How Much Does an MRI Tech Make in Pennsylvania in 2026?

A typical MRI Tech in Pennsylvania earns about $43.81 per hour ($91,120 per year), according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that comes to roughly $7,593 a month and $1,752 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. Pay varies with the employer, the city, and years on the job.

That pay sits 5% below the national typical wage of $95,480 a year, and Pennsylvania ranks 29th out of 51 states and D.C. for MRI Tech pay. About 2,250 MRI Techs work in the state, a workforce large enough to show up clearly in wage data across its cities. Lower pay compared with the national figure usually tracks lower living costs in much of the state.

Entry-level positions in Pennsylvania typically offer around $51,280 a year ($24.65 an hour) for MRI Techs just starting out. That's well below the state's typical pay of $91,120, reflecting time spent building hands-on experience with different scan protocols and equipment. Pay tends to climb toward the typical figure within the first few years on the job, as techs take on more complex cases and gain certifications.

Experienced MRI Techs in Pennsylvania often earn upwards of $100,750 a year ($48.44 an hour), and the top 10% of earners make over $107,990 a year ($51.92 an hour). That leaves a spread of $56,710 between entry-level and top pay in the state. Setting, years of experience, and city all play a part in where an individual tech lands within that range.

MRI Tech pay in Pennsylvania has climbed steadily over the past decade, from $62,060 in 2015 to $91,120 in 2025. That's a gain of $29,060, or 47%, over ten years. The rise wasn't perfectly even; pay dipped slightly in 2019 and again in 2024 before climbing again.

Nationally, MRI Tech pay rose 41% over the same ten years, so Pennsylvania's growth outpaced the country as a whole. Pay in the field has moved up substantially over the past decade, though past growth is no promise of future increases. Someone starting an MRI Tech career in Pennsylvania today enters a field where pay has trended upward for years.

Pay runs highest in Reading, where MRI Techs typically earn $100,110 a year, about 10% above the state figure. Allentown ($99,730 a year) and Philadelphia ($98,620 a year) also pay above the state typical. These figures cover each city's full metro area, not just the city center.

Pittsburgh pays the least among the state's tracked cities, at $81,040 a year, a spread of $19,070 between the highest- and lowest-paying metro areas. Philadelphia employs the most MRI Techs of any Pennsylvania city, with about 1,160 working in its metro area. Cities with lower pay, like Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, also tend to have a lower cost of living than Reading or Philadelphia.

Pennsylvania trails most of its neighbors in MRI Tech pay. New York pays 24% more ($113,270 a year), and Maryland, New Jersey, and Delaware all pay 14-15% more. Ohio pays 4% less, and West Virginia pays 12% less ($80,490 a year), the lowest among Pennsylvania's neighbors. MRI licensure and certification in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring state, which can make it easier to compare offers across state lines.

MRI Techs in Pennsylvania typically earn $91,120 a year ($43.81 an hour), a figure that has risen 47% over the past decade. Pay varies by city and experience, with Reading and Philadelphia among the higher-paying metro areas and Pittsburgh among the lower. Readers weighing a move or a new role can check Pennsylvania's licensing and registry requirements and compare specific city pages for local figures before deciding where to work.