January 17, 2025 • 35 mins
Discover the truth about MRI tech salaries and why they vary so dramatically across the country. Chandria dives into the often inflated salary expectations new technologists face, revealing the reality of what you can actually earn in this field. From starting salaries to top earners, she breaks down the factors that influence pay and shares her own experiences working in different regions. Whether you’re just starting your career or are a seasoned professional, this episode offers valuable insights on how to navigate salary negotiations and boost your earning potential. Tune in for a lively discussion packed with tips and personal anecdotes that will help you understand the landscape of MRI salaries and set realistic expectations for your career.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Indeed
- Bureau of Labor and Statistics
- Emory University School of Medicine
The dialogue surrounding MRI technologist salaries is often riddled with misconceptions, and this episode tackles those head-on. Chandria, a veteran in the field, speaks on the common pitfalls that aspiring MRI techs face when setting their salary expectations, particularly in an age where social media amplifies stories of inflated paychecks. She discusses her own experiences transitioning from a CT technologist to an MRI specialist, providing listeners with a relatable narrative that highlights the importance of being well-informed about the realities of salary scales in the medical imaging profession. Chandria's insights are grounded in real-world data, as she references figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reveal a startling range in salaries across different states and levels of experience.
Throughout the episode, Chandria emphasizes the importance of understanding the broader context of salary structures. She elaborates on how various factors—including geographic location, local demand for MRI services, and individual qualifications—play pivotal roles in determining pay. Notably, she points out that while the average salary for MRI technologists hovers around $83,740, starting salaries can vary significantly, with some new professionals earning as little as $39,000 in states with high competition and low demand. This disparity is not just a matter of income but also reflects the challenges of navigating the job market in different regions, prompting listeners to consider their location carefully when seeking employment.
The conversation takes a proactive turn as Chandria encourages listeners to invest in their careers through additional certifications and specialized training, which can open doors to higher-paying positions. She discusses the significance of negotiating salaries based on credible data rather than anecdotal evidence, advocating for a strategic approach to career advancement. By the end of the episode, listeners are left with practical advice and a clearer understanding of the financial landscape within the MRI technology field, empowering them to make informed decisions about their educational and career paths.
Takeaways:
- MRI technologist salaries vary significantly based on location, experience, and job demand.
- Initial expectations for MRI pay can be inflated; it's crucial to research actual figures.
- The average starting salary for new MRI techs typically ranges from $50,000 to $60,000.
- Many facilities offer sign-on bonuses, but there are often stipulations involved with them.
- Experience in specialized areas of MRI can greatly increase earning potential over time.
- Understanding the healthcare benefits and retirement plans can be just as important as salary.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(01:00):
Welcome, welcome, welcome to aCouple of Rad Techs.
And we are going live tonight.
I am excited because we'retalking about a topic that you guys
really, really want to talk about.
It's about money.
The truth about MRI techsalaries is what we're going to talk
about today.
So if you are in the radiologyfield, I invite you to please drop
(01:22):
in the comments and let meknow what you guys think, if you
have any comments orquestions, because we're talking
about the truth about MRI techsalaries, pay.
That is going to be really,really, really important because
the pay kind of is all overthe place.
And this right here is goingto help you guys get kind of a grip
on what is going on with the pay.
(01:43):
So let's get right into it.
So let me get a couple things here.
Make sure I got my chat up,because I don't want to miss one
thing.
I'm going to be sharingdifferent slides just to kind of
give you guys an idea thatthis information is coming from the
Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
(02:03):
Indeed.
And it's gonna kind of matchup with also just my opinion of the
experiences I've had.
So do tech, MRI techs reallymake the money?
Everyone thinks that they do.
Let's uncover the truth aboutthese salaries in radiology and mri
because they're kind of likethe wild, wild west out here.
If you've been looking intomri, becoming an MRI technologist,
(02:24):
or maybe you already areworking in the field of radiology,
specifically mri, you mighthave heard some pretty inflated SAL
expectations.
And today I'm here to give youthe real numbers.
And we're going to talk aboutwhat you can actually expect to make
in the field.
If you're new and if you'vebeen in the field for a while, kind
of see how you maybe want tobe flexible and figure out how you
(02:46):
can increase your salary.
Right.
So I'm going to shareeverything from highs to lows, the
surprises and things that I'velearned along the way.
I'm Chandria.
I've been an MRI technologistsince 2006, I think it was.
But I became a radiologictechnologist in 2012.
Two is when I graduated fromEmory University School of Medicine,
(03:07):
got my degree in medicalsciences, specialization in radiologic
technology, and then I wentdirectly into becoming a registered
CT technologist.
And then after that went intomri, got further training in ct,
excuse me, mmmography, as wellas clinical applications.
I did that for a while.
And also I was an educator MRIinstructor for seven years.
(03:30):
So I've Kind of got my handsin a few things and enjoying the
good evening, enjoying theprofession of radiology.
So let's talk about moneybecause that is one of the things
that I feel like is not talkedabout now.
Drop your comments in this, inthe chat please, because I want to
be able to give you guys allthe information live as you, as you
(03:54):
are watching.
So welcome everyone who is inthe chat.
I'm going to try to talk andgive comments back in.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
So welcome.
So we're going to introducethe first part of our conversation
again.
We're talking about MRI payand the truth about it because it's
kind of like the wild wildwest with the pay out there.
(04:15):
If you guys want to share yourexperiences, have you noticed that
they're really high in your area?
Don't give any specifics onyour pay unless you're comfortable
with that.
I don't feel like you have tothis everyone's pay is their business.
But maybe in your area, do youfeel it's fair of what they're paying
you and the technologist inyour area for mri?
(04:35):
And I'll tell you my opinionin the south where I am compared
to what I've made when Iworked in the north or what I made
when I worked in the west,because it is very different.
So in this video, we're goingto do a deep dive into the salaries
of MRI technologists and we'regoing to talk really broadly when
it comes to radiologyprofessionals, but specifically mri.
(04:56):
I'll go into factors thatinfluence pay, clear up some common
misconceptions thatindividuals may have when it comes
to pay, and kind of answer whyis the pay all over the place?
So from starting salaries totop earners and everything in between,
we're going to break down thetruth about MRI tech pay.
I'll give you again my honestreview of what I think MRI techs
(05:19):
are being paid in myparticular area and across the US
as well, and how thosesalaries really stock up and stack
up in this career in whatpeople are doing and the things we're
asked to do.
So I've got a comment fromRaina that says MRI pay is the MRI
something to do with the heart?
So we do MRIs of the heart.
So I'll answer those questions.
(05:39):
We're going to talk about paytoday, but please, yeah, MRI technologists.
We are magnetic resonanceimaging technologists.
You go to school to become aradiologic technologist first or
you can go to a two yearprogram minimum and become an MRI
technologist.
If you meet the qualificationsof the actual school.
And after that, what you do istake imaging of any part of the body.
(06:02):
It doesn't mean just theheart, but it's any part of the body.
Actually, we can scan as smallthe vessels within the body.
We can scan the heart, we canscan the brain.
So we do it to get more detailof a known issue.
And so the doctors can thenhelp the patient and figure out what's
going on.
But usually that's what MRI isused for.
(06:24):
So what are some of theproblems or challenges MRI technologists
face when it comes to pay?
Many people come into thefield with huge expectations based
on what they've seen online,like social media.
You see all the posts thattalk about, oh, you make six figures
coming right out of school.
