$91,450 per year is the median MRI Instructor / Faculty salary, or $43.97 per hour. Typical pay spans $62,380 per year to $128,700 per year.
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The median MRI Instructor / Faculty salary in the United States is $91,450 per year, which translates to an hourly rate of approximately $43.97 per hour. Most full-time faculty teaching magnetic resonance imaging in academic and clinical environments earn between $62,380 (the 10th percentile) and $128,700 (the 90th percentile) annually. Pay varies based on academic rank, whether the position is a 9-month faculty appointment or a 12-month clinical coordinator role, and the sponsoring institution type.
MRI Instructor and Faculty Compensation Overview (2026)
Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
Median Annual Salary | $91,450 per year |
Median Hourly Equivalent | $43.97 per hour |
Typical Pay Range (10th–90th Percentile) | $62,380 – $128,700 per year |
Top-Paying State (Average) | California ($114,820 per year) |
Postsecondary Health Educators Employed | 221,270 nationwide |
Projected Job Outlook (2024–2034) | +17.3% (Much faster than average) |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, May 2025 data released 2026) for Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1071) and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) Radiologic Technologist Wage and Salary Survey.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks academic educators under the broader classification of Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1071), which reports a broader median salary of $107,310 per year. Because that broader classification includes medical school professors and doctoral-level clinical researchers, dedicated associate-degree and baccalaureate MRI instructors earn slightly less than the overarching category median. However, qualified MRI educators earn a distinct premium over bedside technologists due to the scarcity of ARRT-certified and ARMRIT-certified technologists holding advanced academic degrees.
What Affects MRI Instructor and Faculty Pay
Educator compensation depends on four factors: teaching experience, geographic location, the sponsoring institution, and contract structure.
Experience and Academic Rank
New faculty members moving directly from clinical scanning into the classroom usually start as clinical instructors or adjunct lecturers. As instructors gain curriculum design experience, achieve tenure, or take on clinical coordinator responsibilities, compensation scales upward.
MRI Instructor and Faculty Pay by Experience Level
Experience Tier | Typical Role / Academic Rank | Hourly Rate | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
Entry-Level (1–3 years teaching) | Clinical Instructor / Adjunct Faculty | $29.99 – $36.38 per hour | $62,380 – $75,690 per year |
Mid-Career (4–9 years teaching) | Assistant Professor / Clinical Coordinator | $39.18 – $48.75 per hour | $81,500 – $101,400 per year |
Senior (10+ years teaching) | Associate / Full Professor / Program Director | $53.60 – $61.88+ per hour | $111,500 – $128,700+ per year |
Based on wage percentiles from the BLS OEWS May 2025 release mapped against imaging faculty benchmarks from the ASRT.
Location: Top-Paying States and Metro Areas
Geographic compensation patterns reflect differences in living expenses and state higher-education budgets. West Coast institutions and Northeast academic health systems lead the nation in faculty base compensation.
Top-Paying States for MRI Faculty and Health Educators
State | Hourly Average | Annual Mean Wage |
|---|---|---|
California | $55.20 per hour | $114,820 per year |
New York | $53.41 per hour | $111,100 per year |
Massachusetts | $51.88 per hour | $107,920 per year |
Washington | $49.66 per hour | $103,300 per year |
Texas | $45.14 per hour | $93,900 per year |
Metropolitan areas with major medical schools and research clusters command the highest earnings. The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara and San Francisco-Oakland areas in California average annual faculty wages exceeding $125,000 per year, though high housing costs offset much of the gross income advantage. By comparison, programs in suburban Midwest and Southern markets offer salaries in the $82,000 to $92,000 range alongside a substantially lower cost of living.
Work Setting
The type of institution determines your teaching load, research obligations, and base pay:
Four-Year Colleges and Universities: Pay higher base salaries for tenure-track faculty ($95,000 to $120,000 per year), though appointments frequently require a master's or doctoral degree.
Community and Technical Colleges: Offer predictable schedules with median pay between $78,000 and $92,000 per year. Hiring requirements typically prioritize extensive clinical experience and a bachelor's degree over doctoral research.
Hospital-Based Radiography Programs: Sponsoring health systems often tie instructor pay directly to hospital allied health pay bands, ranging from $84,000 to $104,000 annually.
Proprietary / For-Profit Vocational Institutes: Often hire full-time didactic instructors at $70,000 to $85,000 per year, with flexible rolling start dates throughout the calendar year.
Employment Type and Contract Terms
Academic salaries differ significantly based on contract structure. A 9-month faculty contract pays for the fall and spring academic semesters, allowing instructors to earn extra income by teaching summer sections or picking up PRN clinical shifts in hospital scanning suites. In contrast, 12-month administrative faculty, including Clinical Coordinators and Program Directors, receive higher guaranteed annual salaries but carry year-round administrative responsibilities.
