TN · Knoxville · Updated October 15, 2026

MRI Technologist jobs in Knoxville, TN

Pay for MRI Technologists in the Knoxville area centers on $34.16 per hour, or about $71,050 a year. The lower quarter earns under $30.38 and the upper quarter over $38.24. That ranks 155th of 163 U.S. metro areas for MRI Technologist pay, and 156th of 160 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 6 hospitals in Knoxville. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Knoxville.

More open MRI Technologist roles in Knoxville

2 more open roles from employers in Knoxville. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted today

MRI TECH

Covenant Health · Knoxville, TN

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 76702
New this week
View role

MRI Technologist pay in Knoxville, TN

The metro median is 8% below the Tennessee statewide median of $37.31 per hour. Nationally the median is $42.40 per hour. BLS counts about 130 magnetic resonance imaging technologists employed in the Knoxville metro area, 0.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.12).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$29.84$62,07030% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$30.38$63,19028% below U.S. median
Median$34.16$71,05019% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$38.24$79,54010% below U.S. median
Top 10%$42.04$87,4401% below U.S. median

How Knoxville ranks

  • 155th of 163 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 156th of 160 after adjusting for local prices
  • 4th of 4 Tennessee metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (SOC 29-2035), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

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Named employers near Knoxville, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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What your pay buys in Knoxville

  • Overall prices in Knoxville run 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 17% below the U.S. average (index 82.8).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $34.16 median hour buys what $36.90 buys at the national price level, 13% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Knoxville paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,230
  • Per year: $61,488
  • Per month: $5,124
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Knoxville metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Knoxville

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$119
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,351
13-week assignment$17,563

Travel MRI Technologist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Open MRI Technologist roles in Tennessee

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Knoxville as they open.

Per diemPosted 15 days ago

MRI Technologist

CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN

$31.53–$46.90/ hour
  • PRN
  • Req 95631151792
View role

All MRI Technologist jobs in Tennessee

Hospitals in Knoxville

CMS lists 6 hospitals in Knoxville, 1 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of MRI Technologists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
University Health System, Inc
Knoxville, TN
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
Knoxville, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Parkwest Medical Center
Knoxville, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
East Tennessee Childrens Hospital
Knoxville, TN
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
East Tennessee Behavioral Health
Knoxville, TN
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Knoxville Center For Behavioral Medicine
Knoxville, TN
PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

MRI Technologist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Cleveland, TN75 mi$37.31/hr50,232
Asheville, NC83 mi$38.38/hr94,992
Kingsport, TN87 mi$37.31/hr57,109
Johnson City, TN91 mi$37.31/hr73,635
Chattanooga, TN96 mi$36.91/hr191,496
Greenville, SC119 mi$38.74/hr74,371

MRI Technologist jobs in Tennessee · MRI Technologist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Tennessee

ARRT certification in MRI, or ARRT radiography with MRI training. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Tennessee state guide

Other healthcare roles in Knoxville

Knoxville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do MRI Technologists make in Knoxville, TN?

MRI Technologists in the Knoxville metro area have a median pay of $34.16 per hour, about $71,050 a year. The middle half earn between $30.38 and $38.24 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Knoxville a good place for MRI Technologists once cost of living is counted?

Knoxville ranks 156th of 160 metro areas for MRI Technologist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 155th of 163 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.

Where do MRI Technologists work in Knoxville?

CMS lists 6 hospitals in Knoxville, led by University Health System, Inc. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Knoxville as an MRI Technologist?

ARRT certification in MRI, or ARRT radiography with MRI training. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Tennessee requires for your role with the Tennessee licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Knoxville?

The federal per diem benchmark in Knoxville is $119 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,351 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place MRI Technologists in Knoxville?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Knoxville and across Tennessee. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Knoxville.

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What do employers near Knoxville pay MRI Technologists? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

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Pay report · MRI Tech near Knoxville, TN
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your MRI Tech pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Tennessee list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • NewYork-PresbyterianNew York · 3 postings$63.47/ hr$57–$71
  • CommonSpirit HealthPORT ORCHARD, WA · 4 postings$62.31/ hr$46–$83
  • Boston Medical CenterBrighton, MA · 10 postings$55.47/ hr$43–$73
  • Mass General BrighamBoston, MA · 18 postings$55.14/ hr$22–$69

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Tennessee list

2What they are offering now

Low$35Median$47.50High$62

238 MRI Tech postings with published pay in the US, 175 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 1 MRI Tech roles

  1. MRI TechnologistPer diem
    $31.53–$46.90/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Chattanooga, TN · posted 15 days ago

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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