There's one that I did.
(06:44):
I'm going to show you a videothat I stitched from someone where
the young lady says she made$900,000 and she was a radiologic
technologist.
Now, I'm not saying shedoesn't because there are some factors
that I don't think many peoplethink about which could increase
her salary.
And I'm going to get intothose things in this video and some
videos in the future aboutways you can increase your salary.
(07:05):
I have a video coming up thattalks about ways that you can go
beyond being a technolog toincrease your salary that I don't
think many technologists feelthat they're qualified for and know
that they're qualified to dothat and can do it.
So also, you know, based onwhat they see and hear online and
hear from others, people couldtell you, people could tell you anything.
People can tell you, I makethis amount of money just like on
(07:28):
a video, you don't know ifit's true or not.
And if you go in negotiatingyour pay based off what people tell
you they make, that's not it.
So today I'm going to give yousolid, solid ways to use information
when it comes to increasingyour salary and to actually go in
with credible information toknow what you should be making and
(07:48):
know, know how to negotiate.
So but seeing, but afterseeing what the industry really pays
and understanding the factorsthat affect salaries, I had to adjust
my expectations as well.
Because I am going to be honest.
When I was in school for,well, learning MRI on the job, I
learned on the job, when I waslearning MRI on the job, you know
what I was like, I can't waittill I get out.
(08:10):
I some big ideas on how, howmuch I was going to make and what
I was going to do with that money.
I for some reason thought itwas going to be this huge jump in
pay from being a CTtechnologist for the years that I
had been one.
And I was like I'm triple certified.
Oh boy, it's going to just gofor here, go from here.
So that's what I'm saying.
(08:31):
I'm talking from experience.
So after seeing the industry,what it pays, how things have changed,
how they haven't changed, andunderstanding factors that exist
affect salaries, I'd adjust myown expectations.
And today I'm going to sharewith you what I wish I knew and wish
I wish what I wish I knew sooner.
So we have a great comment.
It says in I live in theeastern North Carolina, I'm still
(08:52):
a student, but from what I seeon indeed and job postings for MRI
in my area is 28 to $40,mostly in the low to mid 30 hour
in my area.
So thank you so much.
That is a really, really goodcomment because that is in the more
southern part of the UnitedStates and that is about accurate.
But what the big gap is there28 to $40.
(09:13):
So you know most people aregoing to say well I want the $40.
What do you have to do to getthe $40?
And is there anything you cando about getting more than 40?
And what lol.
I'm trying my best to berealistic about my future salary.
Yeah.
And I hope this video helpsindividuals to be realistic.
Because if you think about $28an hour with the two year degree,
(09:36):
honestly people could say Ican't live off $28 an hour.
But if you break $28 an hourdown to if you work 40 hours a week,
number one, when was the lasttime did you, when you before you
went to school, look at howmuch money you made an hour?
Was it $28 or more?
If it was, you probably chosethe wrong career or you're choosing
radiology for a different reason.
(09:57):
Because if you left a higherpaying job to come in to make lower
money, the strategy maybewasn't good or you had another strategy,
I don't know.
But if you were making more,less than 28, how much less were
you making?
And what did you have to do tomake that money that you made before
now?
What do you have to do now tothat you increased your salary, probably
(10:17):
doubled it, or added severaldollars to it.
That's the realization that Iwould like people to understand is
where are you coming from thatyou're gauging how much you feel
you should be making.
And the realistic part is whatwe're going to talk about today,
the basics of it.
So we're going to talk about.
We're going to start at the basics.
The average starting salaryfor MRI technologist ranges from
(10:41):
about 50,000 to 60,000.
And we're talking, you know,southern part of the United States.
Again, depending on whereyou're located, it starts there.
Now, I some people go off of.
Indeed.
I'm going to tell you what Igo off of.
So I'm going to share myscreen and show you all what I personally
would go off of if I were you.
(11:02):
Indeed.
It's great.
I love it too.
But this is actually what Iwould go off of if I were you when
it comes to searching foractual statistics with your salary.
So here we're going to shareour screen.
Share my screen.
And I hope this is helpful foryou all.
(11:23):
So here we go.
So according to the.
There we go.
So according to the Bureau, U.S.
bureau of labor andStatistics, we are looking at radiologic
and MRI technologists, theOccupational Outlook Handbook.
And this is showing us in2023, what was the median pay?
(11:47):
$36.55 an hour.
That is not everywhere.
But this is just giving whatthe data showed.
And you want to break this down.
So once you go to thiswebsite, you'll be able to go into
your state, into probably yourcity and be a little more specific
because I'm going to show youlater how you can go from state to
(12:11):
state to state, city to cityand actually look up that data.
So this is just a summary.
Usually 2023 started out as$76,000 with an associate's degree.
It tells you how to become one.
The job out, the on the job training.
There is no on the jobtraining to become a radiology technologist
or MRI technologist.
(12:32):
It is a degreed program.
They expected to grow 6%faster than average.
And employment change from2023 to 2033 is 16,800 more technologists.
So I want to scroll down andwe're going to look at the pay.
The median annual wage formagnetic resonance imaging technologists
(12:52):
was 83,000 740,000 in May of 2023.
The median annual forradiologic technologist was 73,000.
So the median, this is themedian, not the starting, that is
the average.
Basically the average is 83.
7 for 83,000 in 2023.
(13:16):
So has it gone up?
Has it gone down?
This, this is the data thatthey have.
So we'll probably be gettingmore data in 20, 25.
But I hope this part is reallyhelpful because you get to see if
you're just getting out ofschool, you probably won't fall into
that median category.
So what most hospitals have isMRI tech 1, MRI tech 2, MRI tech
(13:36):
3, 4.
They kind of go up in levels.
Some hospitals will requireyou to test to see where you fall
in those.
(14:57):
Sometimes if you just gettingout of school, you don't.
You're going to test, butyou're not going to be able to score
higher than an MRI tech onebecause you don't have any experience
working outside of school.
So they're automatically goingto categorize you as a one.
You're going to need time tobe able to get to 2, 3, 4, but that
hopefully this is helpful.
(15:17):
This is to me a more solidlook at the actual pay.
Now I'm going to click on thetab for pay and notice it has a graph
here and it breaks down MRItechnologists and it breaks down
the other ones, but basically83, 740 is what it is.
Now it also goes into somemore in depth information when it
(15:39):
comes to kind of categorizesradiologic technologists, MRI technologists
together.
So I don't think it's all that clear.
But it does give you an ideaof what the median is.
And you have to realize againthat if you're a new technologist
out of school, you're notgoing to fall in that median.
So kind of back it back alittle bit and be realistic when
you go on indeed and see thesesalaries, look through the description
(16:00):
to see are they hiring for MRItechnologist that has this type of
experience.
So that's maybe why they'repaying this.
So when I interview and I seeI don't have it, I may not get the
job and if I get it, they'regoing to try to back me down to the
pay.
So what you want to do, what Iencourage you to do, and I'll talk
about this later, is get the experience.
So you can bump up that payreally quickly, but you're going
(16:23):
to need to get that experience.
So the median annual, excuseme, the median wage, which is half
of the workers in occupationearn more than that amount and half
earn less.
So the lowest 10% earned$61,470,000 and the highest 10% MRI
technologists earned the sixfigures $112,420.
(16:46):
So the median falls rightthere, right in the middle.
So that it goes back to what Iwas saying, 61,000.
Usually it's about 50 to 70 tostart out as an MRI technologist.
Realistically.
Right, realistically.
So that's one thing I try toencourage people to do, is be realistic.
Of course, the job markets,like indeed are gonna really sell
(17:09):
you on the high salariesbecause that gets people in.
It's almost like clickbait onsocial media.
They shock you with this titleand when you get in, it's nothing
like that.
So you gotta kind of look atthat as well.
So I'm under the tab that says state.
Uh, so we're gonna look at thestate and I'm gonna pull a couple
states up here.
If you can see employment ofmagnetic resonance technologist of
(17:31):
a May 2023, you have the darkgreen has the most.
You see, Georgia and Floridahas a lot.
Missouri, Illinois, Texas,huge state.
It has a lot.
All of these in here have a lot.
North Carolina has a lot.
I think someone in thecomments is in North Carolina.
North Carolina has a lot of technologies.
It says the employment isabout 10, 20 annual wage is about
(17:56):
79,000.
Georgia annual wage is about 82,000.
And they have 1170 technologists.
Florida is about 75,850 annualwages of May of 2023.
And they have, look, 31603160MRI technologists.
That is a lot.
(18:16):
And that is, I mean, look atthe pay.
But everybody wants to live in Florida.
That's going to affect yourpay as well.
The states that you live in,if you're choosing to live, Hawaii,
I mean, look at Alaska.
Alaska has 70 MRI technologiesand look how much they get paid.
They're hitting at six figures.
Now.
Alaska is not cheap to live in.
I have friends that live out there.
It's, it's not cheap.
(18:37):
You got to take intoconsideration too, how much.
And then it's cold.
You have to be willing to livein certain environments to make that
money.
I'm going to talk about thatlater too.
California is 104k on average,but they have 3320 MRI technologies.
Now I'm going to just go to Montana.
There are 70 MRI technologists.
Probably not a whole lot ofhospitals out there.
(18:58):
And I'm going to talk aboutthis later about rural, rural facilities.
But 80,000 is the pay averagein Montana.
Now some of these lightergreen ones, let's choose them.
I'm going to go to NorthDakota because I've got friends there.
Let's go there.
50 technologists in North Dakota.
(19:19):
In North Dakota.
And they are $76,710,000.
So you can Kind of see the pay.
But look at West Virginia,smack dab in the middle of all of
these.
77 in Ohio, Pennsylvania, 83.
West Virginia, 75.
They don't have a lot oftechnologists compared to everyone
(19:42):
around them.
So keep that in mind when Italk about some of the things.
But West Virginia, smack dabin the middle and yet their Pay is
like $10,000 off.
75 from Ohio, 77, that's not a lot.
And Virginia, 87, 75.
Pennsylvania, 83.
(20:03):
So there's close to a $10,000difference in pay.
But when you go over toDelaware, 90,000 if my mouse can
get over some of these little ones.
New Jersey, let's see, NewJersey, 98,000.
Massachusetts, it doesn't havean annual wage there.
(20:24):
But Maine.
Maine is 84,000.
There are 210 technologists there.
This gives you a good ideawhen I get on to the next topic about
pay when it comes to populousplaces versus rural places.
Let's see.
(20:45):
Here we go.
So annual mean wage of MRItechnologists by state.
Annual mean, here we go.
The highest paid is the dark blue.
The lowest paid is the really,really light blue.
And you see Florida is reallylight blue.
Like 39,000, 10%.
People are making 39,000 ayear as an MRI technologist down
(21:05):
in Florida.
Yeah.
Puerto Rico, the 10% is 30,000.
Louisiana, there's 10% making 47,000.
Let's go to Georgia.
The lowest pay is 59,000.
So you see what I saidearlier, 70 to 50.
50 to $70,000.
I was not joking.
That is that.
(21:26):
So if you go to Alaska, the 10percentile wages lowest is going
to be 85,000.
Those places that people really.
But look at New York.
New York is very popular.
It's very expensive.
The lowest is 70,000, but thehighest is 124.
So it's going to depend onexactly kind of where you're at.
(21:46):
That's why I'm showing you.
It's kind of all over the place.
But when you take intoconsideration the area that you're
in, how many hospitals arethere, the population, the economics
of the area and how manytechnologists are there, that is
gonna.
And the weather.
Everybody wants to live in Florida.
(22:07):
I mean, look at Hawaii.
Hawaii pays really well.
The lowest is 96k, highest is 124.
But it's really expensive tolive in Hawaii and everybody wants
to live there.
I bet if we see how manytechnologists are there, it's a lot.
But I love these, this databecause you can kind of be realistic
with yourself versus whatsocial media is with you.
(22:28):
Right.
So I, I really hope this is helpful.
I hope this is, you know,showing you the data behind it.
Everyone.
Raina says everyone's movingto my state.
Oh, wow.
Plus, you will have snow.
Snowbird patients.
Yeah.
That's one thing about Florida.
You.
There's an MRI facility inSouth Florida on every corner.
(22:49):
Like, I have never been to aplace that has so many MRI facilities
on each corner.
Just, like, really shocks me.
But I thought this was reallyhelpful to give you the data that
you need in order to be ableto make a educated decision when
it comes to what do I want to,you know, like, what do I want to
(23:10):
do?
How much are things?
How do I want to price myself?
You don't want to overpriceyourself and you don't want to underprice
yourself.
Right.
I mean, I, I don't think youshould, but you want to also be realistic
and not so much just go on.
What indeed is chart is sayingyou should make.
So I'm going to share myscreen again and share with you.
What indeed is charge is.
(23:31):
Is saying you should possiblybe paid.
And look how different it isfrom the actual data.
So here we go.
So we're looking at indeedhere indeed has United States MRI
technologist.
And this is per hour.
I started at per hour, butnotice the graph right here.
It shows low, average and high.
(23:53):
So you're going to need to berealistic from the data I just showed
you, look at your state andyou're going to have to say, now
what is my state really paying?
This is the United States.
And on average, Mosttechnologists make $56.97 on average.
What does that translate per year?
Per year, on average, that's132, 839.
(24:14):
Now, we saw the data from2023, and there was a increase in
salary for radiologictechnologists, MRI technologist,
all medical imaging the lastcouple of years.
So that data, we're justwaiting for the 2024 data to come
out to see how much of a raisemany got some got.
So this data we know does notmatch the 2023 data.
(24:35):
But could it be off by thatmuch to where it's saying that in
the United States, on the lowend, MRI technologists are making
106,000.
On average, they're making 132.
So that's taking all of thesestates that we just saw, and we saw
many of those states were in a50 to $70,000 range a year.
So how could this be onaverage or even in a low percentile,
(24:59):
six figures.
I'm going to take one of thosestates that we talked about, North
Carolina.
North Carolina was one ofthose states and I'm going to search
it.
So on the low end it saysNorth Carolina is 106 on average
124 which is 6% below average.
And per hour it's sayingthat's $53.
Now that was different fromthe 2023 data.
(25:21):
Starkly different.
I'm going to also do Georgia.
See what it says for Georgia.
Per hour 5272.
So North Carolina and Georgiawere put pretty close even on the
data.
But it's saying that onaverage technologists at MRI In Georgia
make 122k a year.
On low, again, still six figures.
(25:42):
That was different from thedata but I'm wondering could it have
changed that much?
Now let's go to the beautifulSunshine State of Florida.
Now we saw the data and it'ssaying that on low 84,836.
So would that be the 10%?
