How to become a radiologist

1. 1Earn a bachelor's degree with premed courses

   Time: 4 yearsCost: Varies by collegeSources 1

   Any major works for medical school, but you need the standard premed sequence: biology, general and organic chemistry, physics and usually biochemistry, plus math and English. Physics is worth taking seriously, because radiology rests on how x-rays, magnetic fields and sound waves create images. Admissions committees also look for clinical experience, research and letters of recommendation. Grades and science grades in particular carry heavy weight.

2. 2Take the MCAT and apply to medical school

   Time: About 1 year (application cycle)Cost: $360 MCAT (2027 test year) plus application feesSources 6, 1

   The Medical College Admission Test is required by nearly all US MD and DO schools. After the MCAT you submit one primary application and many school-specific secondary applications, followed by interviews. Admission to medical school is competitive. The AAMC Fee Assistance Program lowers MCAT and application costs for students who qualify.

3. 3Complete medical school and pass Step 1 and Step 2 CK

   Time: 4 yearsCost: $695 each for USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (2026)Sources 3, 4, 1

   The first phase is classroom and lab science; the second is clinical rotations through internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics and other fields. Take a radiology elective early to confirm your interest and get letters from radiologists. MD students take USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK; students at LCME- or COCA-accredited schools register through the NBME. DO students take COMLEX-USA Level 1 and Level 2-CE, and many also take the USMLE.

4. 4Match into residency and finish a clinical year

   Time: 1 yearCost: — (residents are paid)Sources 2, 8, 3, 4

   In your final year of medical school you apply to diagnostic or interventional radiology residencies. The ABR requires a year of clinical training in an ACGME-accredited program before radiology training starts, usually a transitional, internal medicine or surgery internship. Some programs build this year in; others have you match separately into an internship. Plan on taking USMLE Step 3 or COMLEX Level 3 during or soon after this year.

5. 5Complete a diagnostic radiology residency

   Time: 4 years (5 for integrated IR/DR)Cost: — (residents are paid)Sources 2, 7

   Residents rotate through every imaging area: chest, abdominal, neuro, musculoskeletal, pediatric, breast, nuclear medicine and interventional work, taking on more overnight reading as they progress. After 36 months you sit for the ABR Qualifying (Core) Exam, a remote computer-based test over three days that covers anatomy, disease, imaging technique and physics. Those who want interventional radiology can choose a 5-year integrated IR/DR residency instead.

6. 6Get licensed, board certified and, often, a fellowship

   Time: 1-2 yearsCost: ABR fees $640 application, $1,240 Qualifying, $1,280 CertifyingSources 2, 5, 1

   Many radiologists add a fellowship of one to two years in an area such as neuroradiology, breast imaging, body imaging or musculoskeletal radiology. You apply for a full state medical license once you meet that state's training requirement. ABR's diagnostic Certifying Exam opens 12 months after residency ends; candidates after 2027 will take an oral exam instead. Certification is voluntary, though BLS notes board certification can widen job opportunities.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Visual pattern recognition

A small nodule or a faint fracture line can be the only sign of serious disease, and it may sit among hundreds of normal-looking slices.

Clear report writing

The referring doctor acts on your written impression, so it has to answer their question in a few unambiguous sentences.

Sustained concentration

A shift can mean a long list of studies, and attention has to hold on the last case as well as the first.

Physics and technology knowledge

Choosing the right protocol, spotting artifacts and keeping radiation dose low all depend on understanding how each machine makes its image.

Fine motor control

Interventional and biopsy work means steering needles and catheters to a target while watching it only on a screen.

Quick, direct communication

When a scan shows a stroke or internal bleeding, the radiologist must reach the right physician immediately and explain what they see.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, writing, critical thinking.

Training cost

$215K

Before financial aid

Time

13-14 years

Typical path

Median pay

$420,860

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

Under 1 year

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

One figure, because our data has only one official number for medical school: the College Scorecard median federal loan debt for medicine graduates, $208,644, plus exam and certification fees: MCAT $360 (2027 test year), USMLE Step 1 $695, Step 2 CK $695 and Step 3 $955 (2026), and ABR application $640, Qualifying Exam $1,240 and Certifying Exam $1,280 = $5,865. Debt is a floor, not the full price: it leaves out undergraduate costs, private loans, family money, application and interview costs and state license fees. DO students pay COMLEX-USA fees instead ($745 + $745 + $950). Residents are paid during training, which covers living costs from that point on.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Subspecialty radiologist (neuroradiology, breast, body, pediatric, musculoskeletal)

  A 1-2 year fellowship after residency; ABR also offers subspecialty certificates in some areas, such as neuroradiology.

• Interventional radiologist

  An integrated IR/DR residency, or a diagnostic residency followed by an independent IR residency of 1-2 years, leading to ABR IR/DR certification.

• Radiation oncologist

  A different residency entirely, in radiation oncology rather than diagnostic radiology; the two share physics but not clinical training. It works closely with radiation therapists.

• Department chair or medical director of imaging

  Usually comes after years as an attending, often in an academic department, with added leadership or management training.