How much do MRI technicians make?

MRI Technician salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (SOC 29-2035) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

MRI technicians in the US earned a median of $95,480 a year ($45.91 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $81,040 to $106,340.

Median annual pay: $95,480; Mean $96,120
Median hourly pay: $45.91; Mean $46.21
Typical range (10th–90th): $68.9K–$128K; $68,890 to $127,670
US jobs: 43,390; +7.7% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become an MRI technician: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: Oregon

MRI Technician pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$68,890
25th percentile$81,040
Median$95,480
75th percentile$106,340
90th percentile$127,670

Half of all MRI technicians earned more than $95,480 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $68,890; the top 10% made over $127,670. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $81,040 to $106,340.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$68,890	$33.12	$5,741
25th	$81,040	$38.96	$6,753
Median (50th)	$95,480	$45.91	$7,957
75th	$106,340	$51.12	$8,862
90th	$127,670	$61.38	$10,639
Mean (average)	$96,120	$46.21	$8,010

MRI Technician salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for MRI technicians by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. District of Columbia $128,710
2. California $124,000
3. Washington $122,750
4. Oregon $121,920
5. Alaska $120,610

Lowest-paying states

51. Mississippi $71,710
50. South Dakota $77,010
49. Louisiana $77,510
48. Tennessee $78,610
47. Arkansas $78,780

Best after cost of living: Oregon. Its median of $121,920 is worth about $117,956 at national-average prices, more than in District of Columbia once prices are counted.


Alabama	$78,890	46	$88,817	45	$37.93	490	0.23
Alaska	$120,610	5	$117,830	2	$57.99	100	0.31
Arizona	$100,600	19	$99,924	19	$48.37	730	0.23
Arkansas	$78,780	47	$90,617	40	$37.88	380	0.29
California	$124,000	2	$111,994	5	$59.62	3,570	0.20
Colorado	$105,380	11	$102,259	15	$50.66	670	0.23
Connecticut	$106,330	9	$102,625	13	$51.12	450	0.27
Delaware	$103,510	15	$103,709	11	$49.77	170	0.35
District of Columbia	$128,710	1	$117,114	3	$61.88	150	0.21
Florida	$84,330	37	$81,546	51	$40.55	2,860	0.29
Georgia	$92,060	26	$95,604	26	$44.26	1,800	0.37
Hawaii	$119,370	6	$108,567	6	$57.39	140	0.23
Idaho	$101,680	17	$106,478	7	$48.88	170	0.20
Illinois	$95,380	23	$95,420	28	$45.86	2,760	0.45
Indiana	$86,880	34	$93,090	32	$41.77	1,030	0.32
Iowa	$81,420	43	$92,774	33	$39.14	220	0.14
Kansas	$82,670	41	$91,786	37	$39.75	330	0.23
Kentucky	$82,200	42	$91,172	39	$39.52	650	0.33
Louisiana	$77,510	49	$87,873	47	$37.26	510	0.27
Maine	$94,140	25	$97,002	25	$45.26	210	0.32
Maryland	$105,230	12	$100,258	18	$50.59	770	0.28
Massachusetts	$110,600	8	$104,579	10	$53.17	1,490	0.41
Michigan	$84,620	36	$87,947	46	$40.68	1,270	0.29
Minnesota	$100,900	18	$102,311	14	$48.51	710	0.24
Mississippi	$71,710	51	$82,470	50	$34.48	250	0.22
Missouri	$83,110	39	$91,514	38	$39.96	1,040	0.35
Montana	$86,950	33	$91,870	35	$41.80	150	0.28
Nebraska	$82,710	40	$91,795	36	$39.77	290	0.29
Nevada	$98,260	21	$98,281	23	$47.24	340	0.22
New Hampshire	$105,420	10	$101,205	16	$50.68	270	0.39
New Jersey	$103,930	14	$95,520	27	$49.96	1,250	0.29
New Mexico	$87,850	30	$95,270	29	$42.24	140	0.16
New York	$113,270	7	$104,956	9	$54.46	3,240	0.33
North Carolina	$85,120	35	$90,240	42	$40.93	1,180	0.24
North Dakota	$80,610	44	$90,615	41	$38.76	70	0.17
Ohio	$87,670	31	$94,498	30	$42.15	1,840	0.33
Oklahoma	$87,480	32	$99,587	21	$42.06	400	0.23
Oregon	$121,920	4	$117,956	1	$58.62	510	0.26
Pennsylvania	$91,120	29	$93,387	31	$43.81	2,250	0.37
Rhode Island	$105,060	13	$102,718	12	$50.51	140	0.28
South Carolina	$83,550	38	$89,121	44	$40.17	730	0.32
South Dakota	$77,010	50	$86,932	48	$37.03	210	0.46
Tennessee	$78,610	48	$85,567	49	$37.79	1,350	0.41
Texas	$96,780	22	$99,715	20	$46.53	2,930	0.21
Utah	$91,150	28	$92,197	34	$43.82	300	0.17
Vermont	$103,070	16	$105,219	8	$49.55	60	0.18
Virginia	$98,640	20	$97,563	24	$47.42	1,070	0.26
Washington	$122,750	3	$114,706	4	$59.01	960	0.27
West Virginia	$80,490	45	$89,936	43	$38.70	190	0.27
Wisconsin	$94,720	24	$100,664	17	$45.54	530	0.18
Wyoming	$92,010	27	$99,265	22	$44.24	70	0.26