Really how is indeed doingthis data?
Now they do have jobs downhere below that evidently are showing
(26:05):
how much you get paid.
But one of those things Ithink if you don't know from experience
is some of these facilitieshave a hard time keeping staff because
of the patient senses that youhave to work with the quality of
imaging equipment and how muchthey work you.
So what you got to do is saywell if they're really paying me
(26:26):
six figures straight out ofschool, how hard am I going to have
to work for it?
You know you're going to haveto look at those things because I'm
not saying that the indeed iswrong but because there are salaries
out there that are very high.
But and sign on bonuses likethere are $20,000 sign on bonuses
out there you guys.
I mean there are some huge,huge sign on bonuses out there but
(26:50):
some of those facilities I doknow personally and those sign on
bonuses are there for a reason.
And if it's not saying sign onbonuses are bad because I would definitely
take a sign on bonus but Iwould say be strategic about it and
make sure that you know how toget your money when you do do a sign
on bonus.
So I'm going to pull up Alaska here.
It says it's 15 above national average.
Alaska was one of the higherpaying states.
(27:13):
It didn't have a lot of technologists.
We understand the demo, thearea, the weather.
It is a very cold place andcan be very dark for a long period
of time.
So it would be hard foreveryone to be able to live there.
But so.
And it is expensive to live in Alaska.
So the low salary according toindeed and they have jobs down here
(27:33):
that they are marketing one isa travel job.
You have to also look at thatindeed calculates in travel jobs,
which of course 3,000 to$4,000 a week is a travel job.
That usually is not a actualsalary of a staff job.
So if you add that into theircalculations, that's going to jump
up these averages of coursehere for you.
(27:55):
So I hope this gave you somekind of idea of what the pay is when
you are trying to get into theprofession and what you really need
to look at.
So of course it's going todepend on location.
Your location is a huge role.
Plays a huge role.
Big cities, especially on thecoast tend to make more because of
(28:17):
the cost of living and demandsmaller towns, they might pay a little
lower as we saw in WestVirginia and it had Ohio and all
of those cities right around it.
Yet it paid lower.
So you have to look at those things.
South Dakota paid a littlelower than North Dakota.
Why is that?
You have to figure out yourarea that you're in.
So when it comes to experienceand specialization, the more experience
(28:37):
you gain, the higher yoursalary potential.
Remember I talked aboutstarting when you come out of school,
they're most likely going tostart you as an MRI tech.
One once you get in thatposition, you want to start immediately
getting your experience, whichmeans get an experience in neuro
studies, getting experience inpediatric imaging.
That's going to bump up yourpay because it may not bump up your
(28:59):
pay in that particular hospital.
You may have to go to anotherhospital, but it's going to bump
up your pay when you learndifferent, different type of imaging
and have different skills.
Say you didn't know how to doIVs, now you know how to do IVs.
You didn't know how to doperfusion studies.
Now you know how to doperfusion studies.
You've gotten extra trainingin cardiac MRI because you didn't
know how to do that before.
But now you are the go tocardiac tech.
(29:21):
And there are so many placesthat need cardi, cardiac mri, technologist.
So it's more important.
It's also important toconsider the benefits, not just the
money.
The money is important, don'tget me wrong.
But healthcare, what kind ofhealth care are they?
So they pay you a lot ofmoney, but the health care costs
you a lot of money.
Are you really breaking evenor making money, you know, or coming
(29:43):
out in a hole.
Retirement plans.
What does their retirementplan look like?
Would you work at a place thatoffers you a pension and after being
vested for five or 10 yearsworking there, a full on pension
that includes your insurance,you can retire early and you make
less hourly or would you takethe more hourly that has no pension,
no good retirement.
You got to look at thosethings off those things and see which
(30:04):
one is a good trade off.
Do I want want all the moneynow or do I want to negotiate other
things?
Those are ways to reallyincrease your MRI salary.
Also your time off, how areyou compensated for that?
Like what is the calculationof that?
If you ask most technologists,how many hours do you have to work
to get at least one day off orhow many weeks do you get off a lot?
(30:26):
Don't know.
That's really important.
That is really important.
Overtime or bonuses?
Many MRI technologists workovertime or their own call shifts.
Some departments have to havean on call person because they are
not open 24,7.
MRI is normally not open 24,7in most places.
So that's why people pull a call.
Some hospitals don't getcalled in at all for mri, but some
(30:50):
do.
I was on call when I used towork at different facilities and
I rarely got called in even atsome of the busiest hospitals I worked
at.
But I got paid for being on call.
Some people I remember workingat one place, the guy took everybody's
call.
He had a full time job and allhe did was work on the weekends and
take everybody during theweek's call.
Everybody gladly gave it tohim because none of us wanted to
(31:11):
kick off our slippers and getout of our sleeping clothes once
we got home and got called in.
So you know, those are somethings that can actually add significantly
to the amount of your paycheck.
And he like paid several billswith just being on call.
He was like this is like thismuch extra money.
Like being on call can be awhole another salary.
(31:33):
Also negotiate those things aswell and see how much call can you
take or do you have to take take.
Some employers also offer signon bonuses or performance initiatives
incentives as well.
And I talked about the sign onbonuses earlier.
If you look out there now,there are a lot of jobs out there
that offer sign on bonuses,20k, 15k.
Of course they come with stipulations.
(31:55):
So you gotta be aware of those.
Because if you get the 20,000and you say oh my goodness, I am
not happy here and you gospend the 20,000.
They want their money back andlegally they have to get their money
back.
You have to pay them back.
So I recommend if you do takea sign up bonus, don't spend it,
make sure you're paid it tomake sure they pay you and don't
(32:15):
spend it until you completethe assignment or you decide to cancel
and they prorate and you givethat back.
So you get you have to set upthe sign up bonus correctly too.
So basically here's what whereit gets interesting while you're
starting pay for MRI text mayseem pretty good.
The real money comes with timeand experience.
I hope that's what you got forfrom this video.
(32:37):
Look at the data.
I'm talking about six figuresbut it doesn't happen overnight as
you see as you see in the data.
There are many technologiststhat do make six figures but it's
not as social media isportraying that right outta school
you're gonna make six figures.
And really what is six figures?
I have a podcast that actuallytalks about really what is six figures?
And do you really need sixfigures to live like what you think
(33:00):
someone making six figures lives?
Lives like so check it out.
I've also seen techs hit thosehigh numbers after years of working
in the field, especially ifthey move into management or take
on additional roles.
But remember, it's a marathon,not a sprint.
And that's not the only wayfor you to make six figures or to
get to the salary that you'rehappy with.
To sum it all up, MRItechnology salaries are solid, they
(33:22):
are really good, but theydemand a variety of factors to get
there.
If you're just starting, don'texpect to make top dollar right away.
But over time your earningpotential can grow substantially
and you are the one that makesthat decision.
How you want to grow yourcareer and how you want to make that
kind of money.
What kind of money do you wantto make?
(33:42):
Don't let social media dictateto you that you have to make six
figures because money doesn'tmake you happy, it pays bills.
And anybody can make a lot ofmoney, but how you make it will determine
how much you enjoy it.
So if you're thinking aboutbecoming an MRI technologist, know
that it's reward.
It's a rewarding career, bothfinancially and professionally.
But like any job, it takestime, experience and sometimes a
(34:05):
bit of strategy to plan toreach those higher paying levels.
So I encourage you all.
I love to hear your thoughts.
