How Much Does a Rad Tech Make in North Carolina in 2026?

A typical Rad Tech in North Carolina earns about $35.79 per hour, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). That works out to $74,450 per year. On a monthly basis, calculated from the annual figure, that comes to roughly $6,204, or about $1,432 a week.

North Carolina pay runs 7% below the national figure of $80,110 a year (or $38.52 an hour), placing the state 37th out of 51 states ranked. About 9,250 Rad Techs work across North Carolina, compared with 230,490 nationwide. Lower pay here tracks the state's lower cost of living rather than any other factor.

Entry-level positions in North Carolina typically offer around $25.41 an hour, or about $52,860 a year, according to the same wage data. Pay tends to move toward the typical rate of $35.79 an hour within the first few years on the job. New Rad Techs often start in hospital settings before moving into higher-paying specialties or outpatient imaging centers.

Experienced Rad Techs in North Carolina often earn upwards of $40.07 an hour, and the top 10% make over $47.70 an hour, or about $99,210 a year. The gap between entry-level and top pay comes to $46,350 across the state. Setting, years of experience, and city all play a role in where an individual technologist lands within that range.

North Carolina Rad Tech pay rose from $57,480 in 2019 to $74,450 in 2025, a gain of $16,970. That is a rise of about 30% over that six-year span. A large share of that increase landed in the most recent year, with pay climbing from $67,150 in 2024 to $74,450 in 2025.

Nationally, Rad Tech pay rose 32% over the same decade-length comparison, slightly ahead of North Carolina's climb. Pay has moved up steadily for Rad Techs entering the field now, though past gains do not guarantee future increases. Anyone weighing a move into radiologic technology in North Carolina can expect pay that has kept pace with, if not quite matched, the national trend.

Pay runs highest in the Chapel Hill and Durham metro areas, where Rad Techs earn $80,430 a year, about 8% above the state figure. Burlington follows closely at $79,550 a year, and the Salem and Winston metro areas pay $77,900. These figures cover each city's full metro area, not just the city center.

At the lower end, the Goldsboro metro area pays Rad Techs about $62,020 a year, the lowest figure among the state's tracked cities, a spread of $18,410 from the top. Charlotte holds the largest Rad Tech workforce in the state, at 2,470, with pay there at $78,950 a year, or $37.96 an hour. Smaller metro areas like Goldsboro simply post lower pay than the Triangle or Charlotte on the state's city list.

North Carolina's Rad Tech pay sits close to its neighbors, though the range is wide. Virginia pays the most nearby, at $80,670 a year, about 8% above North Carolina. Georgia sits almost even at $74,550, while South Carolina pays 7% less at $69,600 and Tennessee pays 13% less at $64,630. A Rad Tech license earned in North Carolina can often be endorsed into a neighboring state without starting the licensing process over.

Rad Techs in North Carolina typically earn $74,450 a year, up from $57,480 in 2019, a gain that has kept pace with much of the national trend. Pay varies by city and experience level, from entry-level figures near $52,860 to top earners over $99,210. Readers considering the field can check the North Carolina medical imaging licensing board for registry requirements, and the city pages on this site for local figures in places like Charlotte, Durham, or Asheville.