Radiant Workforce Data
Imaging Labor Market MonitorNo. 5 · Q3 2026
Imaging Labor Market Monitor · Six metrosData to September 30, 2026
MRI pay pulls further ahead of CT
Posted MRI pay rose 5.2 percent over the year against 3.8 percent for CT, and night differentials widened in four of the six metros we track
1Posted pay by metro
We matched 1,090 MRI postings and 1,412 CT postings in the quarter to survey disciplines. Seattle and Boston pay the most for both modalities, while Dallas, Atlanta and Phoenix lean hardest on travel contracts to fill MRI shifts.1
| Metro | MRI postings | MRI median | CT median | MRI travel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | 129 | $58.70 | $52.40 | 17% |
| Boston | 214 | $56.40 | $50.10 | 22% |
| Chicago | 236 | $48.90 | $44.20 | 18% |
| Phoenix | 141 | $46.10 | $42.30 | 29% |
| Dallas | 198 | $45.30 | $41.60 | 26% |
| Atlanta | 172 | $43.80 | $40.20 | 24% |
| Six metros | 1,090 | $48.60 | $44.10 | 22% |
Source: hospital and imaging center career pages in six metros, July to September 2026, Radiant Workforce Data discipline matching
Source: hospital and imaging center career pages in six metros, July to September 2026, Radiant Workforce Data discipline matching
2Shift differentials
Night differentials for MRI rose by 50 cents an hour in Boston, Seattle, Phoenix and Chicago this quarter. Departments extending scanner hours into the evening are paying for coverage through differentials rather than base rates.
Source: hospital and imaging center career pages in six metros, July to September 2026, Radiant Workforce Data discipline matching
3Bonuses and requirements
Postings that ask for both MRI and CT credentials are few but pay the largest bonuses. Almost all MRI postings now require a registry credential in the modality at hire rather than within a year.2
| Role | Postings | With bonus | Median bonus | Credential at hire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MRI technologist | 1,090 | 34% | $10,000 | 88% |
| CT technologist | 1,412 | 29% | $7,500 | 81% |
| MRI and CT | 186 | 41% | $12,000 | 93% |
Source: hospital and imaging center career pages in six metros, July to September 2026, Radiant Workforce Data discipline matching
4Against our Wage and Staffing Survey
5What to watch in the fourth quarter
Whether travel shares fall in Phoenix and Dallas as new staff positions open, how many systems set 2027 pay ranges above the posted medians, and the opening of fieldwork for the 2027 survey in January.
How this monitor is built
- Postings are matched to survey disciplines by modality, duties and credential, not by job title alone
- Travel postings are counted for travel share but excluded from staff pay medians
- Ranges are converted to their midpoint, and each posting is counted once in the quarter it first appears
Approved for subscribersPriya RamanHead of Research · October 9, 2026
1 Medians cover staff postings that state a pay figure, 74 percent of MRI and 71 percent of CT staff postings this quarter.
2 Credential at hire means the posting requires a current registry credential in the modality on the start date.