Nuclear Medicine Technologists Salary
In San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, nuclear medicine technologists earn $198,950 at the median, or about $95.65 an hour. The range runs from $154K at the entry level to $232K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.42), so that salary is closer to $180,176 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,483/month, about 30.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $199K get you in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara’s Regional Price Parity (110.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About nuclear medicine technologists
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What this looks like in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara sits well above the national pay line for nuclear medicine technologists, local pay runs about 96% higher than the U.S. median of $101K. Rent runs $3,483/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for nuclear medicine technologists in metros near San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $156K | $138K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $190K | $164K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $151K | $142K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $173K | $162K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
Entry-level nuclear medicine technologists (10th percentile) start around $154K. Mid-career wages sit at $199K. Top earners bring in $232K or more, a $77K spread from bottom to top.
Nuclear Medicine Technologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Nuclear Medicine Technologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $162K | +60% | 1,500 |
| Washington | $126K | +24% | 320 |
| Hawaii | $126K | +24% | 30 |
| New Jersey | $124K | +23% | 540 |
| Oregon | $122K | +20% | 180 |
| New York | $119K | +17% | 890 |
| Massachusetts | $118K | +17% | 380 |
| Connecticut | $117K | +16% | 170 |
| Colorado | $117K | +15% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $117K | +15% | 30 |
| Utah | $112K | +10% | 120 |
| Nevada | $109K | +8% | 120 |
| New Hampshire | $108K | +6% | 60 |
| Minnesota | $107K | +6% | 200 |
| Illinois | $105K | +4% | 620 |
| