who makes a better living, an x ray technician or a dental hygienist?

Question

i can't make up my mind, but money is a factor.

Answer 1

You need to check into your area. Look at a web site like salary.com. You can run several calculations with various senarios (ie size of office, number of years experience, etc.)

This is driven off of the zip code that you enter. The statistics are then provided from that area. Not three year old data; relatively current.

In my area a Dental Hygienists earnings far out weigh the range of a Rad-Tech, Respiatory Therapist, or an RN. When I checked the average wages were as follows:

Dental Hygienist- 63,000
RN- 52,000
Respiatory Therapist- 48,000
Radioligiocal Technologist- 46,000

BUT- these were the average from where I live, your information may or may not be comparable. (I ran them with no modifications to size or years of experience.) What you find for New York city is going to be different from Atlanta.

There are other web sites that you can check to see the same information.

Both careers are in demand and with additional certifications and training, you open up the potiential to earn more. If money is the only factor that you are looking at, then run the numbers and see where each falls for your local area.

FYI- my brothers sister-in-law has been working as a Dental Hygienist for 5 years and is making 100,000+ a year; but she obtained additional certifications to do this.

The hours are typically better for a Dental Hygienist too- no midnight shifts.

Good Luck and look at current information to base your choice off of- check with others in both areas to see how they like their choice too.

Answer 2

You can make a nice living in either career. The question is what will make you happier. Personally, I wouldn't want to work in people's mouths all day, but that's just me. I'm a radiologic technologist (the correct title for x-ray tech).

Median annual earnings of radiologic technologists were $43,350 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $36,170 and $52,430. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,020, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $60,210. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of radiologic technologists in May 2004 were:

Medical and diagnostic laboratories $46,620
General medical and surgical hospitals $43,960
Offices of physicians $40,290

Median hourly earnings of dental hygienists were $28.05 in May 2004. The middle 50 percent earned between $22.72 and $33.82 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18.05, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $40.70 an hour.

Earnings vary by geographic location, employment setting, and years of experience. Dental hygienists may be paid on an hourly, daily, salary, or commission basis.

Benefits vary substantially by practice setting and may be contingent upon full-time employment. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), almost all full-time dental hygienists employed by private practitioners received paid vacation. The ADA also found that 9 out of 10 full-time and part-time dental hygienists received dental coverage. Dental hygienists who work for school systems, public health agencies, the Federal Government, or State agencies usually have substantial benefits.

Answer 3

I don't know if the money is much different, I think X-Ray techs might make a little more. But its more a matter of would you rather spend your time taking picturs of people or cleaning some nasty teeth.

Answer 4

Which ever one is happiest in their life!!!!