I appreciate those in a chatthat have left a comment.
If you're already MRItechnologist or considering a career,
Please definitely leave yourthoughts below.
Drop a Comment Let me knowwhat you've heard about MRI salaries.
If you feel like the pay isfair in your area, and if you found
(34:28):
this video helpful, make sureto hit the like button and subscribe
for more content on all things radiology.
And don't forget to turn onthe ring the bell notifications to
to get notified when newvideos drop.
And follow me on Instagram formore behind the scenes of my career
in radiology.
And let's keep theconversation going and let me know
what else you guys would likefor me to talk to you about when
(34:50):
it comes to radiologic technology.
Toodles.
Thanks so much for everything.
And wait, let me get to these comments.
I was about to leave.
Let me get to these commentsbefore I go because we're on live.
You saw a job in Bethsaida andclose to where you live.
It pays like 48 to $60 an hour.
That is amazing.
So you see there's still a big gap.
Yeah, Raina says she's takingnotes for Nuke Med.
(35:12):
Nukemed is an amazing profession.
Cost of living in Miami is not cheap.
So yeah, those are some reallygood comments in the chat.
Thank you guys very much.
And again, let me know whatother comments you have.
And next time I go live, besure to turn on notifications to
be in the conversation.
Until next time.
(35:32):
Take care.
Welcome, welcome, welcome to aCouple of Rad Techs.
And we are going live tonight.
I am excited because we'retalking about a topic that you guys
really, really want to talk about.
It's about money.
The truth about MRI techsalaries is what we're going to talk
about today.
So if you are in the radiologyfield, I invite you to please drop
(01:22):
in the comments and let meknow what you guys think, if you
have any comments orquestions, because we're talking
about the truth about MRI techsalaries, pay.
That is going to be really,really, really important because
the pay kind of is all overthe place.
And this right here is goingto help you guys get kind of a grip
on what is going on with the pay.
(01:43):
So let's get right into it.
So let me get a couple things here.
Make sure I got my chat up,because I don't want to miss one
thing.
I'm going to be sharingdifferent slides just to kind of
give you guys an idea thatthis information is coming from the
Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
(02:03):
Indeed.
And it's gonna kind of matchup with also just my opinion of the
experiences I've had.
So do tech, MRI techs reallymake the money?
Everyone thinks that they do.
Let's uncover the truth aboutthese salaries in radiology and mri
because they're kind of likethe wild, wild west out here.
If you've been looking intomri, becoming an MRI technologist,
(02:24):
or maybe you already areworking in the field of radiology,
specifically mri, you mighthave heard some pretty inflated SAL
expectations.
And today I'm here to give youthe real numbers.
And we're going to talk aboutwhat you can actually expect to make
in the field.
If you're new and if you'vebeen in the field for a while, kind
of see how you maybe want tobe flexible and figure out how you
(02:46):
can increase your salary.
Right.
So I'm going to shareeverything from highs to lows, the
surprises and things that I'velearned along the way.
I'm Chandria.
I've been an MRI technologistsince 2006, I think it was.
But I became a radiologictechnologist in 2012.
Two is when I graduated fromEmory University School of Medicine,
(03:07):
got my degree in medicalsciences, specialization in radiologic
technology, and then I wentdirectly into becoming a registered
CT technologist.
And then after that went intomri, got further training in ct,
excuse me, mmmography, as wellas clinical applications.
I did that for a while.
And also I was an educator MRIinstructor for seven years.
(03:30):
So I've Kind of got my handsin a few things and enjoying the
good evening, enjoying theprofession of radiology.
So let's talk about moneybecause that is one of the things
that I feel like is not talkedabout now.
Drop your comments in this, inthe chat please, because I want to
be able to give you guys allthe information live as you, as you
(03:54):
are watching.
So welcome everyone who is inthe chat.
I'm going to try to talk andgive comments back in.
Hello.
Hello.
Hello.
So welcome.
So we're going to introducethe first part of our conversation
again.
We're talking about MRI payand the truth about it because it's
kind of like the wild wildwest with the pay out there.
(04:15):
If you guys want to share yourexperiences, have you noticed that
they're really high in your area?
Don't give any specifics onyour pay unless you're comfortable
with that.
I don't feel like you have tothis everyone's pay is their business.
But maybe in your area, do youfeel it's fair of what they're paying
you and the technologist inyour area for mri?
(04:35):
And I'll tell you my opinionin the south where I am compared
to what I've made when Iworked in the north or what I made
when I worked in the west,because it is very different.
So in this video, we're goingto do a deep dive into the salaries
of MRI technologists and we'regoing to talk really broadly when
it comes to radiologyprofessionals, but specifically mri.
(04:56):
I'll go into factors thatinfluence pay, clear up some common
misconceptions thatindividuals may have when it comes
to pay, and kind of answer whyis the pay all over the place?
So from starting salaries totop earners and everything in between,
we're going to break down thetruth about MRI tech pay.
I'll give you again my honestreview of what I think MRI techs
(05:19):
are being paid in myparticular area and across the US
as well, and how thosesalaries really stock up and stack
up in this career in whatpeople are doing and the things we're
asked to do.
So I've got a comment fromRaina that says MRI pay is the MRI
something to do with the heart?
So we do MRIs of the heart.
So I'll answer those questions.
(05:39):
We're going to talk about paytoday, but please, yeah, MRI technologists.
We are magnetic resonanceimaging technologists.
You go to school to become aradiologic technologist first or
you can go to a two yearprogram minimum and become an MRI
technologist.
If you meet the qualificationsof the actual school.
And after that, what you do istake imaging of any part of the body.
(06:02):
It doesn't mean just theheart, but it's any part of the body.
Actually, we can scan as smallthe vessels within the body.
We can scan the heart, we canscan the brain.
So we do it to get more detailof a known issue.
And so the doctors can thenhelp the patient and figure out what's
going on.
But usually that's what MRI isused for.
(06:24):
So what are some of theproblems or challenges MRI technologists
face when it comes to pay?
Many people come into thefield with huge expectations based
on what they've seen online,like social media.
You see all the posts thattalk about, oh, you make six figures
coming right out of school.
There's one that I did.
(06:44):
I'm going to show you a videothat I stitched from someone where
the young lady says she made$900,000 and she was a radiologic
technologist.
Now, I'm not saying shedoesn't because there are some factors
that I don't think many peoplethink about which could increase
her salary.
And I'm going to get intothose things in this video and some
videos in the future aboutways you can increase your salary.
(07:05):
I have a video coming up thattalks about ways that you can go
beyond being a technolog toincrease your salary that I don't
think many technologists feelthat they're qualified for and know
that they're qualified to dothat and can do it.
So also, you know, based onwhat they see and hear online and
hear from others, people couldtell you, people could tell you anything.
People can tell you, I makethis amount of money just like on
(07:28):
a video, you don't know ifit's true or not.
And if you go in negotiatingyour pay based off what people tell
you they make, that's not it.
So today I'm going to give yousolid, solid ways to use information
when it comes to increasingyour salary and to actually go in
with credible information toknow what you should be making and
(07:48):
know, know how to negotiate.
So but seeing, but afterseeing what the industry really pays
and understanding the factorsthat affect salaries, I had to adjust
my expectations as well.
Because I am going to be honest.
When I was in school for,well, learning MRI on the job, I
learned on the job, when I waslearning MRI on the job, you know
what I was like, I can't waittill I get out.
