NHS Radiographer Salary 2026/27: Diagnostic & Therapeutic Pay

Last updated: 28 September 2026 · Figures verified against the NHS Employers 2026/27 pay circular.

By the NHS Bands Pay editorial team

Radiographer pay bands 2026/27

"Radiographer" covers two distinct registered professions — diagnostic radiographers (X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound and other imaging) and therapeutic radiographers (radiotherapy for cancer treatment) — but the pay story is the same for both: Band 5 on qualification, Band 6 for senior roles, Band 7 for advanced practice, and 8a and above for consultant radiographers. The 3.3% 2026/27 award, effective 1 April 2026, applies across the ladder.

Newly qualified radiographer: Band 5

Both diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers start on £32,073 (£16.38 an hour), up from £31,049 in 2025/26. Rotational Band 5 posts — moving through plain film, CT, MRI or across radiotherapy treatment units — are the norm in the first year or two.

Senior and advanced radiographer: Bands 6–7

Senior radiographers (£39,959–£48,117) typically lead a modality or shift. The significant step is to advanced practitioner (£49,387–£56,515): reporting radiographers who issue formal image reports, or therapeutic radiographers running specialist techniques, sit here — usually after postgraduate study. Consultant radiographers (8a, £57,528–£64,750) combine expert clinical practice with service leadership and research.

Source: NHS Employers 2026/27 pay award; rates also published by Health Careers NHS.

Diagnostic vs therapeutic: same bands, different working patterns

The two professions share a pay scale but not a working week. Diagnostic radiographers in acute hospitals work 24/7 imaging rotas — nights, weekends and on-call for CT and plain film — so unsocial-hours enhancements and on-call payments are a substantial part of take-home pay. Therapeutic radiographers mostly work weekday treatment schedules with far fewer unsocial hours, which means basic pay is a larger share of total earnings and rotas are more predictable. Neither is "better paid" in any fixed sense: a diagnostic radiographer on a heavy on-call rota can out-earn a therapeutic radiographer a band higher on basic pay alone.

Take-home pay: worked examples

Approximate monthly take-home for England in 2026/27 (standard 1257L tax code, no student loan, before enhancements). Pension at the 2025/26 tiers.

That is roughly £2,040 a month at entry and £3,309 at the top of Band 7 — before the on-call and shift payments that diagnostic rotas generate.

On-call for imaging: how it is paid

Out-of-hours imaging — overnight CT for stroke and trauma, urgent plain film — is covered by on-call rotas. As with theatre staff, AfC pays an availability payment for the on-call period plus call-out payments at overtime rates when you attend. A diagnostic radiographer at Band 6 entry (£20.41 an hour) called in for three hours overnight would earn about £91.85 for the call-out (3 × £20.41 × 1.5), plus the availability payment. In major trauma centres, where call-outs are frequent, on-call can add well over £500 a month — which is why two Band 6 radiographer posts in different hospitals can pay very differently in practice. Local on-call policies vary, so compare them directly when choosing between jobs. See our unsocial hours and overtime guide for the national rules, and ODP salary for how theatre on-call compares.

Unsocial hours on 24/7 imaging rotas

Diagnostic radiographers on full shift rotas earn Section 2 enhancements: +30% for Saturday and weekday nights, +60% for Sundays and bank holidays. At Band 5 top (£19.95 an hour), a Sunday shift is worth £31.92 an hour; at Band 6 top (£24.58), it is £39.33. Therapeutic radiographers working standard weekday hours earn few enhancements — the trade-off for predictable working patterns.

Sonographer pay: the related high-demand route

Ultrasound — sonographers — deserves a special mention because it is one of the hardest-to-recruit areas in imaging. Sonographer posts are typically Band 7 (£49,387–£56,515), reflecting the postgraduate qualification and autonomous reporting. Radiographers who train in ultrasound usually see the largest single pay jump available within the profession, which is why ultrasound training places are fiercely competitive.

