Travel IR Techs Are In Demand

Interventional radiology techs felt the pinch created by a dip in elective procedures once the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Most nurses and techs in the cardiovascular care industry saw a decrease in hours, compensation, benefits and caseloads. It was a challenging time for everyone.

But, just over a year later, things have definitely changed.

The industry has bounced back. Labs are open again. Elective procedures are taking place and a number of facilities are seeing a surge in caseloads as they work their way through a pandemic-induced backlog. This new kind of pinch, the one being felt by facilities, is one from which IR techs can benefit.

The biggest way to benefit is by having an interest in and willingness to travel. And where is that benefit felt? It’s felt most when it comes to an IR tech salary, which is considerably higher for those who travel as compared to those who hold permanent positions.

And generally, when salary is the subject, everyone is all ears. Afterall, who doesn’t want to earn more if they’re given the opportunity to?

For most people, including those in the healthcare industry, salary is the number-one motivator for making a change or accepting a position. And our most recent Wage Survey, conducted every two years, reveals that the interventional radiology technicians salary has seen incremental increases over the past decade.

But the travel radiology tech jobs salary has increased faster and at a higher rate. How so? On average, traveling IR techs earn more than $29 more an hour than their permanent counterparts. Our survey indicates the average wage of about $37 an hour for IR techs with permanent positions compared to an average of just over $66 an hour for traveling IR techs.

The job is the same. The demands are similar. The skills needed are the same. It’s just the scenery that is different, which for many, can be a good thing.

At Springboard, our relationship managers see travel IR techs choose assignments at facilities that are close to friends and family they don’t ordinarily get to see, or in areas that the tech would like to explore. And since salaries differ by region, travel IR techs have an opportunity to earn more in a region that traditionally commands a higher rate of compensation compared to where they are, such as the West — which is regularly a salary front-runner.

And based on caseload demand at the moment, IR techs are in demand. At Springboard, we’ve seen facilities offer higher than average salaries to attract skilled professionals to help support caseloads that have rebounded since the pandemic.

The relationships we’ve fostered with facilities across the country allows us to connect our traveling professionals with opportunities that match their skillset and their passions, which is pretty much the whole idea.

Afterall, we’re all working to earn more so we can play or reach our financial goals. With travel, it can happen faster.

Let us show you how.