Incomes

How Much Do Radiographers Earn in the UK? — 2026 Salary Guide

Complete guide to radiographer salaries in the UK for 2026. Diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, NHS bands, CT/MRI, sonographers, private sector, locum rates, and career progression.

· 4 min read

Radiography is a rewarding healthcare career with excellent job security and specialist progression opportunities. Here’s the complete breakdown of what diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers earn.

NHS Radiographer Pay Bands (2025/26)

Diagnostic Radiography

Band Role Salary Range
Band 5 Newly qualified radiographer £29,970-£36,483
Band 6 Senior/specialist radiographer £37,338-£44,962
Band 7 Advanced practitioner/team lead £46,148-£52,809
Band 8a Consultant practitioner/service lead £53,755-£60,504
Band 8b Service manager £62,215-£72,293
Band 8c Head of imaging/clinical director £74,290-£86,601

Therapeutic Radiography

Band Role Salary Range
Band 5 Newly qualified therapeutic radiographer £29,970-£36,483
Band 6 Senior therapeutic radiographer £37,338-£44,962
Band 7 Advanced/specialist therapeutic £46,148-£52,809
Band 8a Lead therapeutic radiographer £53,755-£60,504
Band 8b+ Service manager/consultant £62,215-£86,601

Specialist Radiography Pay

Sonography/Ultrasound

Level NHS Band Salary
Sonographer in training Band 6 £37,338-£44,962
Qualified sonographer Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
Advanced sonographer Band 8a £53,755-£60,504
Consultant sonographer Band 8b £62,215-£72,293
Private (employed) N/A £50,000-£75,000
Private (self-employed) Session-based £60,000-£100,000+

CT and MRI

Specialism Typical Band Salary
CT radiographer Band 5-6 £29,970-£44,962
CT specialist Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
MRI radiographer Band 5-6 £29,970-£44,962
MRI specialist Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
CT/MRI superintendent Band 7-8a £46,148-£60,504

Interventional Radiography

Level Band Salary
Interventional radiographer Band 6 £37,338-£44,962
Advanced interventional Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
Lead interventional Band 8a £53,755-£60,504

Reporting Radiographers

Level Band Salary
Reporting radiographer Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
Advanced reporting Band 8a £53,755-£60,504
Consultant reporting Band 8b £62,215-£72,293

Mammography

Level Band Salary
Mammographer Band 6 £37,338-£44,962
Advanced mammographer Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
Breast screening lead Band 8a £53,755-£60,504

Private Sector Radiography

Private Hospitals

Level Salary
Radiographer £32,000-£42,000
Senior radiographer £40,000-£50,000
Specialist (CT/MRI/sono) £48,000-£62,000
Imaging manager £55,000-£75,000

Major Private Employers

Employer Typical Range
Spire Healthcare £32,000-£55,000
Nuffield Health £32,000-£52,000
HCA Healthcare £35,000-£60,000
Circle Health £32,000-£55,000
Alliance Medical £34,000-£55,000
InHealth £32,000-£52,000

Self-Employed Sonographer Rates

Setting Session Rate
NHS bank (locum) £35-£50/hour
Private clinic (obstetric) £50-£100/scan
Private clinic (MSK/general) £60-£120/scan
Own business £80-£150/scan

Locum/Agency Radiography

Band Equivalent Hourly Rate Daily Rate
Band 5 £22-£30 £175-£240
Band 6 £28-£38 £225-£300
Band 7 £35-£48 £280-£385
Band 8a £42-£55 £335-£440
Sonographer £40-£60 £320-£480
MRI/CT specialist £32-£45 £260-£360

Locum Premium

Locums typically earn 30-50% more than permanent staff but without:

  • NHS pension (worth ~20% of salary)
  • Paid annual leave
  • Sick pay
  • Job security
  • CPD funding

NHS Pay Enhancements

Enhancement Details
High Cost Area (Inner London) +£5,000-£7,500/year
High Cost Area (Outer London) +£4,000-£6,000/year
High Cost Area (Fringe) +£1,500-£2,500/year
Unsocial hours (nights/weekends) Time plus 30-60%
On-call Varies by trust
Bank holiday Enhanced rates

Regional Pay Comparison

Region Band 6 Salary
Inner London £44,338-£51,962
Outer London £41,338-£48,762
Fringe (South East) £38,838-£46,462
Rest of England £37,338-£44,962
Scotland Similar to England
Wales Similar to England
Northern Ireland Comparable scales

How to Become a Radiographer

Qualification Routes

Route Duration Entry
BSc Diagnostic Radiography 3 years A-levels (sciences preferred)
BSc Therapeutic Radiography 3 years A-levels (sciences preferred)
PgDip Radiography 2 years Relevant degree
Degree apprenticeship 3-4 years GCSE/A-levels

Post-Qualification Specialism

Specialism Training Route
Sonography PgCert/PgDip (1-2 years)
CT In-house + short courses
MRI In-house + PgCert
Mammography SCoR accredited course
Reporting MSc (2-3 years part-time)
Interventional In-house + courses

Registration Requirements

Requirement Details
HCPC registration Mandatory (£106/year)
Approved degree From SCoR/HCPC approved programme
DBS check Required for employment
SCoR membership Recommended (£190/year)

NHS Pension

Key Features

Feature Details
Scheme NHS Pension Scheme (2015)
Type Career Average (CARE)
Accrual rate 1/54 per year
Normal pension age State Pension Age
Employee contribution 9.3-12.5%
Employer contribution ~20.6%

Example Pensions

Scenario Annual Pension
Band 6, 30 years at average £42,000 ~£23,300
Band 7, 25 years at average £50,000 ~£23,100

Career Progression

Diagnostic Radiography Pathway

Stage Years Band Salary
Newly qualified 0-2 Band 5 £29,970-£36,483
Senior radiographer 2-5 Band 6 £37,338-£44,962
Specialist/team lead 5-10 Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
Advanced practitioner 8-15 Band 8a £53,755-£60,504
Service manager 12+ Band 8b-8c £62,215-£86,601

Sonography Pathway

Stage Years Band Salary
Radiographer 0-3 Band 5-6 £29,970-£44,962
Sonography training 3-5 Band 6 £37,338-£44,962
Qualified sonographer 5+ Band 7 £46,148-£52,809
Advanced sonographer 10+ Band 8a £53,755-£60,504

Demand and Job Security

Factor Status
Staff shortages Significant (good for job security)
NHS vacancies High in most trusts
Locum demand Very strong
Private sector growth Expanding
Sonographer shortage Critical

Summary

Role Salary Range
NHS Band 5 (new grad) £29,970-£36,483
NHS Band 6 (senior) £37,338-£44,962
NHS Band 7 (specialist) £46,148-£52,809
NHS Band 8a (advanced) £53,755-£60,504
Sonographer (Band 7) £46,148-£52,809
Private sector £32,000-£62,000
Locum (daily) £225-£480
Self-employed sonographer £60,000-£100,000+