BLS radiologic technologist pay in every state, percentile pay, hospital vs outpatient pay and take-home after 2026 tax
Radiologic technologists and technicians — x-ray and CT techs — earned a median salary of $80,110 in May 2025, or $38.52 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which counted 230,490. The bottom tenth earned under $55,980 and the top tenth over $118,660. Evening, overnight and on-call work adds to that, and none of it is in BLS's numbers.
This is the BLS line for radiologic technologists and technicians (SOC 29-2034) on employers' payrolls — x-ray and CT technologists. MRI technologists, sonographers and nuclear medicine technologists are separate lines; the ultrasound tech calculator is linked below. Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $26.91 | $55,980 | $4,665 | $47,160 |
| 25th percentile | $31.16 | $64,810 | $5,401 | $54,255 |
| Median | $38.52 | $80,110 | $6,676 | $65,187 |
| 75th percentile | $47.47 | $98,750 | $8,229 | $78,301 |
| 90th percentile | $57.05 | $118,660 | $9,888 | $92,307 |
California is in a class of its own: a median of $121,260, above the national 90th percentile, for 20,900 techs, the most of any state. Massachusetts ($103,620) and Washington, D.C. ($102,770) come next. Mississippi pays least at $59,300. Texas, with almost as many rad techs as California, pays $78,630.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $58.30 | $121,260 | 20,900 |
| Massachusetts | $49.82 | $103,620 | 5,500 |
| District of Columbia | $49.41 | $102,770 | 660 |
| Oregon | $49.18 | $102,290 | 2,700 |
| Washington | $49.08 | $102,090 | 4,130 |
| Hawaii | $48.89 | $101,700 | 690 |
| Alaska | $47.56 | $98,920 | 370 |
| New York | $47.34 | $98,470 | 13,450 |
| New Jersey | $45.67 | $95,000 | 6,320 |
| Vermont | $45.45 | $94,540 | 470 |
| Connecticut | $44.22 | $91,970 | 3,230 |
| Arizona | $42.89 | $89,200 | 4,670 |
| Colorado | $42.19 | $87,760 | 3,960 |
| Maryland | $41.29 | $85,890 | 3,370 |
| Rhode Island | $41.02 | $85,330 | 660 |
| New Hampshire | $40.82 | $84,910 | 1,240 |
| Delaware | $40.49 | $84,210 | 650 |
| Minnesota | $40.10 | $83,400 | 4,910 |
| Nevada | $39.86 | $82,910 | 1,840 |
| Utah | $38.94 | $81,000 | 1,780 |
| Virginia | $38.78 | $80,670 | 5,140 |
| Idaho | $38.50 | $80,080 | 1,490 |
| Maine | $38.50 | $80,080 | 1,050 |
| New Mexico | $38.44 | $79,940 | 1,150 |
| Illinois | $38.43 | $79,930 | 7,650 |
| Wisconsin | $38.05 | $79,140 | 5,010 |
| Texas | $37.80 | $78,630 | 20,250 |
| Ohio | $37.65 | $78,320 | 9,570 |
| Wyoming | $37.43 | $77,860 | 430 |
| Indiana | $37.33 | $77,640 | 5,470 |
| Montana | $37.05 | $77,070 | 850 |
| Florida | $36.90 | $76,750 | 16,470 |
| Michigan | $36.74 | $76,420 | 7,220 |
| Kansas | $36.57 | $76,070 | 2,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $36.56 | $76,050 | 8,090 |
| Georgia | $35.84 | $74,550 | 7,540 |
| North Carolina | $35.79 | $74,450 | 9,250 |
| Oklahoma | $35.65 | $74,160 | 3,640 |
| West Virginia | $35.65 | $74,150 | 1,810 |
| Missouri | $35.14 | $73,080 | 5,170 |
| Nebraska | $35.03 | $72,860 | 1,670 |
| Kentucky | $33.50 | $69,670 | 3,630 |
| South Carolina | $33.46 | $69,600 | 3,630 |
| North Dakota | $32.59 | $67,790 | 740 |
| Iowa | $31.70 | $65,930 | 2,550 |
| South Dakota | $31.36 | $65,240 | 980 |
| Tennessee | $31.07 | $64,630 | 4,660 |
| Louisiana | $30.61 | $63,680 | 3,370 |
| Arkansas | $30.60 | $63,640 | 2,210 |
| Alabama | $29.18 | $60,700 | 3,500 |
| Mississippi | $28.51 | $59,300 | 2,510 |
The federal government pays rad techs the most, $97,490, then outpatient care centers ($84,720). Hospitals, which employ 60% of them, pay $80,650, medical and diagnostic labs $78,400 and physicians' offices $74,540 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Federal government, excluding postal service | $97,490 |
| Outpatient care centers | $84,720 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | $80,650 |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | $78,400 |
| Offices of physicians | $74,540 |
Most radiologic technologists work full time. Because imaging is sometimes needed in emergencies, some work evenings, weekends or overnight (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Hospitals employ 60% of them and physicians' offices 17%, so whether you're on a hospital's 24-hour rota or in an office with daytime hours shapes both the schedule and the premiums on top of base pay.
Rad techs are generally hourly and owed time and a half after 40 hours in a workweek (U.S. Department of Labor). Hospitals may use the 8-and-80 system instead, by prior agreement: overtime after 8 hours in a day and 80 in 14 days (DOL Fact Sheet #54). On-call pay for after-hours imaging is excluded from BLS's wage figures (BLS OEWS FAQ).
Radiologic technologists typically need an associate's degree, with courses in anatomy, pathology, patient care, radiation physics and protection, and image evaluation. Most states require a license or certification, usually by graduating from an accredited program and passing a state or credentialing-organization exam, and employers typically want certification even where the state doesn't. Many specialize in mammography or CT, and MRI technologists often start out as radiologic technologists (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
More ways to work with your radiology tech pay:
$80,110 a year ($38.52 an hour) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $64,810 to $98,750.
California ($58.30 an hour, $121,260 a year), then Massachusetts and District of Columbia; Mississippi pays least among the 51 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
Yes. The BLS median for MRI technologists was $95,480 in May 2025, against $80,110 for radiologic technologists and technicians, and MRI technologists often come from radiography after several years of experience (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
The federal government, in the Occupational Outlook Handbook's industry table, then outpatient care centers; physicians' offices have the lowest median of the employers listed. Hospitals, the biggest employer, are in the middle.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.