Radiation Therapists Salary
Radiation Therapists in Columbia, MO make a median of $84,980 a year, or about $40.86 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.44), which stretches that salary to about $95,013 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,160/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (89.44). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About radiation therapists
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for radiation therapists in Columbia runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $105K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,160/month, 21.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.44 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Columbia can be a reasonable trade-off for radiation therapistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for radiation therapists in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas City | $117K | $127K |
| St. Louis | $105K | $111K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $125K | $121K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $81K | $84K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, MO
Entry-level radiation therapists (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Radiation Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Radiation Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $166K | +58% | 1,720 |
| Oregon | $132K | +25% | 160 |
| New York | $130K | +23% | 820 |
| New Jersey | $129K | +23% | 600 |
| Washington | $126K | +20% | 540 |
| Hawaii | $126K | +19% | N/A |
| Illinois | $125K | +18% | N/A |
| Connecticut | $116K | +10% | 110 |
| Kansas | $109K | +3% | 240 |
| Arizona | $109K | +3% | 410 |
| Colorado | $108K | +3% | 320 |
| Utah | $108K | +2% | 70 |
| Maryland | $107K | +2% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $106K | +1% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $106K | +1% | 60 |
| Texas | $106K | +0% | 1,000 |
| Montana | $105K | +0% | 50 |
| Virginia | $103K | -2% | 500 |
| Maine | $102K | -3% | 140 |
| Vermont | $101K | -4% | 50 |
| Florida | $101K | -4% | 1,280 |
| South Carolina | $101K | -4% | 200 |
| Pennsylvania | $101K | -5% | 560 |
| District of Columbia | $100K | -5% | 70 |
| New Mexico | $100K | -5% | 100 |
| Missouri | $100K | -5% | 420 |
| Idaho | $100K | -5% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $99K | -6% | 710 |
| Nebraska | $99K | -6% | 120 |
| Ohio | $99K | -6% | 690 |
| Oklahoma | $98K | -7% | 120 |
| Minnesota | $98K | -7% | 210 |
| Kentucky | $98K | -7% | 170 |
| South Dakota | $97K | -7% | N/A |
| Indiana | $97K | -8% | 360 |
| Michigan | $96K | -9% | 450 |
| Louisiana | $95K | -10% | 230 |
| Georgia | $94K | -10% | 470 |
| Wisconsin | $94K | -11% | 550 |
| Nevada | $93K | -12% | 110 |
| Mississippi | $88K | -16% | 70 |
| Alabama | $87K | -17% | 120 |
| Tennessee | $84K | -21% | 350 |
| Iowa | $82K | -23% | 120 |
| Arkansas | $79K | -25% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $72K | -32% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 46 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track radiation therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a radiation therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 21.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,160/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for radiation therapists in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new radiation therapists typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,220/month. At HUD’s $1,160/month FMR, rent would take 27% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is radiation therapist a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $85K here vs. $105K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for radiation therapists?
Columbia pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $105K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $95K — below the national median.
How much do radiation therapists make in Columbia, MO?
The median is $84,980 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,340, and experienced radiation therapists can clear $103,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,409/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,160/month, which eats 21.4% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a radiation therapists salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 89.44 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median radiation therapists salary is worth about $95,013 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do radiation therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.