The average salary nationwide for radiologic technologists is $63,710 (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2020). The equivalent hourly wage is approximately $30.63. There are however wide variations from state to state as the table below shows. Note that the salary shown is the median salary. Entry-level technologists can expect to earn up to 30% less, while highly-qualified supervising rad techs may be able to earn up to 34% more.
We have compared these salaries with the average state house price (Source: Zillow, May 2021), as a means to assess the local cost of living. There will of course be large variations both in salaries and in house prices depending on the location within the state. Expect salaries and house prices to be significantly higher in metropolitan areas.
Employment growth data is from US Department of Laborās survey data for the period 2018-2028, published originally on CareerOneStop.org.
| State | Radiologic Technologists 2020 Mean Annual Salary (BLS) | Average House Value 2021 (Zillow) | RadiologyEd.org Cost of Living Index | 2020 Employment (BLS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,920 | $167,810 | 71.8 | 3,510 |
| Alaska | $79,520 | $300,063 | 112.6 | 370 |
| Arizona | $63,610 | $344,718 | 108.1 | 4,970 |
| Arkansas | $50,540 | $146,996 | 68.7 | 1,950 |
| California | $93,650 | $668,300 | 179.4 | 16,670 |
| Colorado | $66,690 | $479,127 | 132.5 | 4,040 |
| Connecticut | $70,210 | $311,309 | 111.8 | 2,090 |
| Delaware | $61,480 | $303,194 | 102.9 | 670 |
| Florida | $57,430 | $289,799 | 98.4 | 14,170 |
| Georgia | $57,780 | $241,218 | 84.8 | 5,080 |
| Hawaii | $82,710 | $718,095 | 212.7 | 620 |
| Idaho | $62,260 | $389,218 | 114.0 | 1,050 |
| Illinois | $62,390 | $229,416 | 85.2 | 8,470 |
| Indiana | $59,640 | $182,770 | 75.2 | 4,860 |
| Iowa | $52,370 | $164,388 | 72.4 | 2,470 |
| Kansas | $55,060 | $175,459 | 72.5 | 1,990 |
| Kentucky | $51,900 | $167,021 | 74.9 | 4,040 |
| Louisiana | $52,410 | $185,376 | 77.3 | 3,010 |
| Maine | $60,710 | $299,219 | 107.9 | 1,080 |
| Maryland | $70,410 | $362,347 | 122.2 | 3,670 |
| Massachusetts | $75,460 | $508,232 | 150.8 | 5,220 |
| Michigan | $59,250 | $205,353 | 80.0 | 6,630 |
| Minnesota | $70,220 | $297,253 | 100.0 | 4,520 |
| Mississippi | $47,340 | $140,771 | 65.6 | 2,280 |
| Missouri | $55,200 | $191,107 | 76.9 | 4,190 |
| Montana | $57,410 | $350,230 | 108.0 | 850 |
| Nebraska | $56,660 | $203,708 | 80.7 | 1,630 |
| Nevada | $71,940 | $358,949 | 112.7 | 1,230 |
| New Hampshire | $64,940 | $357,318 | 113.5 | 930 |
| New Jersey | $71,500 | $400,089 | 123.6 | 5,390 |
| New Mexico | $59,370 | $244,606 | 86.0 | 1,370 |
| New York | $73,550 | $364,328 | 132.8 | 12,170 |
| North Carolina | $59,070 | $243,319 | 88.8 | 7,000 |
| North Dakota | $56,540 | $245,014 | 89.5 | 900 |
| Ohio | $58,880 | $178,863 | 75.4 | 8,860 |
| Oklahoma | $56,700 | $148,986 | 68.6 | 2,720 |
| Oregon | $76,270 | $437,715 | 138.3 | 2,050 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,650 | $228,885 | 90.1 | 9,790 |
| Rhode Island | $73,000 | $365,545 | 119.6 | 760 |
| South Carolina | $55,360 | $220,940 | 83.7 | 3,420 |
| South Dakota | $52,950 | $238,942 | 89.0 | 950 |
| Tennessee | $50,950 | $226,456 | 81.8 | 3,850 |
| Texas | $59,860 | $241,101 | 86.1 | 16,660 |
| Utah | $57,740 | $450,745 | 123.6 | 1,610 |
| Vermont | $63,890 | $294,324 | 106.9 | 440 |
| Virginia | $83,500 | $685,934 | 104.4 | 440 |
| Washington | $62,320 | $323,717 | 191.0 | 5,560 |
| District of Columbia | $75,950 | $503,609 | 139.1 | 3,920 |
| West Virginia | $51,010 | $116,902 | 65.9 | 1,580 |
| Wisconsin | $61,680 | $226,030 | 85.9 | 4,610 |
| Wyoming | $60,280 | $269,791 | 92.5 | 420 |
Radiologic Technologist Salaries and Hiring Outlook
The field of radiologic technology provides opportunities to help others while potentially earning a salary above the US average, with expectations for positive job growth in the coming years.1 As you consider earning a degree in radiologic technology, you should become familiar with the various influences on radiologic technologist pay. These include the type of work environment, geographic area, the techās experience and education, and the modality or modalities in which a tech is trained. Continue reading to find comparisons showing how these factors influence earning potential as well as in-depth information on radiologic technologist (RT) salaries by state.
How much do radiologic technologists make?
As of 2019, the national average annual salary for radiologic technologists was $63,120.1 The highest-earning 10% made over $89,760, while the lowest-earning made $41,480 or less.1 Outpatient care centers and federal government agencies were the highest-paying industries for this profession, at $69,140 and $67,400 per year respectively.1
The majority (63%) of radiologic technologists recommend that prospective RTs hold an associateās degree, while 24% recommend a post-secondary certificate and 6% recommend another type of professional degree.2 However, those with higher levels of education do tend to earn more than their peers with only an associateās degree. According to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), the average salary for a radiographer with an associateās degree is $53,222, compared to $56,540 with a bachelorās degree and $71,501 with a masterās degree; the increases in salary with increases in education tend to hold true across modalities.3 At the same time, the modalities in which a radiologic tech specializes during his or her education can also make a noticeable difference in pay. According to the ASRT, staff technologists working in bone densitometry earn an average annual salary of $62,042, compared to technologists working in vascular sonography ($69,794), breast sonography ($73,967), or PET/CT, SPEC/CT ($78,018).3 The table below provides an overview of what radiologic technologists make, on average, by core practice area.
CONCLUSION
This sortable radiology tech salary and job outlook table provides key data for individuals interested in starting a career as a radiologic technologist. You will find the average annual salary for radiologic technologists in your state as well as the projected growth rate for radiologic and diagnostic tech jobs in all categories from 2018 to 2028. Additionally, you can find the percentage of the median home list price that the average salary buys and the number of radiologic and diagnostic techs employed in each state. The states are ranked based on a combination of the job growth rate and the average salary/median home price ratio. Click on your state to learn about radiologic technology programs in your state.