(08:10):
I some big ideas on how, howmuch I was going to make and what
I was going to do with that money.
I for some reason thought itwas going to be this huge jump in
pay from being a CTtechnologist for the years that I
had been one.
And I was like I'm triple certified.
Oh boy, it's going to just gofor here, go from here.
So that's what I'm saying.
(08:31):
I'm talking from experience.
So after seeing the industry,what it pays, how things have changed,
how they haven't changed, andunderstanding factors that exist
affect salaries, I'd adjust myown expectations.
And today I'm going to sharewith you what I wish I knew and wish
I wish what I wish I knew sooner.
So we have a great comment.
It says in I live in theeastern North Carolina, I'm still
(08:52):
a student, but from what I seeon indeed and job postings for MRI
in my area is 28 to $40,mostly in the low to mid 30 hour
in my area.
So thank you so much.
That is a really, really goodcomment because that is in the more
southern part of the UnitedStates and that is about accurate.
But what the big gap is there28 to $40.
(09:13):
So you know most people aregoing to say well I want the $40.
What do you have to do to getthe $40?
And is there anything you cando about getting more than 40?
And what lol.
I'm trying my best to berealistic about my future salary.
Yeah.
And I hope this video helpsindividuals to be realistic.
Because if you think about $28an hour with the two year degree,
(09:36):
honestly people could say Ican't live off $28 an hour.
But if you break $28 an hourdown to if you work 40 hours a week,
number one, when was the lasttime did you, when you before you
went to school, look at howmuch money you made an hour?
Was it $28 or more?
If it was, you probably chosethe wrong career or you're choosing
radiology for a different reason.
(09:57):
Because if you left a higherpaying job to come in to make lower
money, the strategy maybewasn't good or you had another strategy,
I don't know.
But if you were making more,less than 28, how much less were
you making?
And what did you have to do tomake that money that you made before
now?
What do you have to do now tothat you increased your salary, probably
(10:17):
doubled it, or added severaldollars to it.
That's the realization that Iwould like people to understand is
where are you coming from thatyou're gauging how much you feel
you should be making.
And the realistic part is whatwe're going to talk about today,
the basics of it.
So we're going to talk about.
We're going to start at the basics.
The average starting salaryfor MRI technologist ranges from
(10:41):
about 50,000 to 60,000.
And we're talking, you know,southern part of the United States.
Again, depending on whereyou're located, it starts there.
Now, I some people go off of.
Indeed.
I'm going to tell you what Igo off of.
So I'm going to share myscreen and show you all what I personally
would go off of if I were you.
(11:02):
Indeed.
It's great.
I love it too.
But this is actually what Iwould go off of if I were you when
it comes to searching foractual statistics with your salary.
So here we're going to shareour screen.
Share my screen.
And I hope this is helpful foryou all.
(11:23):
So here we go.
So according to the.
There we go.
So according to the Bureau, U.S.
bureau of labor andStatistics, we are looking at radiologic
and MRI technologists, theOccupational Outlook Handbook.
And this is showing us in2023, what was the median pay?
(11:47):
$36.55 an hour.
That is not everywhere.
But this is just giving whatthe data showed.
And you want to break this down.
So once you go to thiswebsite, you'll be able to go into
your state, into probably yourcity and be a little more specific
because I'm going to show youlater how you can go from state to
(12:11):
state to state, city to cityand actually look up that data.
So this is just a summary.
Usually 2023 started out as$76,000 with an associate's degree.
It tells you how to become one.
The job out, the on the job training.
There is no on the jobtraining to become a radiology technologist
or MRI technologist.
(12:32):
It is a degreed program.
They expected to grow 6%faster than average.
And employment change from2023 to 2033 is 16,800 more technologists.
So I want to scroll down andwe're going to look at the pay.
The median annual wage formagnetic resonance imaging technologists
(12:52):
was 83,000 740,000 in May of 2023.
The median annual forradiologic technologist was 73,000.
So the median, this is themedian, not the starting, that is
the average.
Basically the average is 83.
7 for 83,000 in 2023.
(13:16):
So has it gone up?
Has it gone down?
This, this is the data thatthey have.
So we'll probably be gettingmore data in 20, 25.
But I hope this part is reallyhelpful because you get to see if
you're just getting out ofschool, you probably won't fall into
that median category.
So what most hospitals have isMRI tech 1, MRI tech 2, MRI tech
(13:36):
3, 4.
They kind of go up in levels.
Some hospitals will requireyou to test to see where you fall
in those.
(14:57):
Sometimes if you just gettingout of school, you don't.
You're going to test, butyou're not going to be able to score
higher than an MRI tech onebecause you don't have any experience
working outside of school.
So they're automatically goingto categorize you as a one.
You're going to need time tobe able to get to 2, 3, 4, but that
hopefully this is helpful.
(15:17):
This is to me a more solidlook at the actual pay.
Now I'm going to click on thetab for pay and notice it has a graph
here and it breaks down MRItechnologists and it breaks down
the other ones, but basically83, 740 is what it is.
Now it also goes into somemore in depth information when it
(15:39):
comes to kind of categorizesradiologic technologists, MRI technologists
together.
So I don't think it's all that clear.
But it does give you an ideaof what the median is.
And you have to realize againthat if you're a new technologist
out of school, you're notgoing to fall in that median.
So kind of back it back alittle bit and be realistic when
you go on indeed and see thesesalaries, look through the description
(16:00):
to see are they hiring for MRItechnologist that has this type of
experience.
So that's maybe why they'repaying this.
So when I interview and I seeI don't have it, I may not get the
job and if I get it, they'regoing to try to back me down to the
pay.
So what you want to do, what Iencourage you to do, and I'll talk
about this later, is get the experience.
So you can bump up that payreally quickly, but you're going
(16:23):
to need to get that experience.
So the median annual, excuseme, the median wage, which is half
of the workers in occupationearn more than that amount and half
earn less.
So the lowest 10% earned$61,470,000 and the highest 10% MRI
technologists earned the sixfigures $112,420.
(16:46):
So the median falls rightthere, right in the middle.
So that it goes back to what Iwas saying, 61,000.
Usually it's about 50 to 70 tostart out as an MRI technologist.
Realistically.
Right, realistically.
So that's one thing I try toencourage people to do, is be realistic.
Of course, the job markets,like indeed are gonna really sell
(17:09):
you on the high salariesbecause that gets people in.
It's almost like clickbait onsocial media.
They shock you with this titleand when you get in, it's nothing
like that.
So you gotta kind of look atthat as well.
So I'm under the tab that says state.
Uh, so we're gonna look at thestate and I'm gonna pull a couple
states up here.
If you can see employment ofmagnetic resonance technologist of
(17:31):
a May 2023, you have the darkgreen has the most.
You see, Georgia and Floridahas a lot.
Missouri, Illinois, Texas,huge state.
It has a lot.
All of these in here have a lot.
North Carolina has a lot.
I think someone in thecomments is in North Carolina.
North Carolina has a lot of technologies.
It says the employment isabout 10, 20 annual wage is about
(17:56):
79,000.
Georgia annual wage is about 82,000.
And they have 1170 technologists.
Florida is about 75,850 annualwages of May of 2023.
And they have, look, 31603160MRI technologists.
That is a lot.
(18:16):
And that is, I mean, look atthe pay.
But everybody wants to live in Florida.
That's going to affect yourpay as well.
