Typical entry: Associate's degree
Radiologic technologist
Radiologic technologists take X-rays and, with additional training, CT and other images that physicians use to diagnose injuries and disease. Hospitals, imaging centers, and urgent care clinics employ them on shifts.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a radiologic technologist makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$80,110
$38.52 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $64,810
- 75th percentile
- $98,750
- 90th percentile
- $118,660
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- Not published
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +5.0%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 13,000
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
An associate's degree from an accredited radiography program (about two years, mostly at community colleges) followed by the ARRT exam and state licensure. It is a degree, but a two-year one that does not require a bachelor's, which is why it is on this site.
The work, as O*NET defines it: Take x-rays and CAT scans or administer nonradioactive materials into patient's bloodstream for diagnostic or research purposes. Includes radiologic technologists and technicians who specialize in other scanning modalities.
The next step
Associate's degree in radiography, ARRT certification, state license
- Typical cost
- $6,000 to $20,000 at community colleges
- Time to complete
- About 2 years
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for radiologic technologists and technicians by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $58.30 | $121,260 | $95,730 to $137,770 | 20,900 |
| Massachusetts | $49.82 | $103,620 | $83,200 to $122,900 | 5,500 |
| District of Columbia | $49.41 | $102,770 | $82,160 to $111,390 | 660 |
| Oregon | $49.18 | $102,290 | $85,280 to $111,810 | 2,700 |
| Washington | $49.08 | $102,090 | $81,880 to $121,560 | 4,130 |
| Hawaii | $48.89 | $101,700 | $85,480 to $107,080 | 690 |
| Alaska | $47.56 | $98,920 | $81,660 to $106,170 | 370 |
| New York | $47.34 | $98,470 | $82,670 to $110,950 | 13,450 |
| New Jersey | $45.67 | $95,000 | $80,600 to $103,510 | 6,320 |
| Vermont | $45.45 | $94,540 | $78,020 to $102,080 | 470 |
| Connecticut | $44.22 | $91,970 | $79,860 to $103,720 | 3,230 |
| Arizona | $42.89 | $89,200 | $74,960 to $106,920 | 4,670 |
| Colorado | $42.19 | $87,760 | $76,060 to $103,780 | 3,960 |
| Maryland | $41.29 | $85,890 | $79,050 to $99,880 | 3,370 |
| Rhode Island | $41.02 | $85,330 | $78,950 to $103,380 | 660 |
| New Hampshire | $40.82 | $84,910 | $75,430 to $100,720 | 1,240 |
| Delaware | $40.49 | $84,210 | $68,370 to $96,190 | 650 |
| Minnesota | $40.10 | $83,400 | $78,590 to $98,900 | 4,910 |
| Nevada | $39.86 | $82,910 | $76,100 to $103,830 | 1,840 |
| Utah | $38.94 | $81,000 | $65,660 to $98,760 | 1,780 |
| Virginia | $38.78 | $80,670 | $71,430 to $95,870 | 5,140 |
| Idaho | $38.50 | $80,080 | $64,460 to $97,610 | 1,490 |
| Maine | $38.50 | $80,080 | $68,110 to $92,410 | 1,050 |
| New Mexico | $38.44 | $79,940 | $65,660 to $93,250 | 1,150 |
| Illinois | $38.43 | $79,930 | $66,000 to $97,950 | 7,650 |
| Wisconsin | $38.05 | $79,140 | $67,490 to $88,210 | 5,010 |
| Texas | $37.80 | $78,630 | $63,210 to $93,830 | 20,250 |
| Ohio | $37.65 | $78,320 | $64,950 to $82,430 | 9,570 |
| Wyoming | $37.43 | $77,860 | $63,700 to $95,670 | 430 |
| Indiana | $37.33 | $77,640 | $62,840 to $84,060 | 5,470 |
| Montana | $37.05 | $77,070 | $65,850 to $82,140 | 850 |
| Florida | $36.90 | $76,750 | $62,080 to $82,650 | 16,470 |
| Michigan | $36.74 | $76,420 | $63,270 to $81,700 | 7,220 |
| Kansas | $36.57 | $76,070 | $62,180 to $82,570 | 2,270 |
| Pennsylvania | $36.56 | $76,050 | $63,510 to $82,080 | 8,090 |
| Georgia | $35.84 | $74,550 | $60,800 to $85,300 | 7,540 |
| North Carolina | $35.79 | $74,450 | $62,870 to $83,340 | 9,250 |
| Oklahoma | $35.65 | $74,160 | $61,850 to $83,070 | 3,640 |
| West Virginia | $35.65 | $74,150 | $61,020 to $81,370 | 1,810 |
| Missouri | $35.14 | $73,080 | $63,090 to $80,770 | 5,170 |
| Nebraska | $35.03 | $72,860 | $63,480 to $82,650 | 1,670 |
| Kentucky | $33.50 | $69,670 | $61,820 to $81,370 | 3,630 |
| South Carolina | $33.46 | $69,600 | $61,900 to $82,560 | 3,630 |
| North Dakota | $32.59 | $67,790 | $62,470 to $80,970 | 740 |
| Iowa | $31.70 | $65,930 | $61,730 to $79,390 | 2,550 |
| South Dakota | $31.36 | $65,240 | $61,490 to $79,770 | 980 |
| Tennessee | $31.07 | $64,630 | $59,610 to $78,700 | 4,660 |
| Louisiana | $30.61 | $63,680 | $58,400 to $76,240 | 3,370 |
| Arkansas | $30.60 | $63,640 | $57,190 to $78,480 | 2,210 |
| Alabama | $29.18 | $60,700 | $49,610 to $71,620 | 3,500 |
| Mississippi | $28.51 | $59,300 | $49,340 to $66,160 | 2,510 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a radiologic technologist?
No. BLS lists "associate's degree" as the typical education for entry. The usual credential is associate's degree in radiography, ARRT certification, state license.
How much does a radiologic technologist make?
The median pay was $80,110 a year ($38.52 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $64,810 and $98,750, and the top 10 percent earned more than $118,660.
How long does it take to become a radiologic technologist?
About 2 years. The typical cost is $6,000 to $20,000 at community colleges.
Is radiologic technologist work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035 with about 13,000 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 29-2034.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile