Radiation Therapists
Provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Duties may include reviewing prescription and diagnosis; acting as liaison with physician and supportive care personnel; preparing equipment, such as immobilization, treatment, and protection devices; and maintaining records, reports, and files. May assist in dosimetry procedures and tumor localization.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Operations Monitoring
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Coordination
Key knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Education and Training
- Computers and Electronics
- Therapy and Counseling
What the work involves
- Administer prescribed doses of radiation to specific body parts, using radiation therapy equipment according to established practices and standards.
- Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.
- Enter data into computer and set controls to operate or adjust equipment or regulate dosage.
- Follow principles of radiation protection for patient, self, and others.
- Maintain records, reports, or files as required, including such information as radiation dosages, equipment settings, or patients' reactions.
- Review prescription, diagnosis, patient chart, and identification.
- Conduct most treatment sessions independently, in accordance with the long-term treatment plan and under the general direction of the patient's physician.
- Check radiation therapy equipment to ensure proper operation.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Social, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree (50.1% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (32.9%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (27.8%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Radiation Therapists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very high | Higher on contact with others than 97% of occupations compared | 98% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Moderate | Lower on dealing with the public than 51% of occupations compared | 50% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Teamwork | High | Higher on teamwork than 60% of occupations compared | 73% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Moderate | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 50% of occupations compared | 51% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very high | Higher on time pressure than 89% of occupations compared | 71% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Very high | Higher on conflict situations than 83% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very high | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 89% of occupations compared | 32% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 97% of occupations compared | 83% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very high
- Conflict situations: very high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very high
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 0%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0.9%
- Contact with others most of the time: 0.9%
- Constant contact with others: 98.21%
n = 36, Incumbent 07/2013
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 22.34%
- Fairly important: 18.34%
- Important: 8.55%
- Very important: 0.9%
- Extremely important: 49.88%
n = 36, Incumbent 07/2013
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 4.73%
- Fairly important: 9.54%
- Important: 0%
- Very important: 13.11%
- Extremely important: 72.62%
n = 36, Incumbent 07/2013
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 2.85%
- Limited freedom: 13.08%
- Some freedom: 51.08%
- A lot of freedom: 32.99%
n = 36, Incumbent 07/2013
Time pressure
- Never: 4.3%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 2.59%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 6.94%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 14.68%
- Every day: 71.49%
n = 36, Incumbent 07/2013
Conflict situations
- Never: 4.87%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 12.69%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 28.4%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 42.31%
- Every day: 11.73%
n = 35, Incumbent 07/2013
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 3.06%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 8.1%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 31.57%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 28.51%
- Every day: 28.74%
n = 35, Incumbent 07/2013
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 9.95%
- Fairly serious: 0%
- Serious: 0%
- Very serious: 7.32%
- Extremely serious: 82.73%
n = 36, Incumbent 07/2013
Is this career right for me? Find jobs with conditions you prefer
Where people with this background could move
- Analyze
Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Closeness 93/100
- Analyze
Neurodiagnostic Technologists
Closeness 93/100
- Analyze
Surgical Assistants
Closeness 92/100
- Analyze
Anesthesiologist Assistants
Closeness 91/100 · job zone +2
- Analyze
Endoscopy Technicians
Closeness 91/100 · job zone -1
- Analyze
Medical Assistants
Closeness 91/100
Find more alternativesCompare skills with another job
O*NET-SOC 29-1124.00 · SOC 29-1124 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8