NHS role

Diagnostic Radiographer

Registered AHP producing and interpreting medical images (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound) to diagnose disease and injury. Recognised shortage occupation.

Salary
£32,073–£39,043
NHS demand
Growing
Next step
Sonographer

Already here? This is my role →

CareRoute Career Score™
Strong
relative to other NHS roles

Strong on salary growth and flexibility; held back by entry.

Salary growth98

Can reach ~£84,000 via Clinical Director / Consultant-level Lead.

Job security60

Smaller workforce (~16,560), shortage occupation; growing (+3% YoY).

AI resistance55

Moderately resistant to automation — mixed work.

Work–life balance55

Reasonable work–life balance; some shifts.

Entry access39

Moderate entry — high study load, moderate competition.

Flexibility82

5 onward routes; some flexible-working scope.

Career Score™ is CareRoute's own indicative rating from public NHS-style data — not an official NHS ranking. A composite of six factors; same inputs always give the same score.

Salary
£32,073–£39,043
Next step
Sonographer
Avg progression
~2 yrs
NHS demand
Growing
Study required
High
Flexibility
Strong
Why we scored it 66: Strong on salary growth and flexibility; held back by entry.

What you'd do

  • Perform imaging examinations safely
  • Position patients and optimise images
  • Apply radiation protection
  • Support diagnosis with the clinical team

Is this you?

You enjoy helping people and working as part of a team
You want hands-on NHS experience
You're drawn to imaging & radiography
You value secure, structured public-sector work

Typical progression routes

Indicative routes from the career graph — not usage data.

Your salary roadmap

Indicative pay on the highest-reaching route, by year.

£32,073
Yr 0
£34,592
Yr 2
£49,387
Yr 4
£51,932
Yr 6
£79,504
Yr 8
See how to reach £84,346

Skills & requirements

Skills you'll use in this role
Technical precisionAnatomy knowledgePatient careAttention to detail
What you'll need for your next step → Clinical / Practice Educator
  • HCPC registration (allied health professional)
  • Teaching / education qualification (e.g. PGCert Clinical Education)
  • 2+ years post-registration experience
Latest intelligence

Guides & updates

We're writing in-depth imaging & radiography guides — pay, entry routes and progression. In the meantime, explore the roles and career map above.

FAQ

Questions, answered straight

Band 5 on the 2026/27 Agenda for Change scale — indicative figures; verify against official NHS sources.
Similar roles

Where to look next

See what you'd earn on this route

Build your personalised forecast and skills plan in two minutes — free to start, no CV needed.

We use privacy-friendly analytics (and session replay, with inputs masked) to improve CareRoute. Essential features work either way. See our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.