How Much Does an MRI Tech Make in North Dakota in 2026?

A typical MRI Tech in North Dakota earns about $38.76 per hour, or $80,610 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $6,718 a month and $1,550 a week. These figures reflect typical pay across the state's MRI Techs as a whole, not entry-level or senior specialists specifically.

That figure sits 16% below the national typical pay of $95,480 a year, placing North Dakota 44th among the 51 states and territories tracked. Around 70 MRI Techs work in the state, a small workforce compared with the national total of 43,390. The gap with national pay often tracks the lower cost of living in North Dakota compared with larger metro areas elsewhere.

Entry-level positions in North Dakota typically offer around $69,180 a year ($33.26 an hour) for MRI Techs just starting out. Pay generally rises toward the statewide typical figure of $80,610 within the first few years on the job. Newer technologists usually earn less while they build experience with a full range of scan types and equipment. Facilities in larger cities may offer slightly higher starting pay than smaller communities.

Experienced MRI Techs in North Dakota often earn upwards of $89,620 a year, and the top 10% of earners make over $95,800. That leaves a spread of $26,620 between entry-level and top-tier pay in the state. Setting, years of experience, and city all play a part in where an individual technologist lands within that range. Hospitals and larger imaging centers in cities like Fargo tend to pay toward the higher end.

North Dakota's typical MRI Tech pay rose from $57,520 in 2015 to $80,610 in 2025, a gain of $23,090. That's a 40% increase over the decade, with pay picking up more sharply in the last two years of that stretch. Most of the growth came between 2023 and 2025, when typical pay moved from $66,970 to $80,610. Earlier years saw smaller, steadier increases.

Nationally, typical MRI Tech pay rose about 41% over the same decade, putting North Dakota's 40% climb almost in step with the country as a whole. Pay for MRI Techs in the state has moved up steadily rather than staying flat. Someone starting out now enters the field at a higher point than techs did ten years ago, though future increases are not guaranteed.

Fargo is the only North Dakota metro area with separately reported MRI Tech pay, and it comes in at $78,780 a year ($37.88 an hour). That's about 2% below the statewide typical figure of $80,610, a gap narrow enough that it makes little practical difference. Fargo also carries the state's largest MRI Tech workforce, with 30 of North Dakota's 70 total positions.

With only one metro area separately reported, pay for MRI Techs is fairly uniform across North Dakota rather than varying sharply by city. Smaller communities and rural hospitals likely pay close to the statewide figure of $80,610, though they are not broken out separately in the wage data. Pay differences between cities generally track local living costs, which run lower across most of North Dakota than in larger metro areas nationwide.

Minnesota pays MRI Techs the most among North Dakota's neighbors, with a typical figure of $100,900 a year, about 25% higher than North Dakota. Montana runs 8% higher at $86,950, while South Dakota pays 4% less at $77,010, the only neighboring state below North Dakota's figure. MRI licensure and registry credentials can often transfer or be endorsed across state lines, which makes it easier for technologists to compare offers in nearby states.

MRI Techs in North Dakota typically earn $80,610 a year, pay that has risen 40% over the past decade from $57,520 in 2015. That growth has kept pace closely with the national trend, even though North Dakota's pay remains 16% below the national figure. For specific requirements, check North Dakota's licensing or registry page, and see the Fargo city page for local figures before comparing offers.