Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists Salary: $88,180 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 41,530 magnetic resonance imaging technologists work nationally, and $88,180 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 4.5% annual growth; much hiring sits in hospitals.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists: what the data shows
Common questions about magnetic resonance imaging technologists careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a magnetic resonance imaging technologists?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 29-2035.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 41,530 workers.
What does a magnetic resonance imaging technologists do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Documenting/Recording Information, Assisting and Caring for Others, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a magnetic resonance imaging technologists make?
BLS national median annual wage: $88,180 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $121,690 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $75,806 |
| 25th percentile | $95,753 |
| Median (50th) | $125,798 |
| 75th percentile | $150,553 |
| 90th percentile | $174,137 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Active Listening, Speaking, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, and knowledge areas including Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Physics, Computers and Electronics. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is magnetic resonance imaging technologists in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 4.5% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 24.8%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 55.6%.
Current U.S. headcount: 41,530.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do magnetic resonance imaging technologistss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals | 50,760 | 19.4% |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 49,340 | 18.9% |
| Cross-industry | 41,530 | 15.9% |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 40,020 | 15.3% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 37,960 | 14.5% |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | 14,630 | 5.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | 43,640 | $39,270 |
| Brickmasons and Blockmasons | 53,520 | $60,800 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists workforce.
Employment Over Time
41,530 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists grew from 7,340 in 2013 to 12,480 in 2025 (70.0%).
Historical employment for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists from the California OEWS series, 2013–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$88,180 Median pay (BLS national)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists earn $88,180 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Salary distribution for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Employment Growth Projections
4.5% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
15,569 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 24.8%
19,422 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 55.6%
This occupation is projected to grow at 4.5% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Wage Trends by Industry
11.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- FL: 3,220 employees, $79,610 avg wage
- CA: 3,220 employees, $118,470 avg wage
- NY: 3,030 employees, $102,050 avg wage
- IL: 2,790 employees, $89,040 avg wage
- TX: 2,340 employees, $88,150 avg wage
- PA: 2,060 employees, $83,160 avg wage
- OH: 1,610 employees, $83,580 avg wage
- GA: 1,430 employees, $85,380 avg wage
- MA: 1,420 employees, $98,270 avg wage
- MI: 1,360 employees, $79,590 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 2,870 employees, $108,050 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 1,940 employees, $92,940 avg wage
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH: 1,200 employees, $99,470 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 1,140 employees, $112,340 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 1,020 employees, $91,080 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 880 employees, $109,200 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 820 employees, $90,140 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 790 employees, $92,030 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 760 employees, $90,830 avg wage
- St. Louis, MO-IL: 720 employees, $82,430 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists is about 41,530 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists in 2023 were Health Sciences, Business, Social Sciences.
Common majors for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists workers.
Education level distribution for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Skills
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists need many skills, but most especially Reading Comprehension, Monitoring, Active Listening, Speaking, Operations Monitoring.
Required skills for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists include Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Physics, Computers and Electronics, Medicine and Dentistry.
Knowledge areas required for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists include Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension, Near Vision, Written Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
Daily Activities
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Documenting/Recording Information, Assisting and Caring for Others, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Making Decisions and Solving Problems.
Most important work activities for Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists.
About
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists earn $88,180 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
29-2035 - Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists reports an average salary of $121,690, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 41,530 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 4.5%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.