Income & Employment Guides UK — Maximise Your Earnings
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.
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+ |