Medical Dosimetrists
Generate radiation treatment plans, develop radiation dose calculations, communicate and supervise the treatment plan implementation, and consult with members of radiation oncology team.
Also called: CMD (Certified Medical Dosimetrist), Dosimetrist, Medical Dosimetrist, Medical Physicist, Medical Radiation Dosimetrist, Radiation Dosimetrist
Median pay
$147,470
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$111,670 – $185,450
People employed
3,410
Holland code
ICR
Investigative · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 2.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 3.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 4.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 5.Would you rather not deal with customers or the public?
- 6.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 7.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
Medical Dosimetrists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (27 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What medical dosimetrists do
- 01Design the arrangement of radiation fields to reduce exposure to critical patient structures, such as organs, using computers, manuals, and guides.
- 02Plan the use of beam modifying devices, such as compensators, shields, and wedge filters, to ensure safe and effective delivery of radiation treatment.
- 03Identify and outline bodily structures, using imaging procedures, such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, or positron emission tomography.
- 04Calculate the delivery of radiation treatment, such as the amount or extent of radiation per session, based on the prescribed course of radiation therapy.
- 05Calculate, or verify calculations of, prescribed radiation doses.
- 06Develop radiation treatment plans in consultation with members of the radiation oncology team.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Writing
- Mathematics
Knowledge
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Computers and Electronics
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from medical dosimetrists
- Water Resource Specialists72% · group pay
- Nuclear Engineers72% · −9%
- Petroleum Engineers71% · −2%
- Radio Frequency Identification Device Specialists70% · group pay
- Computer Hardware Engineers70% · +10%
Change into medical dosimetrists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Bioinformatics Technicians80% · $81,490
- Microbiologists76% · $87,990
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists75% · $90,150
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health74% · $82,220
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors74% · $115,160
Majors that lead here
- Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.