An MRI technologist salary calculator converts MRI technologist pay between hourly, weekly, biweekly, monthly and annual amounts, then compares it with official wage data. Magnetic resonance imaging technologists in the United States had a median wage of $45.91 an hour, or $95,480 a year, in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Annual gross pay
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How to Use the MRI Technologist Salary Calculator
- Choose annual salary or hourly rate, the way your offer letter states base pay.
- Enter your base pay, your hours per week and your weeks per year. Add other annual pay or a second offer if you have them.
- Read your annual gross pay, the pay-period amounts and where your hourly pay sits in the BLS wage table.
What each result tells you:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Annual gross pay | Base pay for the year plus any other annual pay you entered, before tax. |
| Monthly, biweekly, weekly | Annual gross pay divided by 12, 26 and 52. |
| Hourly | Base pay per paid hour. This is the number compared with BLS. |
| BLS percentile band | The two published BLS percentiles your hourly pay falls between. |
| Approximate percentile | A straight-line estimate between those two percentiles. BLS does not publish it. |
| Gap to BLS median | Your hourly pay minus the BLS median hourly wage, in dollars and percent. |
| Full-time equivalent | Your hourly pay times 2,080 hours, the work year BLS uses for annual wages. |
| Second offer rows | The second offer as annual and hourly pay, its percentile and the yearly difference. |
The first preset is an example, not a typical wage. It shows an MRI technologist paid $44.00 an hour for 40 hours a week. That is $91,520.00 a year, about the 43rd percentile.
What Is an MRI Technologist Salary?
An MRI technologist salary is the gross pay an MRI technologist earns in a year, before tax and deductions. BLS tracks the job under its own occupation code, 29-2035.
BLS describes the work in one line: MRI technologists operate magnetic resonance imaging scanners to create diagnostic images. They watch patient safety and comfort, and they check image quality during the scan.
| Fact | Value (BLS) |
|---|---|
| Typical entry education | Associate degree |
| Related work experience | Less than 5 years, most often as a radiologic technologist |
| Licence or certification | Few states license MRI technologists. Employers typically require or prefer certification. |
| Jobs in 2025 | 43,900 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 8%, to 47,300 jobs. The average for all occupations is 3%. |
| Work schedule | Most work full time. Some work evenings, weekends or overnight. |
These facts come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read on 2026-10-02. The handbook covers radiologic and MRI technologists on one page. It projects about 15,300 openings a year for the two jobs together.
This tool is for MRI technologists, and for radiologic technologists weighing a move into MRI. It is not a pay quote from any employer.
How Does the MRI Technologist Salary Calculator Work?
The calculator converts your pay between time periods, then places your hourly pay in the BLS wage distribution for MRI technologists.
Annual pay = hourly rate x hours per week x weeks per yearApproximate percentile = P1 + (your hourly - W1) / (W2 - W1) x (P2 - P1)- Convert. An hourly rate is multiplied by hours and weeks. A salary is divided by them to get pay per hour.
- Add other pay. Overtime, differentials and bonuses you typed are added to the annual total only.
- Find the band. Your base hourly pay is checked against the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages.
- Interpolate. W1 and W2 are the two BLS wages around your pay. P1 and P2 are their percentiles.
- Measure the gap. Your hourly pay minus the median, then divided by the median.
The table below is the full BLS wage table for magnetic resonance imaging technologists that the tool uses.
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (SOC 29-2035) | Hourly wage | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33.12 | $68,890 |
| 25th percentile | $38.96 | $81,040 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $45.91 | $95,480 |
| 75th percentile | $51.12 | $106,340 |
| 90th percentile | $61.38 | $127,670 |
| Mean (average) | $46.21 | $96,120 |
| Employment | 43,390 jobs | |
Source: BLS OEWS, national estimates, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
BLS annual wages equal the hourly wage times 2,080 hours. That is 40 hours for 52 weeks. The comparison uses hourly pay so that part-time and long-shift schedules are judged fairly.