The states that you live in,if you're choosing to live, Hawaii,
I mean, look at Alaska.
Alaska has 70 MRI technologiesand look how much they get paid.
They're hitting at six figures.
Now.
Alaska is not cheap to live in.
I have friends that live out there.
It's, it's not cheap.
(18:37):
You got to take intoconsideration too, how much.
And then it's cold.
You have to be willing to livein certain environments to make that
money.
I'm going to talk about thatlater too.
California is 104k on average,but they have 3320 MRI technologies.
Now I'm going to just go to Montana.
There are 70 MRI technologists.
Probably not a whole lot ofhospitals out there.
(18:58):
And I'm going to talk aboutthis later about rural, rural facilities.
But 80,000 is the pay averagein Montana.
Now some of these lightergreen ones, let's choose them.
I'm going to go to NorthDakota because I've got friends there.
Let's go there.
50 technologists in North Dakota.
(19:19):
In North Dakota.
And they are $76,710,000.
So you can Kind of see the pay.
But look at West Virginia,smack dab in the middle of all of
these.
77 in Ohio, Pennsylvania, 83.
West Virginia, 75.
They don't have a lot oftechnologists compared to everyone
(19:42):
around them.
So keep that in mind when Italk about some of the things.
But West Virginia, smack dabin the middle and yet their Pay is
like $10,000 off.
75 from Ohio, 77, that's not a lot.
And Virginia, 87, 75.
Pennsylvania, 83.
(20:03):
So there's close to a $10,000difference in pay.
But when you go over toDelaware, 90,000 if my mouse can
get over some of these little ones.
New Jersey, let's see, NewJersey, 98,000.
Massachusetts, it doesn't havean annual wage there.
(20:24):
But Maine.
Maine is 84,000.
There are 210 technologists there.
This gives you a good ideawhen I get on to the next topic about
pay when it comes to populousplaces versus rural places.
Let's see.
(20:45):
Here we go.
So annual mean wage of MRItechnologists by state.
Annual mean, here we go.
The highest paid is the dark blue.
The lowest paid is the really,really light blue.
And you see Florida is reallylight blue.
Like 39,000, 10%.
People are making 39,000 ayear as an MRI technologist down
(21:05):
in Florida.
Yeah.
Puerto Rico, the 10% is 30,000.
Louisiana, there's 10% making 47,000.
Let's go to Georgia.
The lowest pay is 59,000.
So you see what I saidearlier, 70 to 50.
50 to $70,000.
I was not joking.
That is that.
(21:26):
So if you go to Alaska, the 10percentile wages lowest is going
to be 85,000.
Those places that people really.
But look at New York.
New York is very popular.
It's very expensive.
The lowest is 70,000, but thehighest is 124.
So it's going to depend onexactly kind of where you're at.
(21:46):
That's why I'm showing you.
It's kind of all over the place.
But when you take intoconsideration the area that you're
in, how many hospitals arethere, the population, the economics
of the area and how manytechnologists are there, that is
gonna.
And the weather.
Everybody wants to live in Florida.
(22:07):
I mean, look at Hawaii.
Hawaii pays really well.
The lowest is 96k, highest is 124.
But it's really expensive tolive in Hawaii and everybody wants
to live there.
I bet if we see how manytechnologists are there, it's a lot.
But I love these, this databecause you can kind of be realistic
with yourself versus whatsocial media is with you.
(22:28):
Right.
So I, I really hope this is helpful.
I hope this is, you know,showing you the data behind it.
Everyone.
Raina says everyone's movingto my state.
Oh, wow.
Plus, you will have snow.
Snowbird patients.
Yeah.
That's one thing about Florida.
You.
There's an MRI facility inSouth Florida on every corner.
(22:49):
Like, I have never been to aplace that has so many MRI facilities
on each corner.
Just, like, really shocks me.
But I thought this was reallyhelpful to give you the data that
you need in order to be ableto make a educated decision when
it comes to what do I want to,you know, like, what do I want to
(23:10):
do?
How much are things?
How do I want to price myself?
You don't want to overpriceyourself and you don't want to underprice
yourself.
Right.
I mean, I, I don't think youshould, but you want to also be realistic
and not so much just go on.
What indeed is chart is sayingyou should make.
So I'm going to share myscreen again and share with you.
What indeed is charge is.
(23:31):
Is saying you should possiblybe paid.
And look how different it isfrom the actual data.
So here we go.
So we're looking at indeedhere indeed has United States MRI
technologist.
And this is per hour.
I started at per hour, butnotice the graph right here.
It shows low, average and high.
(23:53):
So you're going to need to berealistic from the data I just showed
you, look at your state andyou're going to have to say, now
what is my state really paying?
This is the United States.
And on average, Mosttechnologists make $56.97 on average.
What does that translate per year?
Per year, on average, that's132, 839.
(24:14):
Now, we saw the data from2023, and there was a increase in
salary for radiologictechnologists, MRI technologist,
all medical imaging the lastcouple of years.
So that data, we're justwaiting for the 2024 data to come
out to see how much of a raisemany got some got.
So this data we know does notmatch the 2023 data.
(24:35):
But could it be off by thatmuch to where it's saying that in
the United States, on the lowend, MRI technologists are making
106,000.
On average, they're making 132.
So that's taking all of thesestates that we just saw, and we saw
many of those states were in a50 to $70,000 range a year.
So how could this be onaverage or even in a low percentile,
(24:59):
six figures.
I'm going to take one of thosestates that we talked about, North
Carolina.
North Carolina was one ofthose states and I'm going to search
it.
So on the low end it saysNorth Carolina is 106 on average
124 which is 6% below average.
And per hour it's sayingthat's $53.
Now that was different fromthe 2023 data.
(25:21):
Starkly different.
I'm going to also do Georgia.
See what it says for Georgia.
Per hour 5272.
So North Carolina and Georgiawere put pretty close even on the
data.
But it's saying that onaverage technologists at MRI In Georgia
make 122k a year.
On low, again, still six figures.
(25:42):
That was different from thedata but I'm wondering could it have
changed that much?
Now let's go to the beautifulSunshine State of Florida.
Now we saw the data and it'ssaying that on low 84,836.
So would that be the 10%?
Really how is indeed doingthis data?
Now they do have jobs downhere below that evidently are showing
(26:05):
how much you get paid.
But one of those things Ithink if you don't know from experience
is some of these facilitieshave a hard time keeping staff because
of the patient senses that youhave to work with the quality of
imaging equipment and how muchthey work you.
So what you got to do is saywell if they're really paying me
(26:26):
six figures straight out ofschool, how hard am I going to have
to work for it?
You know you're going to haveto look at those things because I'm
not saying that the indeed iswrong but because there are salaries
out there that are very high.
But and sign on bonuses likethere are $20,000 sign on bonuses
out there you guys.
I mean there are some huge,huge sign on bonuses out there but
(26:50):
some of those facilities I doknow personally and those sign on
bonuses are there for a reason.
And if it's not saying sign onbonuses are bad because I would definitely
take a sign on bonus but Iwould say be strategic about it and
make sure that you know how toget your money when you do do a sign
on bonus.
So I'm going to pull up Alaska here.
It says it's 15 above national average.
Alaska was one of the higherpaying states.
(27:13):
It didn't have a lot of technologists.
We understand the demo, thearea, the weather.
It is a very cold place andcan be very dark for a long period
of time.
So it would be hard foreveryone to be able to live there.
But so.
And it is expensive to live in Alaska.
