How much do radiologic technologists make in 2026?
Radiologic technologists earn a national median of $80,110 a year ($38.52 an hour) per BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 29-2034). The bottom 10% earn about $55,980 and the top 10% reach $118,660. This occupation has an unusually clear pay mechanic: the base radiography credential sets the floor, and each additional ARRT post-primary modality — computed tomography, magnetic resonance, mammography, interventional or cardiac-interventional radiography — moves the technologist up the range, with multi-modality technologists near the $98,750 P75. Night, weekend and on-call rotations add further. Employment is projected to grow 4.3% through 2034 with roughly 12,900 openings a year. → Full radiologic technologist career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $80,110 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Radiologic Technologists earn a national median $80,110/yr ($38.52/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 29-2034); the P10 to P90 range is $55,980 to $118,660.
- Modality stacking is the pay mechanic: each ARRT post-primary credential — CT, MR, mammography, interventional — moves a technologist further up the $55,980 to $118,660 range.
- Multi-modality technologists who can cover more than one scanner are the ones hospitals schedule flexibly, and they cluster near the $98,750 P75.
- BLS projects 4.3% growth through 2034 with roughly 12,900 openings a year, and most states licence the profession, so relocation requires a state application alongside the ARRT credential.
US Radiologic Technologist Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do radiologic technologists earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 29-2034; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 29-2034, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does a radiologic technologist earn at each career stage?
Radiography pay follows modality credentials rather than seniority, so the stages below track credential stacking and responsibility. Each median is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 29-2034.
By State
Which states pay radiologic technologists the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the BLS national median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Most states licence radiologic technology and there is no national reciprocity, so a move means a state application even though the ARRT credential itself is portable.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($92,130), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
radiologic technologist pay by state — all 22 state guides
By Metro
Which cities pay radiologic technologists the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by the published metro index for that state. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise a radiologic technologist’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does radiologic technologist pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Radiologic Technologists sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify radiologic technologist wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does a radiologic technologist actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Radiologic Technologist Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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