Radiologic Technologist Salary

The national median is $77,660 (BLS May 2024 via O*NET). But rad techs earn anywhere from about $52,360 to $106,990, and where you live, what you're certified in, and which shifts you take move that number more than anything.

Radiologic technologist salary icon

Did You Know?

A community college rad tech program can cost $5,000-$15,000 and leads to a $77,660 national median. In San Jose, California, the median hits $157,170 — though sky-high rent eats much of that advantage.

What Rad Techs Really Earn

Nationally, rad techs earn a median of $77,660 a year (BLS May 2024 via O*NET). Median means half earn less, half earn more — it is not a starting salary. The bottom 10% earn $52,360 and the top 10% earn $106,990, with the 25th percentile at $62,910 and the 75th at $93,610. Entry-level pay sits near that 10th-25th range, roughly $52,360 to $62,910. For context, the median wage across all U.S. occupations was $49,500, so even a first job as a rad tech pays comfortably above the typical American job.

Geography is the loudest factor. California employs the most rad techs of any state — around 20,000 — and pays the most, with a $107,670 median and metros like San Jose at $157,170. But higher California wages are partly offset by much steeper housing and living costs, so relocating is never free money. The five lowest-paying states cluster in the South: Mississippi is lowest at about $59,100. What you actually control is certifications, work setting, and shift choices — not state wage levels or facility budgets.

Visual Guide

Radiology Technologist Salary Pins

Flip through Pinterest-style infographics that explain radiology tech salary ranges, pay factors, state differences, work settings, and ways income can grow over time.

Rad Tech Pay, From Entry Level to Top 10%

Toggle between United States and California to see the full percentile spread, then tap each factor below to see what pushes your paycheck up or down.

$52,360 10th

$62,910 25th

$77,660 Median

$93,610 75th

$106,990 90th

BLS May 2024 wage data, via O*NET (29-2034.00)

$63,300 10th

$84,260 25th

$107,670 Median

$133,840 75th

$164,550 90th

BLS May 2024 wage data, via O*NET (29-2034.00)

What Moves Your Pay

California is the highest-paying state with a $107,670 median; Mississippi is lowest at about $59,100. California's higher pay comes with much higher housing and living costs.

CT, MRI, mammography, and interventional certs raise pay, but they're voluntary, require an active R.T.(R), and take added clinical experience to earn. No guaranteed dollar amount.

Outpatient centers pay slightly more on median than hospitals, but hospitals offer more shift-differential and overtime. Federal positions pay a median around $94,000.

New grads start near the 10th-25th percentile ($52,360-$62,910). Pay climbs toward the median and beyond as you build years and specialty skills.

Evening, night, and weekend shifts commonly add $2-$6 per hour. Real money over a year, but the cost is your sleep and social schedule.

Travel contracts often pay $2,000-$3,000+ per week gross, but without permanent-staff stability or full benefits, and you move where the work is.

Overtime and on-call pay add up, especially in hospitals. Availability depends on staffing needs, and the hours can be unpredictable and demanding.

A $5,000-$15,000 community college program and a $25,000-$40,000+ private program lead to the same R.T.(R) and the same pay scale. Cheaper training means faster payoff.

All figures are BLS May 2024 medians and percentiles via O*NET. Your actual offer depends on your state, facility, shift, and credentials. Remember that high-pay states like California carry high living costs that offset part of the wage gain.

Same License, Different Paychecks

Flip through the tabs to see how three common choices — your setting, staff versus travel, and your certifications — change what you take home.

Hospital Rad Tech

Typical Pay Slightly below outpatient on median, but around the national $77,660 range.

Schedule & Hours 24/7 operation means nights, weekends, holidays, and rotating call shifts.

Pay Extras More shift differentials, overtime, and on-call opportunities than most clinics.

Tradeoffs Higher acuity, unpredictable hours, and heavier trauma and inpatient caseloads.

Best For Techs who want variety, overtime access, and maximum extra-pay opportunities.

Outpatient Imaging Center Tech

Typical Pay Slightly above hospitals on median for equivalent base roles.

Schedule & Hours Mostly daytime, weekday hours with predictable scheduling.

Pay Extras Fewer differentials and less overtime; base pay carries the paycheck.

Tradeoffs Less variety, fewer chances to boost income through shifts.

Best For Techs who value a steady schedule over overtime earning potential.

Bottom line: Outpatient edges hospitals on median base pay, but hospitals win overall for techs willing to take differentials, overtime, and call — your take-home depends on whether you want those extra hours.

Staff Rad Tech

Typical Pay Steady salary near the national median range, plus benefits.

Schedule & Hours Set schedule at one facility with predictable rotations.

Pay Extras Shift differentials, overtime, retirement matching, and paid time off.

Tradeoffs Lower peak income than travel; raises come slowly over years.

Best For Techs who want stability, benefits, and to stay in one place.

Travel Rad Tech

Typical Pay Often $2,000-$3,000+ per week gross on active contracts.

Schedule & Hours 13-week assignments; you relocate wherever the contracts are.

Pay Extras Housing stipends common, but limited or no full benefits.

Tradeoffs No permanent-staff stability; gaps between contracts and constant relocation.

Best For Experienced, flexible techs chasing higher pay and new locations.

Bottom line: Travel pays a higher ceiling, but you trade job security, full benefits, and roots for it — it works best for experienced techs who can handle uncertainty and frequent moves.

R.T.(R) Only

Typical Pay Base radiography pay, commonly near the national median range.

Schedule & Hours General X-ray shifts, with standard rotation options.

Pay Extras Standard differentials and overtime; no specialty premium.

Tradeoffs Fewer modalities means fewer paths to higher-paying roles.

Best For New grads and techs building experience before specializing.

R.T.(R) + CT/MRI/Mammo

Typical Pay Higher than radiography-only, though the exact bump varies by employer.

Schedule & Hours Specialty modality shifts; some certs open call-heavy roles.

Pay Extras Access to higher-paying specialty positions and cross-training incentives.

Tradeoffs Certs require added clinical hours, study, and exam costs to earn.

Best For Techs ready to invest time into a specialty for higher pay.

Bottom line: Advanced certs like CT, MRI, and mammography reliably raise earning potential, but they're voluntary, require an active R.T.(R), and take extra clinical experience — no cert promises a specific raise amount.

These are national medians and typical ranges, not quotes. Individual offers vary widely by state, facility, and shift, and high-pay states carry high living costs.

🎓 The Cheapest Path to the Paycheck

Your program choice barely affects your pay ceiling but hugely affects your return on investment. A JRCERT-accredited community college associate degree runs $5,000-$15,000, while private or hospital-based programs can cost $25,000-$40,000 or more. Both routes lead to the exact same credential — you sit the same $225 ARRT exam to earn your R.T.(R), and you enter the same pay scale. A $77,660 national median coming off a $5,000-$15,000 program is one of the better degree-to-pay ratios in healthcare, and it's the honest headline of this career.

Clinicals are essentially unpaid full-time work, so budget for that stretch. To land a higher first offer, be strategic: hospitals offer more overtime and differential access, being open to less popular evening and weekend shifts can add $2-$6 an hour, and expressing interest in cross-training toward CT or MRI signals long-term value. New grads start near the 10th-25th percentile ($52,360-$62,910), so early positioning matters.

Three Paycheck Situations, Played Out

💵 Situation 1: Weighing Your First Job Offer ▼

The Situation: You just passed the ARRT exam and earned your R.T.(R). A local hospital offers you a general radiography role and you want to know if it's fair.

The Numbers: Nationally, entry pay sits near the 10th-25th percentile, roughly $52,360 to $62,910. The $77,660 median is not a starting salary — it reflects experienced techs.

What Actually Matters: Your state, the setting, and shift options move the offer more than the title does.

What to Expect:

A first offer landing in the $52,360-$62,910 range is normal, not a lowball.
Hospitals often offer differentials and overtime that outpatient centers don't.

The Takeaway: Compare your offer against entry-level percentiles for your state, not the national median.

📈 Situation 2: Adding a CT Certification Mid-Career ▼

The Situation: You've worked three years as an R.T.(R) and you're considering earning a post-primary CT certification to move into a specialty role.

The Numbers: CT-certified techs generally earn more than radiography-only techs, though the exact bump varies by employer and region. No single figure applies everywhere.

What Actually Matters: The cert is voluntary, requires an active R.T.(R), and takes documented clinical experience and a passing exam to earn.

