As of 2007, there were around 200,000 x-ray technologists in the U.S. X-ray tech employment is predicted to grow 15% by 2016, according to the US Labor Bureau.
Employment growth is being spurred by a number of factors. Some of these include:
- Increased life expectancy, resulting in a larger population of elderly, who rely more on medical procedures such as x-rays
- Greater public health awareness, making people more likely to seek medical attention
- Advancements in radiologic technology, making it more accessible in places it previously wasn’t and increasing its overall usability
- A rapidly expanding health care sector in general, spurred by all of these factors
Besides in hospitals, new job growth should be found primarily in physicians’ offices, group practices and outpatient care.
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