Radiologic Technologist Jobs in San Diego, CA
San Diego hospital postings for radiologic technologists start in the low to mid $40s an hour and reach the mid $60s for experienced techs. Sharp, Scripps, UC San Diego Health and Rady Children's all staff X-ray and fluoroscopy rooms here. Current openings are below, followed by who hires and how to get certified.
Current radiologic technologist Openings in San Diego, CA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Radiologic Technologist Work in San Diego
Most rad tech jobs in San Diego sit inside the four big health systems and their outpatient imaging centers. The heaviest cluster is Kearny Mesa along SR-163, where Sharp Memorial, Sharp's Kearny Mesa Imaging center and Rady Children's share a few blocks. A second cluster runs up I-5 and I-805 through La Jolla and Torrey Pines, home to UC San Diego Health's Koman Outpatient Pavilion and the Scripps Clinic campuses. North County adds Palomar Medical Center in Escondido off I-15, and the South Bay has Scripps Mercy and Sharp hospitals in Chula Vista.
What sets San Diego apart is the California credential stack. Employers here ask for a state CRT from the California Department of Public Health, and most want the separate fluoroscopy permit too, either at hire or within six months. Health care added more jobs than any other San Diego sector in the past year, according to the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, and imaging departments run day, evening, night and per diem shifts to keep up.
Top San Diego Employers for Radiologic Technologists
These San Diego employers hire radiologic technologists for hospital and outpatient imaging:
- Sharp HealthCare - staffs X-ray, fluoroscopy and CT techs at Sharp Memorial, Sharp Kearny Mesa Imaging and Sharp Rees-Stealy clinics, with day, evening, night and per diem shifts.
- Scripps Health - hires rad techs for Scripps Clinic La Jolla, Carmel Valley, Rancho Bernardo and Encinitas, and runs a new-grad pipeline and float pool.
- UC San Diego Health - the academic system hires rad techs and senior rad techs for La Jolla and Hillcrest, including the Koman Outpatient Pavilion on Campus Point Drive.
- Rady Children's Health - the pediatric hospital in Kearny Mesa hires radiologic technologists on rotating shifts under a union contract.
- Palomar Health - the North County public health system hires Radiology Technologist I and II staff for Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.
Radiologic Technologist Salaries in San Diego
- Entry level: about $42 to $48 an hour for new CRTs and new graduates.
- Experienced: roughly $50 to $60 an hour with a few years in hospital imaging and a fluoroscopy permit.
- Senior and specialty: $60 to $67 an hour near the top of posted hospital scales, more for lead, CT and interventional roles.
These are estimates drawn from pay ranges posted by San Diego hospital systems in 2026. The fluoroscopy permit, the ARRT registry and years of experience move pay the most, and Rady Children's and Palomar Health set pay through union contracts. Evening and night shifts, CT cross-training and per diem work also lift hourly rates.
How to Become a Radiologic Technologist in San Diego
California requires a state certificate to perform X-ray work. The California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch, issues the Certified Radiologic Technologist (CRT) certificate and the separate Radiologic Technologist Fluoroscopy Permit. You qualify by finishing a state-approved radiologic technology school or holding current ARRT certification, and the ARRT exam is accepted for the diagnostic CRT; every applicant must also pass the fluoroscopy exam. Locally, San Diego Mesa College at 7250 Mesa College Drive runs a JRCERT-accredited radiologic technology program that prepares graduates for the ARRT exam and the California CRT and fluoroscopy credentials.
What the Job Involves
Radiologic technologists position patients and equipment, set exposure factors and take diagnostic X-ray images of bones, chests and abdomens. They assist radiologists with fluoroscopy studies, run portable X-ray in emergency rooms, ICUs and operating rooms, protect patients and staff from radiation, check image quality and log each exam in the imaging system. Many also explain procedures to anxious patients and help move people who cannot stand on their own.
Skills Employers Look For
- California CRT certificate and fluoroscopy permit
- ARRT registration in radiography
- Current AHA BLS certification
- Accurate positioning and radiation safety habits
- Comfort with portable, trauma and operating room imaging
- Clear communication with patients of all ages
- Willingness to work rotating, evening or per diem shifts
Career Path and Advancement
Most San Diego rad techs start in general X-ray or a float pool, then cross-train into CT, MRI, mammography or interventional radiology, which pay more. Systems such as UC San Diego Health promote from rad tech to senior and principal rad tech, and Sharp and Scripps post lead technologist and imaging supervisor roles. Some techs move from Kearny Mesa hospitals to outpatient imaging centers in La Jolla or North County for steadier daytime hours.
Related Careers in San Diego
If imaging interests you, these San Diego health care roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a radiologic technologist in San Diego?
Yes. California requires a Certified Radiologic Technologist (CRT) certificate from the California Department of Public Health, Radiologic Health Branch. Most San Diego hospitals also require the state fluoroscopy permit, often allowing six months after hire to earn it.
How much do radiologic technologists make in San Diego?
Posted hospital ranges in 2026 run from about $42 an hour at the bottom to about $67 an hour at the top. New graduates usually start in the $40s, and experienced techs with fluoroscopy commonly earn in the $50s.
Is ARRT certification required in California?
The state accepts the ARRT radiography exam for the diagnostic CRT, and many San Diego employers require ARRT registration as well. Some, such as Scripps for new graduates and Palomar Health, list it as preferred rather than required.
Where can I study radiologic technology in San Diego?
San Diego Mesa College, on Mesa College Drive, offers a JRCERT-accredited radiologic technology program that prepares students for the ARRT exam and the California CRT and fluoroscopy credentials. Clinical training takes place in local health care facilities.
Do San Diego hospitals hire new graduate rad techs?
Yes. Scripps Health keeps a new-grad radiologic technologist posting that matches graduates to openings across its sites, and Sharp lists one year of experience as preferred rather than required for some X-ray roles. Per diem and float pool jobs are another common way in.
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