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Nuclear Medical Technology

Types of Degrees Nuclear Medical Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Nuclear Medical Technology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	87
Associate’s Degree	240
Bachelor’s Degree	245
Master’s Degree	24

What Nuclear Medical Technology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Nuclear Medical Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Nuclear Medical Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Nuclear Medical Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Nuclear Medical Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Nuclear Medical Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Nuclear Medical Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Nuclear Medical Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Gamma camera software	Medical software	—
Medovation RadRunner	Medical software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Electronic medical record EMR software	Medical software	—
Radiopharmacy inventory databases	Medical software	—
EcoLogic ADAM Indoor Air Quality and Analytical Data Management	Data base user interface and query software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Nuclear Medical Technology graduates include:

• Nuclear Technologist
• Isotope Technician
• Staff Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• PET Technologist (Positron Emission Tomography Technologist)
• Nuclear Medicine Technician
• Medical Radiation Dosimetrist
• Isotope Technologist
• Nuclear Medical Technologist
• Radioisotope Technologist
• Nuclear Cardiology Technologist
• Registered Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• Radioisotope Technician
• Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT)
• Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT)
• Radiation Safety Officer

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Nuclear Medical Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	35.4%
Bachelor’s degree	17.3%
Master’s degree	16.9%
Doctoral degree	11.7%
Post-doctoral training	9.0%
Postsecondary certificate	3.6%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
First professional degree	2.2%
Some college courses	1.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Nuclear Medical Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 71% of Nuclear Medical Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	423	71.0%
Men	173	29.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Nuclear Medical Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	349	58.6%
Asian	37	6.2%
Hispanic or Latino	117	19.6%
Black or African American	53	8.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.3%
Two or More Races	11	1.8%
Race Unknown	14	2.3%
International Students	12	2.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Nuclear Medical Technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Nuclear Medical Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$67,845
4 years	$61,295
5 years	$69,015

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,015 — roughly 2% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Nuclear Medical Technology Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Nuclear Medical Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	3	0
Master’s	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Nuclear Medical Technology Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Nuclear Medical Technology graduates earn a median of $61,295 four years after completion — roughly 61% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	51.09
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	51.0999
Athletic Training/Trainer	51.0913
Cardiopulmonary Technology/Technologist	51.0915
Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist	51.0901
Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician	51.0910
Electrocardiograph Technology/Technician	51.0902
Electroneurodiagnostic/Electroencephalographic Technology/Technologist	51.0903
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)	51.0904
Gene/Genetic Therapy	51.0914
Hearing Instrument Specialist	51.0918
Hyperbaric Medicine Technology/Technician	51.0921

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.