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for MRI technicians

173 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$176,950	$160,247	220
Vallejo, CA	$176,650	$162,843	30
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$146,260	$126,508	420
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$144,810	$135,755	220
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$130,460	$117,391	460
Modesto, CA	$126,980	$121,969	50
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$125,660	$115,498	30
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$123,910	$114,450	1,160
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$123,080	$110,004	320
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT	$121,930	$114,098	80

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	3,020	$118,360	$105,150
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	1,930	$100,730	$97,234
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	1,290	$109,800	$96,684
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	1,160	$123,910	$114,450
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	1,160	$98,620	$96,164
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	1,010	$100,180	$100,122
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	950	$102,490	$99,418
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	820	$102,570	$103,996
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	810	$109,110	$100,208
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	800	$91,170	$79,865

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves MRI technician pay: employers and settings

Work setting moves MRI tech pay the most. Outpatient care centers report the highest median in our data at $140,390; they employ only 3% of MRI techs. Specialty hospitals pay $108,070. General hospitals, where most techs work, pay a median of $95,540; that is close to physicians' offices at $93,880 and medical and diagnostic labs at $93,540. Staffing agencies, which place travel and temporary techs, pay a median of $91,970.

Location matters too. The District of Columbia leads at $128,710, California follows at $124,000, while Mississippi is lowest at $71,710. Oregon comes out best after adjusting for living costs, at $117,956.

Across all MRI techs, the 10th percentile earns $68,890, the median is $95,480, and the 90th percentile earns $127,670, a spread across all techs at one time, not a ladder of experience levels. Hospitals that scan around the clock may add shift differentials for nights and weekends, and holding several ARRT credentials, such as MRI plus CT, can open more positions.

Where MRI technicians work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	59.3%	$95,540
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	16.8%	$93,540
Offices of Physicians	13.4%	$93,880
Outpatient Care Centers	3%	$140,390
Employment Services	2.7%	$91,970
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	1.8%	$108,070

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	39,860	$95,700
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	1,460	$100,500
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	2,070	$85,080

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

MRI Technician pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$95.5K $67.7K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $67,720 in 2015 to $95,480 in 2025, up 41% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $91,544 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 4% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What MRI technicians do

An MRI technologist, often called an MRI tech or MRI technician, runs the magnetic resonance scanner that produces detailed images of the brain, spine, joints, organs and blood vessels. Before each scan the tech checks the order, screens the patient for anything that is unsafe near a strong magnet, such as pacemakers, metal fragments or certain implants, and explains what will happen. They position the patient with the right coil, choose the imaging sequences, start an IV and inject gadolinium contrast when ordered, and watch the images for motion or artifacts before the radiologist reads them.

Most MRI techs work in hospitals, which hold 59.3% of the jobs in our data, and many others work in diagnostic imaging centers and physicians' offices. Much of the job is managing people: calming patients who feel claustrophobic, keeping them still through long, noisy scans and keeping everyone in the department safe around the magnet, which is always on.

