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

A typical MRI Tech in Tennessee earns about $37.79 per hour ($78,610 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). Calculated from that annual figure, pay works out to roughly $6,551 a month or $1,512 a week. Those numbers reflect full-time schedules in hospitals, imaging centers, and outpatient clinics across the state.

That sits 18% below the national figure of $95,480 a year, which places Tennessee 48th among the 51 ranked states. About 1,350 MRI Techs work in Tennessee, a modest share of the 43,390 employed nationwide. Lower pay here usually tracks lower living costs, so the gap narrows once housing and everyday expenses are counted.

Entry-level positions in Tennessee typically offer around $29.96 per hour, or about $62,310 a year. A few years of independent scanning commonly brings pay closer to $32.52 an hour, near $67,630 annually. From there, most technologists in the state settle around the typical $37.79 an hour, or $78,610 a year.

Experienced MRI Techs in Tennessee often earn upwards of $39.79 per hour, close to $82,770 a year. The top 10% of earners make over $47.05 an hour, or $97,870 annually. That leaves $35,560 between entry-level pay and top pay. Work setting, years behind the scanner, and the city account for most of that difference.

Tennessee pay has climbed steadily over the past decade. In 2015, the typical MRI Tech in the state earned $57,370 a year. By 2025 that figure had reached $78,610, a gain of $21,240. In percent terms, pay rose 37% across those ten years.

Nationally, MRI Tech pay rose 41% over the same decade, a slightly faster climb than Tennessee's. For someone starting now, the record shows state pay has moved up in most years since 2015, with the largest jumps coming after 2021. Those gains describe what happened and carry no promise about what comes next.

Pay runs highest in Nashville, where MRI Techs typically earn $82,470 a year ($39.65 per hour), about 5% above the statewide figure. Memphis follows at $80,790, or $38.84 an hour. Knoxville sits at $77,080 and Chattanooga at $76,840. Each city figure covers that city's full surrounding metro area.

At the other end, Kingsport reports the lowest typical pay at $74,910 a year, or $36.02 an hour, matching neighboring Bristol. That leaves $7,560 between the highest and lowest paying cities in Tennessee. Nashville also holds the largest workforce, with 350 MRI Techs. Higher city pay often tracks higher local living costs.

Most of Tennessee's neighbors pay more. Virginia leads at $98,640 a year, roughly 25% above the Tennessee figure, and Georgia follows at $92,060, about 17% higher. North Carolina reports $85,120, Missouri $83,110, and Kentucky $82,200, all modestly ahead. Alabama, at $78,890, and Arkansas, at $78,780, sit even with Tennessee, while Mississippi trails at $71,710, about 9% lower. Licensure earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a nearby one.

MRI Techs in Tennessee typically earn $78,610 a year, or $37.79 an hour, up 37% since 2015. Pay is below the national figure, though living costs in the state are lower as well. For requirements, check the Tennessee state licensing and registry page. For local numbers, see the city pages for Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.