How to become a radiologist: the steps
Becoming a radiologist takes six steps: a bachelor's degree, the MCAT and medical school applications, four years of medical school, national licensing exams, a five-year radiology residency won through the Match, and board certification by the American Board of Radiology (ABR).[ooh_phys][acgme_rad][abr_dr] A fellowship is optional for diagnostic radiologists.
- Earn a bachelor's degree (4 years)BLS notes that “no specific undergraduate degree is required” for MD or DO programs; what matters is completing the prerequisite science courses medical schools ask for.[ooh_phys]
- Take the MCAT and applyStandard MCAT registration is $360. The 2027 AMCAS application costs $180 for the first school and $48 for each additional one, so 20 schools come to $1,092.[aamc_mcat][aamc_amcas]
- Finish medical school (4 years)An MD or DO takes four years after college; the AAMC median cost of attendance for the class of 2026 is $297,745 at public and $408,150 at private schools.[ooh_phys][aamc_afford]
- Pass the national licensing examsEvery state's licence requires passing standardized national exams, taken in stages during medical school and residency.[ooh_phys]
- Match into radiology and complete residency (5 years)Diagnostic radiology is 48 months of radiology plus a 12-month clinical year, either inside a 60-month program or before a 48-month one.[acgme_rad] From July 1, 2026 the ABR requires the four radiology years to be finished within eight years of starting.[abr_dr]
- Get board certified by the ABRPass the Qualifying (Core) Exam after 36 months of radiology training, then the Certifying Exam (an oral exam after 2027).[abr_dr] Board certification is not legally required to practice, but it is how most hospitals credential radiologists.[ooh_phys]
How long does it take to become a radiologist?
It takes 13 years after high school to become a diagnostic radiologist: 4 years of college, 4 of medical school and 5 of residency.[acgme_rad][ooh_phys] Diagnostic radiology includes 48 months of radiology plus a 12-month clinical year, inside a 60-month program or before a 48-month one. Interventional radiology takes 14 years by the integrated route, and a subspecialty fellowship adds 1 to 3 years to either.[acgme_ir][ooh_phys]
| Route | Training after medical school | Years after high school |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic radiology, 60-month program | 12-month clinical year + 48 months of radiology, one program | 13 |
| Diagnostic radiology, 48-month program | Separate prerequisite clinical year, then 48 months of radiology | 13 |
| Interventional radiology, integrated | 60 months after a prerequisite clinical year, or a 72-month program that includes it | 14 |
| Interventional radiology, independent | Full diagnostic radiology residency, then 24 months (12 with early IR specialization, ESIR) | 14–15 |
| Diagnostic radiology + fellowship | Neuroradiology, body imaging, pediatric radiology and others: 1 to 3 years | 14–16 |
Interventional radiology lengths from ACGME requirements 3.3.a and 4.1 (2026); ESIR graduates may enter the independent program in its second year.
Radiology sits at the long end of physician training; only cardiology (six years after medical school) and some surgical fellowships take longer. The full comparison across specialties is on how long it takes to become a doctor.
Radiology residency: pay, exams and debt year by year
A radiology resident earns about $371,366 over five years at the AAMC mean stipends, while a $215,000 loan balance left unpaid grows by $17,351 a year at 8.07%.[aamc_stipend][aamc_afford][fsa] The ledger lines the two up, with the board exam inside the training years.
| Year | Training stage | Mean stipend | Pay to date | Loan balance at year end* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGY-1 | Clinical year (internal medicine, surgery, transitional…) | $68,166 | $68,166 | $232,351 |
| PGY-2 | Radiology R1 | $70,499 | $138,665 | $249,701 |
| PGY-3 | Radiology R2 | $73,301 | $211,966 | $267,052 |
| PGY-4 | Radiology R3; Qualifying (Core) Exam after 36 months of radiology | $77,593 | $289,559 | $284,402 |
| PGY-5 | Radiology R4; residency ends | $81,807 | $371,366 | $301,753 |
*Simple interest at 8.07% with no payments (forbearance), no capitalization. Stipends: AAMC survey, means as of July 1, 2025; R1–R4 are the four radiology years. The Qualifying (Core) Exam is taken after 36 months of radiology.[abr_dr]
By the end of residency the median graduate's $215,000 has become $301,753, and a 10-year payoff costs $3,535 a month instead of the $2,617 it would have cost right after medical school. Paying just the interest, about $1,446 a month, during residency keeps the balance at $214,991 and the later payment at $2,616. Try your own numbers below; the presets cover diagnostic radiology, a fellowship year and the interest-only plan.
Radiology residency loan calculator
Loan mathWhat your medical school loans grow to during a radiology residency and the monthly payment on a radiologist salary.
$215,000 at 8.07% · 5 training years · 10-year payoff
$3,535 a month after training
That is 14.6% of take-home pay on $420,860 (single filer, 2026 federal tax and FICA) · total interest $209,196
| Balance at graduation | $215,000 |
|---|---|
| Paid during training ($0/mo) | $0 |
| Owed when training ends | $301,753 |
| Unpaid interest in that balance | $86,753 |
| Total repaid | $424,196 |
Simple interest on principal; unpaid interest is paid first and not capitalized. Income-driven plans, forgiveness and refinancing are not modeled.
Estimate, not a job offer. Arithmetic on your inputs. Income-driven repayment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness and refinancing change the answer; check studentaid.gov or your servicer.
