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• ARRT (M)- Mammography
• ARRT (VI)- Vascular Interventional Radiography
• ARRT (VS)- Vascular Sonography

According to the AART, the purpose of certification is to provide greater credibility to the skills of a radiology technologist; it can also signal to future employers, state licensing agencies, and federal regulators that there is a commitment to providing high-quality care.

4. Get hands-on experience

After graduating from a degree program, obtaining proper licensure, and qualifying for any required state licenses you are ready to gain hands-on experience in whatever radiology specialty you’re licensed to practice under. Most facilities staffing travel radiology techs require  a minimum of 12 months to two years of in unit experience. It’s important to feel comfortable and confident with managing different modalities and imaging protocols before becoming a travel radiology technologist.

5. Choose a travel platform and build your profile

Once you have the required clinical experience (and any desired certifications), you’re ready to start searching for assignments! Creating a profile with a digital platform like Nomad Health allows you to seamlessly browse travel radiology tech jobs, view transparent pay rates, and apply to facilities across the country all in one place.

Travel radiology tech salary

At Nomad, the average weekly salary of a travel radiology tech is $2,533, including stipends. Compared to staff radiology techs who earn an average pay of around $1,180 per week, becoming a traveler is an excellent way to increase radiology tech salary.

Your earning potential at a glance:

• Average Weekly Salary Range: $1,480-$4,200
• Average hourly pay: $65*

Travel radiology tech salaries vary depending on a number of factors such as obtaining specialty certifications, gaining experience in different modalities, choosing a high-paying location, and selecting shifts that have an added differential. With Nomad’s mobile app, finding the highest-paying jobs with ideal options for location, shift, and length of contract is easier than ever. 

*Based on the average compensation data of travel radiology techs with Nomad as of September 2, 2023.

Types of travel radiology technologist

There are many different types of travel radiology technologist jobs. The ability to work in these specialties is often determined by recent experience in the specialty, along with appropriate certification from an organization like the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Take a look at some of the more popular travel radiology tech specialties.

Computed tomography (CT) radiology technologist

Requirements

• Certification in ARRT (R) and ARRT (CT)
• At least 12 months of recent CT radiology experience
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Duties

• Positioning the patient properly for a scan
• Taking a full medical history
• Ensuring the patient has adequate IV access if necessary
• Administering IV contrast and documenting any adverse actions
• Selecting the correct protocols and performing scans
• Notifying the right medical staff of any critical findings
• Scanning stroke and trauma patients emergently at all hours (for those working in the emergency room)

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiology technologist

Requirements

• Certification in ARRT (MR)
• At least 12 to 24 months of recent MRI experience
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification

Duties

• Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, magnetic fields, and contrast agents to produce diagnostic images
• Checking patients for the presence of contraindicated metal implants
• Administering intravenous contrast like gadolinium
• Selecting appropriate imaging protocols
• Communicating critical findings to physicians and nurses

Interventional radiology (IR) technologist

Requirements

• ARRT (R) certification
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• At least 12 to 24 months of recent IR tech experience
• ARRT (VI) certification (may be required by some facilities)

Duties

• Assisting with minimally invasive procedures using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or X-ray fluoroscopy
• Assisting the IR physician in preparing access sites on the patient
• Correctly positioning the patient
• Selecting the appropriate imaging protocols and contrast agents
• Scrubbing in to assist with the procedure

Cath lab radiology technologist

Requirements

• At least 12 to 24 months of recent cardiac catheterization lab experience
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• ARRT (R) and the ARRT (CI) certifications (required by some facilities)
• Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) certification from CCI (less commonly required)

Duties

• Managing the procedural imaging equipment
• Positioning the patient properly
• Preparing medications according to physician instructions
• Scrubbing in to assist during procedures like coronary angioplasties and femoral angiography
• Processing images post-procedure

Travel radiology tech job responsibilities

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of the core features of a travel radiology technologist's job are:

• Utilizing and maintaining different imaging equipment
• Operating the computer system to take images
• Following precise orders from providers on which areas of the body to image
• Keeping detailed patient records
• Preparing patients for procedures through accurate positioning of the patient and the machine
• Shielding unnecessarily exposed body parts from radiation
• Taking a patient’s medical history regularly
• Collaborating with physicians to determine if more images are needed

Depending on the facility and radiology modality, travel rad techs may work night or day shifts as most hospitals have 24-hour CT scanners and X-ray capabilities. Other modalities like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may have daytime coverage but will require overnight on-call shifts.

Skills to have as a travel radiology tech

Traveling radiology techs frequently interact with patients, nurses, doctors, and other personnel like transporters. Depending on the facility, some travel radiology technologists may be the only ones staffing the department, so having a flexible mindset and knowing how to ask for help from unfamiliar faces is vital. Overall, having a friendly demeanor and a collaborative approach to interacting with others will help travel rad techs be successful in their assignments.

Pros and cons of being a travel radiology tech

Taking on a role as a travel radiology tech comes with its own pros and cons, so it's important to look at the entire picture before taking the leap, especially for first-timers. Here is a quick overview of the benefits and potential challenges:

Pros

The benefits of hitting the road as a radiology tech include the opportunity to significantly boost your earning potential while exploring different cities. You also get the chance to rapidly expand your clinical expertise by working across various healthcare systems, adapting to different workflows, and treating diverse patient populations.

Cons

On the flip side, some of the challenges involve the constant need to pack up and relocate, as well as having shorter orientation periods to master unfamiliar imaging equipment at each new facility. Additionally, navigating the logistics of out-of-state licensing and dealing with occasional homesickness while away from your usual support system can be demanding.