A typical day

Screen every patient and visitor for metal, implants and devices before they enter the scanner room
Explain the scan, hand out earplugs or headphones and help nervous patients stay calm and still
Position patients and place the right coil for the body part being imaged
Choose and adjust scan sequences, then check images for motion, artifacts and coverage
Start IVs and inject gadolinium contrast when the exam calls for it
Send images to the radiologist and document the exam in the patient record
Run daily quality checks on the scanner and report problems to service engineers

Also called: mri tech, mri technologist, magnetic resonance imaging technologist, mri coordinator (magnetic resonance imaging coordinator), mri qa coordinator (magnetic resonance imaging quality assurance coordinator), mri radiographer (magnetic resonance imaging radiographer), mri specialist (magnetic resonance imaging specialist), mri tech (magnetic resonance imaging technician).

How to become an MRI technician

Full guide

To become an MRI technologist, you complete an accredited MRI program with at least an associate degree and pass the ARRT MRI exam, which takes about 2 years. Many techs instead become radiologic technologists first, then add MRI training, clinical experience and the ARRT postprimary MRI exam, which takes about 3 years in total.

Typical time: 3 years; Fastest: 2 years
Minimum education: Associate degree plus an ARRT-recognized MRI educational program (primary pathway), or an existing ARRT, NMTCB or ARDMS credential (postprimary pathway)
License: Not licensed in most states (ARRT certification expected by employers); a few states license MRI technologists
Typical training cost: $9.5K–$14.3K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming an MRI technician: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 3 years; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $9.5K–$14.3K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $95,480; $44,500 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 10–15%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($44,500 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (3 years in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for MRI technicians

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +7.7%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 43,900; 47,300 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 2,300; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: —; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects MRI technologist jobs to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035, from 43,900 to 47,300, more than double the 3.5% average for all jobs. That adds up to about 2,300 openings a year, many from techs who retire or leave the field. Demand is driven by an aging population and more chronic disease, which mean more diagnostic imaging. BLS notes that MRI is especially useful for imaging cancers of the brain, spine and liver, so cancer care is a steady source of work.

Related careers and their pay

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

MRI Technician salary FAQ

How much do MRI technicians make an hour?

The median hourly wage for MRI technicians was $45.91 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33.12 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $61.38. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays MRI technicians the most?

District of Columbia has the highest median pay for MRI technicians, $128,710 a year, followed by California ($124,000) and Washington ($122,750). After adjusting for each state's price level, Oregon comes out ahead at about $117,956 in national-average dollars.

Do MRI technicians make six figures?

Some do: based on the BLS percentiles, between 25% and 50% of MRI technicians earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $95,480, and the top 10% earn more than $127,670. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

Is an MRI tech the same as an X-ray tech?

No, though many MRI techs start as X-ray techs. Radiologic technologists take X-rays using ionizing radiation, while MRI technologists use a strong magnet and radio waves, so the safety concerns are metal and implants rather than radiation dose. The ARRT credentials are different: R for radiography and MR for magnetic resonance. Many techs hold both.

Is being an MRI tech stressful?

It can be. Techs keep a tight schedule, handle anxious or claustrophobic patients and carry real safety responsibility, because a missed implant or a metal object pulled into the magnet can cause serious injury. Hospital techs may also work nights, weekends and on-call shifts.

Do MRI techs work nights and weekends?

Many hospital MRI techs do, because inpatients and emergency patients need scans at all hours, and some hospitals run their scanners around the clock. Outpatient imaging centers and physicians' offices are more likely to offer daytime and weekday schedules, though some extend hours into evenings and Saturdays. Night and weekend shifts often pay a differential.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 29-2035
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (29-2035.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Radiologic and MRI Technologists: Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
Fees, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
MRI credential options, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
Find a Program, Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · checked October 28, 2026
Structured Education, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
Continuing Education, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) · checked October 28, 2026
ARMRIT Certification, American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Clinical Experience Requirements (implementation Feb. 1, 2025), American Registry of Radiologic Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
ARRT Education Requirements for Obtaining and Maintaining Certification and Registration, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists · checked October 28, 2026

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