Radiologist board certification: ABR exams and fees
Board certification in diagnostic radiology takes two ABR exams: the computer-based Qualifying (Core) Exam after 36 months of residency, and a Certifying Exam that becomes an oral exam after 2027.[abr_dr][abr_oral] With a first-time pass at each step the ABR fees add up to $3,160.[abr_fees]
| Step | When | Format | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Application | When you apply | — | $640 ($2,000 for international medical graduates) |
| Qualifying (Core) Exam | After 36 months of residency | Computer-based, remote, three days of about 5.5 hours | $1,240 |
| Certifying Exam (2026 and 2027) | At least 12 months after residency ends | Computer-based, one day of about 7.5 hours | $1,280 |
| Oral Exam (after 2027) | After passing the Qualifying Exam; June of the last residency year from the class of 2028 | Seven 25-minute oral exams, one per clinical category, each with a different examiner | Not yet listed |
| Re-exam | After a failed attempt | — | $640 |
ABR fee page and certification page, accessed November 15, 2026. The ABR lists a $400 charge for cancelling an oral exam late or not attending.[abr_fees]
The change matters for timing. Until now a diagnostic radiologist sat the final exam at least a year after residency; from the residency class of 2028 the ABR moves the oral exam to the end of the fourth radiology year (June 2028), with the Qualifying Exam offered first in the autumn of that year and again in March.[abr_oral] Interventional radiologists take both the diagnostic and the interventional parts.[abr_dr]
How much does it cost to become a radiologist?
The direct cost of becoming a radiologist is mostly medical school: a median $297,745 at a public school or $408,150 at a private one, plus a few thousand dollars in application and exam fees.[aamc_afford][aamc_mcat][aamc_amcas][abr_fees] College tuition comes on top and varies too much to quote one figure.
| Item | Public school route | Private school route |
|---|---|---|
| MCAT (standard registration) | $360 | $360 |
| AMCAS, 20 schools | $1,092 | $1,092 |
| Medical school, 4-year cost of attendance (median) | $297,745 | $408,150 |
| ABR application + Qualifying + Certifying | $3,160 | $3,160 |
| Total | $302,357 | $412,762 |
Excludes college, secondary applications, interview travel, licensing exam fees and state licence fees, which we have not sourced. Our sum of the published figures.
Federal loans no longer cover all of it for new borrowers: from July 1, 2026 medical students can take at most $50,000 a year and $200,000 in total in Direct Unsubsidized loans at 8.07% for 2026–27.[fsa_limits][fsa] The rest, $97,745 at the public median, needs grants, savings, service scholarships or private loans; the full breakdown is on how much medical school costs.
Radiologist salary after training
Radiologists earn a median $420,860 and a mean $381,530 a year, from $89,010 at the 10th percentile to $594,410 at the 90th, across 26,770 employed radiologists.[onet_rad][oews_api] After 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare the median leaves about $24,241 a month for a single filer, so the $3,535 loan payment after a 5-year residency is 15% of take-home pay.[irs]
Pay by state, metro area and percentile, and a take-home calculator, are on radiologist salary. Against a family physician, whose residency is two years shorter, the radiology median is $176,680 a year higher.[oews_api] For the full ranking of specialties see doctor salary by specialty.
Frequently asked questions
How many years does it take to become a radiologist?
13 years after high school: 4 of college, 4 of medical school and a 5-year residency. Interventional radiology takes 14, and a fellowship adds 1 to 3 years.
What do you need to major in to become a radiologist?
No specific major. Medical schools ask for prerequisite science courses and the MCAT; BLS notes that no specific undergraduate degree is required.
How much do radiology residents make?
The AAMC mean stipend was $68,166 in the first year and $81,807 in the fifth (July 1, 2025), about $371,366 over a 5-year residency.
What exams do radiologists take for board certification?
The ABR Qualifying (Core) Exam after 36 months of residency and then the Certifying Exam, which becomes an oral exam after 2027. Fees are $640 to apply, $1,240 and $1,280.
How much does it cost to become a radiologist?
About $302,357 after college at the AAMC public-school median cost, or $412,762 at a private school, including MCAT, AMCAS and ABR fees.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physicians and Surgeons
- ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Diagnostic Radiology (Requirement 4.1, length of program)
- ACGME Program Requirements for Graduate Medical Education in Interventional Radiology (Requirements 3.3.a and 4.1: prerequisites and length of program)
- Get Certified in Diagnostic Radiology: Qualifying (Core) Exam, Certifying Exam and Oral Exam (after 2027)
- From the Board of Governors: DR Oral Certifying Exam Timing Changes to Start in 2028
- Fees and Payments: Diagnostic Radiology initial certification fees
- MCAT Scheduling Fees ($360 standard registration)
- Certifying and Submitting Your AMCAS Application (2027 AMCAS fees)
- You Can Afford Medical School (median 4-year cost of attendance, class of 2026; median debt, class of 2025)
- AAMC Survey of Resident/Fellow Stipends and Benefits, 2025 report (stipends as of July 1, 2025)
- Interest Rates for Federal Direct Loans First Disbursed Between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027
- Frequently Asked Questions: Loan Limits (Working Families Tax Cuts Act)
- Local Wages: 29-1224.00 Radiologist (national, state and metro percentiles)
- OEWS May 2025 employment, mean and percentile wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)