How Much Does a Rad Tech Make in San Diego, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for Rad Techs in San Diego, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area
A typical Rad Tech in San Diego, California earns $54.56 per hour, or $113,480 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $9,457 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,440, and the top 10% of earners make over $149,390.
That pay is 6% below the California figure of $121,260 and 42% above the national figure of $80,110. San Diego ranks 11th of 24 metro areas in California for Rad Tech pay. About 1,770 Rad Techs work in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area. San Diego is part of the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chula Vista and Carlsbad share these figures.
Rad Tech pay in San Diego at a glance
- Typical pay is $54.56 an hour, or $113,480 a year.
- That is 6% below the California figure, ranking 11th of 24 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $65,440; the top 10% make over $149,390.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Rad Tech make in San Diego?
Pay in San Diego runs from entry-level positions at around $31.46 an hour to more than $71.82 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
Rad Tech pay by career stage in San Diego
| Career stage | San Diego | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $65,440$31.46 an hour | $70,210$33.76 an hour | $55,980$26.91 an hour |
| First years | $95,700$46.01 an hour | $95,730$46.03 an hour | $64,810$31.16 an hour |
| Typical Rad Tech | $113,480$54.56 an hour | $121,260$58.30 an hour | $80,110$38.52 an hour |
| Experienced | $132,840$63.87 an hour | $137,770$66.24 an hour | $98,750$47.47 an hour |
| Top 10% | $149,390$71.82 an hour | $165,460$79.55 an hour | $118,660$57.05 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area as BLS defines it
Rad Tech pay growth in San Diego
Typical (median) annual wage for Rad Techs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area · BLS OES May estimates, 2019 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2019, typical Rad Tech pay in San Diego was $83,810 a year. By 2025 it had reached $113,480.
How San Diego compares with other California cities
Vallejo pays Rad Techs the most in California at $160,380 a year, $46,900 more than San Diego. The lowest-paying area in the state is El Centro at $92,000.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs San Diego | Rad Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vallejo | $160,380 | $77.10 | +41% | 270 |
| 2 | Sunnyvale metro incl. San Jose · Santa Clara | $154,850 | $74.45 | +36% | 1,000 |
| 3 | Fremont metro incl. San Francisco · Oakland | $141,780 | $68.17 | +25% | 2,850 |
| 4 | Petaluma metro incl. Santa Rosa | $137,530 | $66.12 | +21% | 200 |
| 5 | Roseville metro incl. Sacramento · Folsom | $135,880 | $65.33 | +20% | 1,360 |
| 6 | Redding | $129,960 | $62.48 | +15% | 90 |
| 7 | Watsonville metro incl. Santa Cruz | $129,920 | $62.46 | +14% | 110 |
| 8 | Modesto | $129,030 | $62.04 | +14% | 370 |
| 9 | Lodi metro incl. Stockton | $128,480 | $61.77 | +13% | 280 |
| 10 | Napa | $128,170 | $61.62 | +13% | 40 |
| 11 | San Diego metro incl. Chula Vista · Carlsbad | $113,480 | $54.56 | this city | 1,770 |
| 12 | Santa Barbara metro incl. Santa Maria | $110,770 | $53.26 | -2% | 250 |
| 13 | Anaheim metro incl. Long Beach · Los Angeles | $108,030 | $51.94 | -5% | 6,450 |
| 14 | Thousand Oaks | $107,650 | $51.75 | -5% | 390 |
| 15 | Fresno | $107,350 | $51.61 | -5% | 760 |
| 16 | Ontario metro incl. Riverside · San Bernardino | $105,190 | $50.57 | -7% | 2,140 |
| 17 | Paso Robles metro incl. San Luis Obispo | $103,670 | $49.84 | -9% | 80 |
| 18 | Chico | $103,000 | $49.52 | -9% | 150 |
| 19 | Salinas | $102,330 | $49.20 | -10% | 150 |
| 20 | Merced | $101,400 | $48.75 | -11% | 80 |
| 21 | Bakersfield metro incl. Delano | $99,210 | $47.70 | -13% | 450 |
| 22 | Visalia | $98,610 | $47.41 | -13% | 170 |
| 23 | Hanford metro incl. Corcoran | $98,120 | $47.17 | -14% | 60 |
| 24 | El Centro | $92,000 | $44.23 | -19% | 60 |
Every metro area in California with Rad Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $121,260
Is San Diego a good place to work as a Rad Tech?
Rad Techs in San Diego earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $113,480 a year, 42% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the San Diego · Chula Vista · Carlsbad area, about 1.2 are Rad Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.5. That makes Rad Techs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Rad Tech make in San Diego, CA?
- A typical Rad Tech in San Diego earns $113,480 a year, or $54.56 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $65,440 and the top 10% earn over $149,390.
- How much does a Rad Tech make an hour in San Diego?
- Typical hourly pay for Rad Techs in San Diego is $54.56. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.46, and the top 10% earn over $71.82 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Rad Tech in San Diego?
- Entry-level Rad Tech positions in San Diego typically offer around $31.46 an hour, or $65,440 a year.
- Is Rad Tech pay in San Diego higher than in the rest of California?
- San Diego pay is 6% below the California figure of $121,260 a year, ranking 11th of 24 metro areas in the state. Vallejo pays the most in California at $160,380.