So the low salary according toindeed and they have jobs down here
(27:33):
that they are marketing one isa travel job.
You have to also look at thatindeed calculates in travel jobs,
which of course 3,000 to$4,000 a week is a travel job.
That usually is not a actualsalary of a staff job.
So if you add that into theircalculations, that's going to jump
up these averages of coursehere for you.
(27:55):
So I hope this gave you somekind of idea of what the pay is when
you are trying to get into theprofession and what you really need
to look at.
So of course it's going todepend on location.
Your location is a huge role.
Plays a huge role.
Big cities, especially on thecoast tend to make more because of
(28:17):
the cost of living and demandsmaller towns, they might pay a little
lower as we saw in WestVirginia and it had Ohio and all
of those cities right around it.
Yet it paid lower.
So you have to look at those things.
South Dakota paid a littlelower than North Dakota.
Why is that?
You have to figure out yourarea that you're in.
So when it comes to experienceand specialization, the more experience
(28:37):
you gain, the higher yoursalary potential.
Remember I talked aboutstarting when you come out of school,
they're most likely going tostart you as an MRI tech.
One once you get in thatposition, you want to start immediately
getting your experience, whichmeans get an experience in neuro
studies, getting experience inpediatric imaging.
That's going to bump up yourpay because it may not bump up your
(28:59):
pay in that particular hospital.
You may have to go to anotherhospital, but it's going to bump
up your pay when you learndifferent, different type of imaging
and have different skills.
Say you didn't know how to doIVs, now you know how to do IVs.
You didn't know how to doperfusion studies.
Now you know how to doperfusion studies.
You've gotten extra trainingin cardiac MRI because you didn't
know how to do that before.
But now you are the go tocardiac tech.
(29:21):
And there are so many placesthat need cardi, cardiac mri, technologist.
So it's more important.
It's also important toconsider the benefits, not just the
money.
The money is important, don'tget me wrong.
But healthcare, what kind ofhealth care are they?
So they pay you a lot ofmoney, but the health care costs
you a lot of money.
Are you really breaking evenor making money, you know, or coming
(29:43):
out in a hole.
Retirement plans.
What does their retirementplan look like?
Would you work at a place thatoffers you a pension and after being
vested for five or 10 yearsworking there, a full on pension
that includes your insurance,you can retire early and you make
less hourly or would you takethe more hourly that has no pension,
no good retirement.
You got to look at thosethings off those things and see which
(30:04):
one is a good trade off.
Do I want want all the moneynow or do I want to negotiate other
things?
Those are ways to reallyincrease your MRI salary.
Also your time off, how areyou compensated for that?
Like what is the calculationof that?
If you ask most technologists,how many hours do you have to work
to get at least one day off orhow many weeks do you get off a lot?
(30:26):
Don't know.
That's really important.
That is really important.
Overtime or bonuses?
Many MRI technologists workovertime or their own call shifts.
Some departments have to havean on call person because they are
not open 24,7.
MRI is normally not open 24,7in most places.
So that's why people pull a call.
Some hospitals don't getcalled in at all for mri, but some
(30:50):
do.
I was on call when I used towork at different facilities and
I rarely got called in even atsome of the busiest hospitals I worked
at.
But I got paid for being on call.
Some people I remember workingat one place, the guy took everybody's
call.
He had a full time job and allhe did was work on the weekends and
take everybody during theweek's call.
Everybody gladly gave it tohim because none of us wanted to
(31:11):
kick off our slippers and getout of our sleeping clothes once
we got home and got called in.
So you know, those are somethings that can actually add significantly
to the amount of your paycheck.
And he like paid several billswith just being on call.
He was like this is like thismuch extra money.
Like being on call can be awhole another salary.
(31:33):
Also negotiate those things aswell and see how much call can you
take or do you have to take take.
Some employers also offer signon bonuses or performance initiatives
incentives as well.
And I talked about the sign onbonuses earlier.
If you look out there now,there are a lot of jobs out there
that offer sign on bonuses,20k, 15k.
Of course they come with stipulations.
(31:55):
So you gotta be aware of those.
Because if you get the 20,000and you say oh my goodness, I am
not happy here and you gospend the 20,000.
They want their money back andlegally they have to get their money
back.
You have to pay them back.
So I recommend if you do takea sign up bonus, don't spend it,
make sure you're paid it tomake sure they pay you and don't
(32:15):
spend it until you completethe assignment or you decide to cancel
and they prorate and you givethat back.
So you get you have to set upthe sign up bonus correctly too.
So basically here's what whereit gets interesting while you're
starting pay for MRI text mayseem pretty good.
The real money comes with timeand experience.
I hope that's what you got forfrom this video.
(32:37):
Look at the data.
I'm talking about six figuresbut it doesn't happen overnight as
you see as you see in the data.
There are many technologiststhat do make six figures but it's
not as social media isportraying that right outta school
you're gonna make six figures.
And really what is six figures?
I have a podcast that actuallytalks about really what is six figures?
And do you really need sixfigures to live like what you think
(33:00):
someone making six figures lives?
Lives like so check it out.
I've also seen techs hit thosehigh numbers after years of working
in the field, especially ifthey move into management or take
on additional roles.
But remember, it's a marathon,not a sprint.
And that's not the only wayfor you to make six figures or to
get to the salary that you'rehappy with.
To sum it all up, MRItechnology salaries are solid, they
(33:22):
are really good, but theydemand a variety of factors to get
there.
If you're just starting, don'texpect to make top dollar right away.
But over time your earningpotential can grow substantially
and you are the one that makesthat decision.
How you want to grow yourcareer and how you want to make that
kind of money.
What kind of money do you wantto make?
(33:42):
Don't let social media dictateto you that you have to make six
figures because money doesn'tmake you happy, it pays bills.
And anybody can make a lot ofmoney, but how you make it will determine
how much you enjoy it.
So if you're thinking aboutbecoming an MRI technologist, know
that it's reward.
It's a rewarding career, bothfinancially and professionally.
But like any job, it takestime, experience and sometimes a
(34:05):
bit of strategy to plan toreach those higher paying levels.
So I encourage you all.
I love to hear your thoughts.
I appreciate those in a chatthat have left a comment.
If you're already MRItechnologist or considering a career,
Please definitely leave yourthoughts below.
Drop a Comment Let me knowwhat you've heard about MRI salaries.
If you feel like the pay isfair in your area, and if you found
(34:28):
this video helpful, make sureto hit the like button and subscribe
for more content on all things radiology.
And don't forget to turn onthe ring the bell notifications to
to get notified when newvideos drop.
And follow me on Instagram formore behind the scenes of my career
in radiology.
And let's keep theconversation going and let me know
what else you guys would likefor me to talk to you about when
(34:50):
it comes to radiologic technology.
Toodles.
Thanks so much for everything.
And wait, let me get to these comments.
I was about to leave.
Let me get to these commentsbefore I go because we're on live.
You saw a job in Bethsaida andclose to where you live.
It pays like 48 to $60 an hour.
That is amazing.
So you see there's still a big gap.
Yeah, Raina says she's takingnotes for Nuke Med.
(35:12):
Nukemed is an amazing profession.
Cost of living in Miami is not cheap.
So yeah, those are some reallygood comments in the chat.
Thank you guys very much.
And again, let me know whatother comments you have.
And next time I go live, besure to turn on notifications to
be in the conversation.
Until next time.
(35:32):
Take care.
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