MRI Technologist Salary Example: a Salaried Offer
An MRI technologist earns a salary of $90,000 for a 40-hour week. Weekend premiums add $2,500 a year. An imaging center offers $99,500 for the same hours.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly pay | 90,000.00 / (40 x 52) | $43.27 |
| Annual gross pay | 90,000.00 + 2,500.00 | $92,500.00 |
| Monthly | 92,500.00 / 12 | $7,708.33 |
| Biweekly | 92,500.00 / 26 | $3,557.69 |
| BLS band | 43.27 is between 38.96 and 45.91 | 25th to 50th percentile |
| Approximate percentile | 25 + (43.27 - 38.96) / (45.91 - 38.96) x 25 | About the 41st |
| Gap to median | 43.27 - 45.91 | -$2.64 an hour (-5.8%) |
| Full-time equivalent | 43.27 x 2,080 | $90,000.00 |
| Second offer | 99,500.00 / (40 x 52) | $47.84 an hour, +$9,500.00 a year |
| Second offer percentile | Same method on 47.84 | About the 59th |
His salary equals $43.27 an hour, which is $2.64 under the national median. The offer of $47.84 an hour crosses the median of $45.91. It moves him from about the 41st to about the 59th percentile.
Factors That Change MRI Technologist Pay
Work Setting
Hospitals employ 61% of MRI technologists. Outpatient care centers employ only 3%, yet they have the highest median wage by a wide margin.
| Employer type | Share of jobs, 2025 | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 61% | $95,920 |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 17% | $93,540 |
| Offices of physicians | 14% | $93,880 |
| Outpatient care centers | 3% | $140,390 |
Largest employers of MRI technologists and their median wages. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wages. Read on 2026-10-02.
State
California has the highest annual mean wage for MRI technologists at $120,560. Washington is close behind at $119,770.
| State | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| California | $120,560 |
| Washington | $119,770 |
| Oregon | $117,610 |
| District of Columbia | $116,600 |
| Alaska | $114,360 |
The five states with the highest annual mean wage for magnetic resonance imaging technologists. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Metro Area
Vallejo, California leads all areas at $160,650. Four of the top five areas are in California.
| Metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $160,650 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $155,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $140,480 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $138,000 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $130,650 |
The five areas with the highest annual mean wage for magnetic resonance imaging technologists. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Paid Hours and Weeks
BLS annual wages assume 2,080 hours. Four 10-hour shifts and five 8-hour shifts both reach that total. Enter fewer hours for a part-time or per diem job. The salary to hourly calculator does the same conversion without the BLS comparison.
Weekend, Evening and Call Pay
BLS wages exclude overtime pay and shift differentials. Add them in the other annual pay field. The overtime pay calculator works out overtime from your hours.
Certification and Experience
BLS publishes one wage table for all MRI technologists. It has no separate figures by certification or years of experience. This page does not estimate a premium for either one.
MRI Technologist Pay Compared with Other Imaging Jobs
MRI technologists earn more than radiologic technologists. The median MRI technologist earned $95,480 in May 2025. The median radiologic technologist or technician earned $80,110, which is $15,370 less.
| Occupation (BLS code) | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| MRI technologists (29-2035) | $68,890 | $95,480 | $127,670 |
| Diagnostic medical sonographers (29-2032) | $67,820 | $96,590 | $129,370 |
| Radiologic technologists and technicians (29-2034) | $55,980 | $80,110 | $118,660 |
Annual wages. Source: BLS OEWS and Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
BLS has no separate code for CT technologists. They fall under radiologic technologists and technicians. The CT technologist salary calculator on this site covers that job.
Industries with the Highest Mean Pay
Outpatient care centers pay MRI technologists a mean of $134,050 a year. That is $37,930 above the national mean of $96,120.
| Industry | Annual mean wage | Versus national mean |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Care Centers | $134,050 | +$37,930 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $113,460 | +$17,340 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $110,910 | +$14,790 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $109,890 | +$13,770 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $95,690 | -$430 |
The five industries with the highest annual mean wage for magnetic resonance imaging technologists. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
General medical and surgical hospitals pay a mean of $95,690, slightly below the national mean. They hold most of the jobs.
When to Use the MRI Technologist Salary Calculator
Moving from X-Ray or CT into MRI
Enter your current rate as base pay and the MRI offer as the second offer. The percentile shown is for MRI technologists, so it rates the new job, not the old one.
Comparing a Hospital and an Imaging Center
Both offers must use the same pay type and hours. The tool then shows each percentile and the yearly difference.