Career progression and specialisation

• Band 5 → 6: modality specialisation (CT, MRI, interventional), senior rotations; typically 1–3 years.
• Band 6 → 7: advanced practitioner — image reporting (diagnostic) or specialist technique leads (therapeutic) — usually requiring a postgraduate certificate or master's.
• Band 8a+: consultant radiographer roles in reporting, service leadership or research.

Reporting qualifications are the single most valuable pay lever in diagnostic radiography: they underpin both the Band 7 advanced roles and independent reporting work. Compare the ladder with physiotherapist salary, another AHP profession with a strong advanced-practice tier.

Student radiographer finance

Diagnostic and therapeutic radiography are degree courses (HCPC-approved) with standard student finance and, on eligible courses, the NHS Learning Support Fund. Placements are full-time blocks in imaging departments — students should budget for travel to placement sites, which for radiotherapy may mean a regional cancer centre some distance from home.

London weighting and the devolved nations

London radiographers add HCAS: inner London is 20% of basic (between £5,794 and £8,746), so a Band 5 entry radiographer in inner London earns about £38,488 in 2026/27 — see NHS London weighting. Scotland awarded 3.75% from April 2026 with its own scale and a 36-hour week (NHS Scotland pay); Wales implemented 3.3% (NHS Wales pay); Northern Ireland's 3.3% recommendation is not yet implemented (NHS Northern Ireland pay).

Frequently asked questions

What band is a newly qualified radiographer?

Band 5 — £32,073 a year (£16.38 an hour) in England in 2026/27 — for both diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers. Senior radiographers are Band 6, advanced practitioners Band 7 and consultant radiographers Band 8a and above.

Do diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers earn the same?

Basic pay is identical at the same band. In practice, diagnostic radiographers on 24/7 rotas often earn more overall because of unsocial-hours enhancements and on-call payments, while therapeutic radiographers typically work predictable weekday hours with fewer enhancements.

Do radiographers get paid for on-call?

Yes — an availability payment for the on-call period plus call-out payments at overtime rates. A 3-hour overnight call-out at Band 6 entry is worth roughly £92 before the availability payment. Terms vary by trust.

How much does an MRI radiographer earn?

Modality specialisation affects banding rather than carrying its own pay scale: MRI radiographers are typically Band 5–6, with senior MRI leads at Band 6 (£39,959–£48,117) and advanced practitioners at Band 7 (£49,387–£56,515) in 2026/27.

What does a sonographer earn in the NHS?

Sonographer posts are typically Band 7: £49,387–£56,515 in England in 2026/27, reflecting the postgraduate qualification and autonomous reporting role.

What is the hourly rate for a radiographer?

Band 5: £16.38–£19.95; Band 6: £20.41–£24.58; Band 7: £25.23–£28.87 an hour (England 2026/27, full-time equivalent, before enhancements and on-call).

How do I become a reporting radiographer?

Usually via postgraduate study (PgCert to master's level) in image reporting after consolidating as a Band 5–6 radiographer. Reporting underpins the Band 7 advanced practitioner roles — the biggest pay step in the profession.

Reporting radiographers: the highest-paid way to stay in imaging

Plain-film reporting by radiographers — formally reporting X-rays rather than acquiring them — is one of the clearest pay progressions in the profession, typically sitting at Band 7 (£49,387–£56,515) with a postgraduate reporting qualification. Beyond that, consultant radiographers (8a–8b: £57,528–£77,368) lead services in areas such as breast imaging, CT head reporting and emergency imaging, often combining clinical work with research and teaching. The route requires structured postgraduate study — usually a master's-level reporting programme — plus a sustained period of supervised reporting practice, which trusts increasingly fund because reporting radiographers directly cut reporting backlogs. For a Band 6 radiographer weighing the options, reporting is the highest-paid route that keeps you in imaging rather than moving into management or retraining as a sonographer.

Sources and independence

Source: NHS Employers 2026/27 pay award.

Source: Health Careers NHS: Agenda for Change pay rates.

Source: NHS Employers unsocial hours factsheet.

This is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the NHS. Figures are full-time equivalent (37.5 hours/week) for England. Always check your trust's ESR record and your payslip for your actual pay.