What it is
Diagnostic radiologists use medical imaging — X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine — to diagnose disease and guide treatment across every field of medicine.
What you do
They interpret imaging studies, consult with treating physicians, and perform image-guided procedures; interventional radiologists do minimally invasive treatments.
Training path & length
5 years (including an intern year), with fellowships to subspecialize.
Fellowship subspecialties
Fellowships include neuroradiology, interventional radiology, musculoskeletal, abdominal, breast imaging, pediatric radiology, and nuclear medicine.
Pay & job outlook
Physicians are among the highest-paid professionals. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median wage of $275,930 for physicians and surgeons (May 2025), with employment projected to grow about 4% from 2025 to 2035 and ~22,100 openings per year. Pay varies widely by specialty — procedural and surgical fields generally earn more, primary-care and pediatric fields less.
Per BLS, radiologists have a median around $381,530 — among the higher-paid specialties.
How to get there
Become a physician first: earn an MD or DO, then match into this residency through the national match. Licensure requires completing residency and passing the board exams.
Explore further
Keep exploring this part of the resource:
Key facts
- Residency5 years
- FocusImaging-based diagnosis (X-ray, CT, MRI, US)
- FellowshipsNeuro, interventional, MSK, breast, peds
- Pay~$381,530 median (BLS)
- EntryMD or DO via the match