Turning a Salary into an Hourly Rate
A salary of $90,000 for 2,080 hours is $43.27 an hour. That hourly figure is what the tool compares with BLS.
Budgeting After Tax
The result is gross pay. Read the gross vs net income guide before you plan a budget or a loan payment from it.
Common Mistakes with MRI Technologist Pay Comparisons
1. Using the Combined Radiologic and MRI Figure
BLS also prints a combined median of $81,390 for radiologic and MRI technologists together. The MRI-only median is $95,480. Use the MRI figure.
2. Adding Weekend Premiums to the Base Rate
Shift differentials are not part of the BLS wage. Putting them in base pay inflates your percentile.
3. Reading the National Figure as a Local Rate
The mean in California is $120,560 against $96,120 nationally. The percentile on this page uses national data only.
4. Expecting an Experience Multiplier
BLS does not publish MRI wages by years of experience. A tool that multiplies pay by an experience factor is not using BLS data.
5. Comparing a Salary with an Hourly Offer Directly
Convert both to the same pay type first. The second offer field assumes the same pay type and hours as your base pay.
Accuracy and Limitations
The conversion is exact arithmetic. The percentile is an estimate, because BLS publishes only five points of the wage distribution.
What it calculates accurately
- Annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly and hourly gross pay from your own figures.
- The BLS percentile band your hourly pay falls in.
- The dollar and percent gap to the BLS national median.
- The yearly difference between two offers on the same schedule.
What it does not account for
- Federal, state and local tax, or any payroll deduction.
- Your state, metro area, employer, experience or specialty.
- Benefits such as health insurance, retirement match and paid leave.
- Wages after May 2025. BLS updates the survey once a year.
- Certification, experience, on-call and weekend premiums. The old tool on this page used invented multipliers for them and a flat 25% tax guess.
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Keep those in the other annual pay field so the comparison stays like for like.
How We Calculate MRI Technologist Pay and Percentiles
Frequently Asked Questions About MRI Technologist Salaries
How much do MRI technologists make an hour?
MRI technologists had a median hourly wage of $45.91 in May 2025, according to BLS. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33.12 an hour and the highest 10 percent earned more than $61.38.
What is the median MRI technologist salary?
The median annual wage for magnetic resonance imaging technologists was $95,480 in May 2025. Half earned more than that and half earned less. The mean was $96,120.
Do MRI technologists earn more than radiologic technologists?
Yes. The MRI median of $95,480 is $15,370 above the $80,110 median for radiologic technologists and technicians in May 2025.
What do the highest paid MRI technologists earn?
MRI technologists at the 90th percentile earned $127,670 a year in May 2025. Those at the 75th percentile earned $106,340.
What is a low salary for an MRI technologist?
A wage below $68,890 a year, or $33.12 an hour, is in the lowest 10 percent nationally. The 25th percentile is $81,040.
Which state pays MRI technologists the most?
California pays the highest annual mean wage, $120,560. Washington, Oregon, the District of Columbia and Alaska are the next four.
Which work setting pays MRI technologists the most?
Outpatient care centers pay the most. Their median annual wage for MRI technologists was $140,390 in May 2025, against $95,920 in hospitals.
How many MRI technologists work in the United States?
BLS counted 43,390 MRI technologist jobs in its May 2025 wage survey. Its projections program lists 43,900 jobs in 2025, rising to 47,300 by 2035.
Do BLS wages include on-call and weekend pay?
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Enter those amounts in the other annual pay field.
Is my pay information saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. The Save button stores a result only on your own device.
Sources
- BLS OEWS Profiles, May 2025 national estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Select 29-2035 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Radiologic and MRI Technologists (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Duties, education, employers, radiologic technologist wages and 2025 to 2035 outlook. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS technical notes for the May 2025 OEWS estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Defines the wage: straight-time gross pay, 2,080-hour year. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS May 2025 occupation profiles index (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lists every occupation code in the May 2025 release. Read 2026-10-02.)
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Explore all career calculatorsThis mri technologist salary calculator gives an estimate for planning. It uses BLS survey data, not a pay offer, and it is not financial, tax or career advice. BLS figures are national estimates for May 2025, read on 2026-10-02. All amounts are gross pay before tax. Confirm pay with the employer before you decide. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.