Specializations and Certifications That Increase Pay
Holding credentials beyond basic radiography certification significantly raises an instructor's market value. Programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) require faculty to maintain verified competence in their subject areas.
Credentials and Their Pay Impact for MRI Educators
Credential / Specialization | Issuing Body | Average Salary Impact |
|---|---|---|
ARRT (MR) Primary / Post-Primary Registry | ARRT | Baseline requirement ($80,000 – $95,000/yr) |
MRSO / MRMD (Magnetic Resonance Safety Officer) | ABMRS | +$6,000 – $12,000 per year |
Multi-Modality Certification (ARRT R, CT, MR) | ARRT | +$5,000 – $10,000 per year |
Master’s Degree in Radiologic Sciences / Education (MSRS, M.Ed.) | Accredited University | +$8,000 – $15,000 per year (Required for tenure) |
Obtaining the Magnetic Resonance Safety Certified (MRSC) or Magnetic Resonance Safety Officer (MRSO) credential from the American Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety allows faculty to teach dedicated safety physics courses and consult as institutional safety experts, creating additional stipend opportunities.
Pay Outlook for 2026 and Beyond
The employment outlook for MRI instructors remains strong. According to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, jobs for postsecondary health specialties teachers are projected to grow by 17.3 percent from 2024 to 2034, generating roughly 27,400 job openings nationwide each year.
This growth stems from two factors: rising patient demand for diagnostic imaging as the population ages, and an ongoing shortage of qualified educators in allied health programs. As veteran faculty reach retirement, academic programs face fierce competition from hospitals and imaging centers that pay high clinical wages. As a result, educational institutions are increasing starting faculty compensation, offering signing bonuses, and creating hybrid teaching schedules to attract qualified MRI professionals into academia.
How to Raise Your Pay as an MRI Faculty Member
If you want to maximize your earning potential in MRI education, consider these practical career moves:
Advance to Program Director or Clinical Coordinator: The ASRT wage survey highlights that Radiologic Science Program Directors earn an average of $101,177 to $109,000 per year, compared to standard instructor salaries. Moving into administrative oversight adds immediate compensation.
Earn a Graduate Degree: Most community colleges and universities offer automatic pay bracket increases for faculty who complete a Master of Science in Radiologic Sciences (MSRS) or a Master of Education (M.Ed.).
Maintain Per Diem Clinical Practice: Teaching full-time on a 9-month or 10-month schedule leaves weekends and academic breaks open. Working 12 to 16 hours a month of per diem hospital shifts at clinical rates of $50 to $65 per hour can supplement your base teaching salary by $10,000 to $15,000 annually.
Deliver Corporate Applications Training: Medical equipment manufacturers (such as GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers, and Philips) hire experienced MRI educators as per-diem clinical applications specialists to train hospital staff on new scanner installations, commanding premium day rates.
About the Job
An MRI instructor prepares radiography and imaging students for careers operating magnetic resonance scanners. Day-to-day responsibilities include lecturing on MRI physics and pulse sequences, designing laboratory simulations, supervising clinical rotations at hospital partner sites, assessing student scanning competencies, and ensuring compliance with JRCERT accreditation criteria.
Most employers require at least an associate degree and ARRT(MR) or ARMRIT certification, alongside two to three years of direct clinical scanning experience. Program director and university tenured roles generally require a minimum of a bachelor's degree, with a master's degree preferred.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
All salary and employment estimates are based on the latest available data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS, May 2025 data released 2026) for Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1071) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (SOC 29-2035), the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (2024–2034 projection period), and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Radiologic Technologist Wage and Salary Survey.
Frequently asked questions
The national median hourly wage for an MRI Instructor is approximately $43.97 per hour. Depending on experience, region, and teaching load, pay ranges from $29.99 per hour for entry-level adjuncts to over $61.88 per hour for senior program administrators.
California offers the highest average annual pay for health imaging faculty at roughly $114,820 per year, followed closely by New York ($111,100) and Massachusetts ($107,920).
Full-time tenured professors and program directors frequently earn more than general staff technologists. However, entry-level faculty base salaries are comparable to senior hospital staff technologist pay. Educators gain predictable daytime schedules, extensive academic holidays, and comprehensive institution pension plans.
You typically need active ARRT(MR) or ARMRIT registry credentials, a minimum of two years of clinical experience, and an academic degree at or above the level of the program you teach (such as a bachelor's degree to teach in an associate degree program).
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Erica Niklasson
