Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of magnetic resonance imaging technologists to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035 (about 3,400 more jobs), with about 2,300 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $95,480 a year ranks 161st of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +7.7%
- Openings a year
- 2,300
- Median pay
- $95,480
- Pay rank
- 161st of 825
Is employment of magnetic resonance imaging technologists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of magnetic resonance imaging technologists to rise 7.7% (about 3,400 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +8.0% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 71 healthcare practitioners and technical occupations with a projection. That change ranks 105th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 43,900 |
| Employment, 2035 | 47,300 |
| Projected change | +7.7% |
| Openings a year | 2,300 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 43,900 jobs here differ from the 43,390 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 2,300 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 517th most of 830 occupations. About 85% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 340 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for magnetic resonance imaging technologists rank?
The median of $95,480 a year ranks 161st of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on pay and the lower half on openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: associate's degree.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | +5.0% | 13,000 | $80,110 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | +3.7% | 3,400 | $74,310 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | +13.9% | 6,000 | $96,590 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | +4.4% | 800 | $101,370 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | +5.9% | 12,400 | $50,290 |
| Radiation Therapists | +2.8% | 700 | $105,310 |
| Respiratory Therapists | +8.5% | 8,600 | $82,280 |
| Radiologists | +3.4% | 700 | $420,860 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.