Radiologic Technologist Jobs in Detroit, MI
Radiologic technologists in metro Detroit earn a median of about $37.27 an hour, and Henry Ford Health alone has X-ray openings from Detroit and Dearborn to Warren and Novi. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring, what it pays and how to earn the ARRT registry employers require.
Current radiologic technologist Openings in Detroit, MI
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Radiologic Technologist Work in Detroit
X-ray work in metro Detroit follows the hospital map. The densest cluster is in Midtown and New Center, where DMC's Children's Hospital of Michigan and Detroit Receiving, Henry Ford Hospital on West Grand Boulevard and the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center all run hospital imaging departments. Sinai-Grace covers northwest Detroit, Garden City Hospital serves the western Wayne County suburbs, and McLaren runs radiology at McLaren Oakland in Pontiac and McLaren Macomb in Mount Clemens.
Outpatient imaging is the other big source of jobs. Henry Ford has radiographers posted at medical centers and clinics across the tri-county area, from Wyandotte and Plymouth to Clinton Township, Shelby Township and St. Clair Shores, plus pain clinics and outpatient surgery centers. Many of those postings offer cross-training into CT and MRI, a common route to higher pay for Detroit techs.
Top Detroit Employers Hiring Radiologic Technologists
These metro Detroit employers have radiologic technologist openings on their own career sites:
- Henry Ford Health - hires radiologic technologists and radiographers in Detroit, Dearborn, Warren, Southfield, Novi, Wyandotte and West Bloomfield, and accepts registry-eligible grads who pass the ARRT within 12 months.
- Detroit Medical Center - staffs radiology techs at Children's Hospital of Michigan in Midtown and Sinai-Grace Hospital on the northwest side.
- McLaren Health Care - hires radiology technologists at McLaren Oakland in Pontiac, with a $10,000 sign-on bonus for days, and at McLaren Macomb in Mount Clemens.
- VA Detroit Healthcare System - recruits diagnostic radiologic technologists for the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center through USAJOBS.
- Garden City Hospital - the Prime Healthcare hospital in western Wayne County lists per diem radiology tech and CT technologist roles.
Radiologic Technologist Salaries in Detroit
- Entry level: about $27 to $32 per hour for newly registered technologists.
- Experienced: roughly $34 to $41 per hour with several years in hospital or outpatient imaging.
- Senior / multi-modality: about $43 to $49 per hour for lead techs and those cross-trained in CT or MRI.
These are estimates based on federal wage data for the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn metro area, where most radiologic technologists earn between about $27.50 and $48.75 an hour. A recent VA Detroit posting listed $66,513 to $86,464 a year. Nights, on-call, extra modalities and hospital trauma work move pay up, and sign-on bonuses like McLaren's add to first-year earnings.
How to Become a Radiologic Technologist in Detroit
Michigan does not issue a state license to radiologic technologists, but the state's ionizing radiation rules, enforced by the MIOSHA Radiation Safety Section, require the people who run medical imaging equipment to have proper education and training, and CT operators must be ARRT registered. In practice every employer above asks for ARRT registration in radiography, R.T.(R), plus BLS. To sit for the ARRT exam you finish an accredited program: Henry Ford College in Dearborn offers a JRCERT-accredited Radiographer associate degree over five semesters, Oakland University in Rochester offers a bachelor's in Radiologic Technology with labs at Corewell Health in Royal Oak, and Henry Ford St. John Hospital runs a 24-month hospital-based School of Radiologic Technology.
What the Job Involves
Radiologic technologists position patients and equipment, set exposure factors and take diagnostic X-ray images for radiologists to read. Daily work includes checking orders, explaining the exam, shielding patients and staff, running portable X-ray on hospital floors and in the operating room, and checking image quality before the patient leaves. Emergency department shifts move fast and involve trauma patients who cannot easily be moved.
Skills Employers Look For
- ARRT registration in radiography and current BLS
- Accurate patient positioning across all exam types
- Radiation safety and dose awareness
- Portable and operating room X-ray experience
- PACS and electronic medical record skills
- Calm, clear communication with anxious or injured patients
Career Path and Advancement
Most Detroit techs start in general radiography at a hospital or outpatient center, then cross-train into CT, MRI, mammography or interventional radiology, which Henry Ford and other systems actively offer. From there the ladder runs to lead technologist, imaging supervisor and department manager; the VA Detroit has posted supervisory radiologic technologist roles above $100,000 a year.
Related Careers in Detroit
If imaging interests you, these related Detroit roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a radiologic technologist in Michigan?
Michigan does not issue an individual license, but state radiation rules require operators to be properly educated and trained, and CT operators must be ARRT registered. Metro Detroit employers require ARRT registration in radiography, though Henry Ford accepts registry-eligible grads who pass within 12 months of hire.
How much do radiologic technologists make in Detroit?
Federal wage data puts the metro Detroit median at about $37.27 an hour, or roughly $77,500 a year, with most techs earning between about $27.50 and $48.75 an hour. Cross-training into CT or MRI and taking nights or on-call push pay higher.
Where can I study radiography near Detroit?
Henry Ford College in Dearborn offers a JRCERT-accredited Radiographer associate degree, Oakland University in Rochester offers a bachelor's in Radiologic Technology, and Henry Ford St. John Hospital runs a 24-month certificate program. Henry Ford College warns of a possible wait list, so apply early.
How long does it take to become an X-ray tech in Detroit?
Plan on about two years. The Henry Ford College associate degree runs five semesters and the St. John hospital program runs 24 months of full-time study, after which you take the ARRT registry exam. A bachelor's at Oakland University takes four years.
Do Detroit hospitals offer sign-on bonuses for radiologic technologists?
Some do. McLaren Oakland in Pontiac has advertised a $10,000 sign-on bonus for day-shift radiology technologists with a two-year commitment. Bonuses vary by shift and hospital, so check each posting.
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