How Much Does a Rad Tech Make in Durham, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Rad Techs in Durham, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Durham · Chapel Hill metro area
A typical Rad Tech in Durham, North Carolina earns $38.67 per hour, or $80,430 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,703 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,740, and the top 10% of earners make over $102,350.
That pay is 8% above the North Carolina figure of $74,450 and right at the national figure of $80,110. Durham ranks 1st of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Rad Tech pay. About 780 Rad Techs work in the Durham · Chapel Hill area. Durham is part of the Durham · Chapel Hill metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chapel Hill share these figures.
Rad Tech pay in Durham at a glance
- Typical pay is $38.67 an hour, or $80,430 a year.
- That is 8% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $63,740; the top 10% make over $102,350.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Rad Tech make in Durham?
Pay in Durham runs from entry-level positions at around $30.64 an hour to more than $49.21 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Rad Tech pay by career stage in Durham
| Career stage | Durham | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $63,740$30.64 an hour | $52,860$25.41 an hour | $55,980$26.91 an hour |
| First years | $65,200$31.35 an hour | $62,870$30.23 an hour | $64,810$31.16 an hour |
| Typical Rad Tech | $80,430$38.67 an hour | $74,450$35.79 an hour | $80,110$38.52 an hour |
| Experienced | $102,250$49.16 an hour | $83,340$40.07 an hour | $98,750$47.47 an hour |
| Top 10% | $102,350$49.21 an hour | $99,210$47.70 an hour | $118,660$57.05 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Durham · Chapel Hill area as BLS defines it
Rad Tech pay growth in Durham
Typical (median) annual wage for Rad Techs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area · BLS OES May estimates, 2019 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2019, typical Rad Tech pay in Durham was $63,230 a year. By 2025 it had reached $80,430.
How Durham compares with other North Carolina cities
Durham pays Rad Techs the most of any metro area in North Carolina. The lowest-paying area in the state is Goldsboro at $62,020.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Durham | Rad Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $80,430 | $38.67 | this city | 780 |
| 2 | Burlington | $79,550 | $38.24 | -1% | 120 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $78,950 | $37.96 | -2% | 2,470 |
| 4 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $77,900 | $37.45 | -3% | 770 |
| 5 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $77,290 | $37.16 | -4% | 1,050 |
| 6 | Fayetteville | $74,220 | $35.68 | -8% | 350 |
| 7 | Asheville | $72,680 | $34.94 | -10% | 410 |
| 8 | Rocky Mount | $72,170 | $34.70 | -10% | 80 |
| 9 | Hickory | $68,780 | $33.07 | -14% | 380 |
| 10 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $68,210 | $32.79 | -15% | 1,080 |
| 11 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $67,520 | $32.46 | -16% | 490 |
| 12 | Wilmington | $67,210 | $32.31 | -16% | 410 |
| 13 | Greenville | $65,750 | $31.61 | -18% | 240 |
| 14 | Southern Pines metro incl. Pinehurst | $64,700 | $31.11 | -20% | 170 |
| 15 | Jacksonville | $63,930 | $30.74 | -21% | 70 |
| 16 | Goldsboro | $62,020 | $29.82 | -23% | 40 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Rad Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $74,450
Is Durham a good place to work as a Rad Tech?
Rad Tech pay in Durham sits close to the national figure: $80,430 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area, about 2.3 are Rad Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 1.5. That makes the local economy more reliant on Rad Techs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Rad Tech make in Durham, NC?
- A typical Rad Tech in Durham earns $80,430 a year, or $38.67 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $63,740 and the top 10% earn over $102,350.
- How much does a Rad Tech make an hour in Durham?
- Typical hourly pay for Rad Techs in Durham is $38.67. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $30.64, and the top 10% earn over $49.21 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Rad Tech in Durham?
- Entry-level Rad Tech positions in Durham typically offer around $30.64 an hour, or $63,740 a year.
- Is Rad Tech pay in Durham higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Durham pay is 8% above the North Carolina figure of $74,450 a year, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.