What to Expect:

Added study hours and clinical time before you're eligible to certify.
Access to higher-paying specialty and call-heavy positions afterward.

The Takeaway: Certs are one of the strongest levers you personally control, but treat any promised raise amount with skepticism.

🧳 Situation 3: Considering a Move to California ▼

The Situation: You're a working tech in a lower-paying state and California's numbers caught your eye.

The Numbers: California's median is $107,670 versus Mississippi's roughly $59,100. San Jose reaches $157,170, San Francisco-Oakland $136,730, and Los Angeles $102,310.

What Actually Matters: Those higher wages are partly offset by much higher housing and living costs, so the raw gap overstates the real gain.

What to Expect:

California employs the most rad techs of any state, so job availability is strong.
Rent and everyday costs can consume a large share of the pay difference.

The Takeaway: Run the cost-of-living math before you pack — a bigger paycheck isn't automatically more money in your pocket.

Find Programs Near You

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Enter your location and filters to see matching radiography programs.

Habits of Techs Who Out-Earn Their Peers

✓ Know your local percentiles

Compare offers against your state's BLS numbers, not the national median, so you spot a fair deal fast.

✓ Pursue a post-primary cert

CT, MRI, or mammography opens higher-paying roles — voluntary, but the strongest lever you control.

✓ Take the harder shifts

Evening, night, and weekend differentials commonly add $2-$6 an hour if you can handle the schedule.

✓ Do the cost-of-living math

Before relocating for higher pay, subtract housing and living costs to find your real gain.

💡 Key Facts About Rad Tech Pay

💡

Things Most People Don't Know

The national median is $77,660 (BLS May 2024 via O*NET), but the median means half of techs earn less. Entry-level pay sits near $52,360-$62,910, so don't expect the median on day one.

Things Most People Don't Know

California employs the most rad techs of any state — around 20,000 — and pays the most, with a $107,670 median. But much higher housing and living costs offset a big part of that advantage.

Things Most People Don't Know

Even the lowest-paying states beat the average American job. Mississippi's roughly $59,100 median still tops the $49,500 all-occupations median across every U.S. job in May 2024.

Things Most People Don't Know

A $5,000-$15,000 community college program leads to the same R.T.(R) and pay scale as a $25,000-$40,000+ private program. The cheaper route pays off far faster.

Things Most People Don't Know

You control certs, setting, shifts, and whether you travel. You don't control state wage levels or facility budgets — so focus your energy on the levers that are actually yours.

Pay Check

What Actually Moves Rad Tech Pay

Three levers explain most of the gap between the lowest- and highest-paid techs.

By State By Specialty vs. RN

+51% California over the national median

Geography is the biggest lever: the national median is $80,110, while California's is $121,260 — a 51% premium before differentials. County-level numbers, licensing quirks, and cost-of-living context are broken out on our California rad tech salary page.

+$15K MRI median over general radiography

Modality is the lever you control: MRI technologists earn a median around $95,480 versus $80,110 for general radiographers, with CT and mammography commanding premiums of their own. The credential path for each is compared on our imaging specialties page.

~$20K RN median advantage nationally

Registered nurses out-earn rad techs nationally — roughly $100,800 median versus $80,110 — but the nursing path increasingly runs through a four-year degree. Notably, a California rad tech out-earns the national RN median; if the comparison matters to you, weigh it against the full registered nurse path, not just the headline number.

Quick Answers

Reading the Numbers

How to use wage data without being misled by it.

Where do these salary figures come from?

Every figure on this page traces to the Department of Labor's occupational wage survey — the same dataset behind O*NET — published as BLS occupational data. Job-board 'averages' mix titles and postings; the federal survey counts actual paychecks.

What does a new grad actually start at?

Plan on the mid-$50,000s nationally — the 10th percentile sits near $56,000, which is roughly where credentialed new grads enter. The climb from there tracks modalities and setting more than years served; the career arc is sketched in our radiology tech overview.

Do nights and weekends really pay more?

Yes — shift differentials of a few dollars an hour plus on-call pay are standard in hospital imaging, and they compound: a night-shift CT tech can out-earn a day-shift lead on paper. Differentials rarely show up in median figures, so real offers often beat the published numbers.