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Salary comparison

Nuclear Medicine Technologists vs. Registered Nurses: Who Earns More?

Nuclear Medicine Technologists out-earn Registered Nurses by $4K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Nuclear Medicine Technologists land at $101,370 and Registered Nurses at $97,550. The education gap is real: nuclear medicine technologist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while registered nurse programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Nuclear Medicine Technologists is California ($162,380); for Registered Nurses it's California ($140,270).

Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Registered Nurses
Median salary
$101,370
$97,550
Hourly rate
$48.74/hr
$46.9/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$78,080
$68,940
Senior level (90th %)
$134,500
$137,470
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
17,080
3,379,720
Job growth (10-year)
3%
4.9%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
California
California

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Nuclear Medicine Technologists median pay.

State
Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Registered Nurses
California
$162,380
$140,270
Washington
$126,200
$124,200
Hawaii
$125,650
$136,320
New Jersey
$124,280
$106,500
Oregon
$122,100
$129,010
New York
$118,650
$109,440
Massachusetts
$118,250
$104,550
Connecticut
$117,150
$102,740
Colorado
$116,990
$100,260
District of Columbia
$116,630
$102,540
Nevada
$109,150
$103,670
New Hampshire
$107,890
$99,700
Minnesota
$107,380
$101,510
Maryland
$104,150
$99,790
Rhode Island
$104,000
$100,640

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Nuclear Medicine Technologists or Registered Nurses?

Nuclear Medicine Technologists earn more nationally. The median is $101,370 for Nuclear Medicine Technologists versus $97,550 for Registered Nurses, a difference of $4K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Nuclear Medicine Technologists or Registered Nurses?

Registered Nurses has the better 10-year outlook at 4.9% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Nuclear Medicine Technologists or Registered Nurses?

Nuclear Medicine Technologists typically requires bachelor's degree. Registered Nurses requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Nuclear Medicine Technologists get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Nuclear Medicine Technologists at $162,380/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Nuclear Medicine Technologists vs. Registered Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Nuclear Medicine Technologists earn $162,380 vs. $140,270 for Registered Nurses. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Nuclear Medicine Technologists salary breakdownView →Full Registered Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Nuclear Medicine Technologists by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Registered Nurses by take-home payExplore →How to become a nuclear medicine technologistsGuide →How to become a registered nursesGuide →