How pay is spread out
Half of radiology techs fall between $64,810 and $98,750. Moving into extra imaging specialties is one common way people reach the upper part of that range.
Radiology tech salary by state
State medians run from $59,300 in Mississippi to $121,260 in California. Most states license or certify radiologic technologists, and the requirements vary. Once prices are taken into account, California comes out on top at about $109,500.
| Compared with the top state | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $121,260 | 20,900 | $109,520 | |
| Massachusetts | $103,620 | 5,500 | $97,980 | |
| District of Columbia | $102,770 | 660 | $93,510 | |
| Oregon | $102,290 | 2,700 | $98,960 | |
| Washington | $102,090 | 4,130 | $95,400 | |
| Hawaii | $101,700 | 690 | $92,500 | |
| Alaska | $98,920 | 370 | $96,640 | |
| New York | $98,470 | 13,450 | $91,240 | |
| New Jersey | $95,000 | 6,320 | $87,310 | |
| Vermont | $94,540 | 470 | $96,510 | |
| Connecticut | $91,970 | 3,230 | $88,770 | |
| Arizona | $89,200 | 4,670 | $88,600 | |
| Colorado | $87,760 | 3,960 | $85,160 | |
| Maryland | $85,890 | 3,370 | $81,830 | |
| Rhode Island | $85,330 | 660 | $83,430 | |
| New Hampshire | $84,910 | 1,240 | $81,510 | |
| Delaware | $84,210 | 650 | $84,370 | |
| Minnesota | $83,400 | 4,910 | $84,570 | |
| Nevada | $82,910 | 1,840 | $82,930 | |
| Utah | $81,000 | 1,780 | $81,930 | |
| Virginia | $80,670 | 5,140 | $79,790 | |
| Idaho | $80,080 | 1,490 | $83,860 | |
| Maine | $80,080 | 1,050 | $82,510 | |
| New Mexico | $79,940 | 1,150 | $86,690 | |
| Illinois | $79,930 | 7,650 | $79,960 | |
| Wisconsin | $79,140 | 5,010 | $84,110 | |
| Texas | $78,630 | 20,250 | $81,010 | |
| Ohio | $78,320 | 9,570 | $84,420 | |
| Wyoming | $77,860 | 430 | $84,000 | |
| Indiana | $77,640 | 5,470 | $83,190 | |
| Montana | $77,070 | 850 | $81,430 | |
| Florida | $76,750 | 16,470 | $74,220 | |
| Michigan | $76,420 | 7,220 | $79,420 | |
| Kansas | $76,070 | 2,270 | $84,460 | |
| Pennsylvania | $76,050 | 8,090 | $77,940 | |
| Georgia | $74,550 | 7,540 | $77,420 | |
| North Carolina | $74,450 | 9,250 | $78,930 | |
| Oklahoma | $74,160 | 3,640 | $84,420 | |
| West Virginia | $74,150 | 1,810 | $82,850 | |
| Missouri | $73,080 | 5,170 | $80,470 | |
| Nebraska | $72,860 | 1,670 | $80,860 | |
| Kentucky | $69,670 | 3,630 | $77,270 | |
| South Carolina | $69,600 | 3,630 | $74,240 | |
| North Dakota | $67,790 | 740 | $76,200 | |
| Iowa | $65,930 | 2,550 | $75,120 | |
| South Dakota | $65,240 | 980 | $73,650 | |
| Tennessee | $64,630 | 4,660 | $70,350 | |
| Louisiana | $63,680 | 3,370 | $72,190 | |
| Arkansas | $63,640 | 2,210 | $73,200 | |
| Alabama | $60,700 | 3,500 | $68,340 | |
| Mississippi | $59,300 | 2,510 | $68,200 |
Best-paying cities
Vallejo, CA leads at $160,380. The second table shows where the most positions are, which is often a different list.
| Metro area | Median | Employed | Cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $160,380 | 270 | $147,840 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $154,850 | 1,000 | $140,230 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $141,780 | 2,850 | $122,630 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $137,530 | 200 | $127,600 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $135,880 | 1,360 | $127,380 |
| Redding, CA | $129,960 | 90 | $129,080 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $129,920 | 110 | $118,220 |
| Modesto, CA | $129,030 | 370 | $123,940 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $128,480 | 280 | $122,260 |
| Napa, CA | $128,170 | 40 | $113,870 |
Where the most jobs are
| Metro area | Median | Employed | Cost-adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $102,730 | 12,700 | $91,260 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $108,030 | 6,450 | $95,130 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $82,140 | 5,650 | $79,290 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $83,140 | 5,470 | $80,650 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $80,780 | 5,000 | $81,900 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $78,890 | 4,630 | $69,110 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $80,190 | 4,130 | $78,190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $104,590 | 4,100 | $96,600 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $80,710 | 3,990 | $80,660 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $94,820 | 3,460 | $91,780 |
Pay by type of employer
Hospitals employ 59% of radiology techs at a median of $80,610. Physicians' offices pay less, at $74,540.
| Industry | Median | Employed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $80,610 | 135,290 | 59% |
| Offices of Physicians | $74,540 | 38,350 | 17% |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $78,400 | 17,270 | 7% |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $84,720 | 16,150 | 7% |
| Employment Services | $80,710 | 6,830 | 3% |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $97,490 | 6,320 | 3% |
What radiology techs do
- Explain procedures and observe patients to ensure safety and comfort during scan.
- Process exposed radiographs using film processors or computer generated methods.
- Perform procedures, such as linear tomography, mammography, sonograms, joint and cyst aspirations, routine contrast studies, routine fluoroscopy, or examinations of the head, trunk, or extremities under supervision of physician.
- Record, process, and maintain patient data or treatment records and prepare reports.
- Prepare contrast material, radiopharmaceuticals, or anesthetic or antispasmodic drugs under the direction of a radiologist.
Hourly to annual
Hospital imaging departments run nights and weekends, and shift differentials are not included here. The conversion assumes 2,080 hours a year.
How you get there
An associate degree is the usual entry point. Most states require a license or certification, and employers typically want certified technologists even where the state does not.
Typical entry-level education: associate's degree. Projected job growth, 2025–35: 5%, about 13,000 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections).
Compare with similar jobs
Questions people ask
How much do X-ray techs make an hour?
The national median was $38.52 an hour in May 2025.
Is a radiology tech the same as an X-ray tech?
In everyday use, yes. The BLS title is "radiologic technologists and technicians", and it covers the workers who take X-rays and related images.
Which state pays radiology techs the most?
California had the highest median at $121,260, followed by Massachusetts at $103,620.
General information, not career or financial advice. Pay depends on hours, location and employer. Confirm licensing rules with your state's board.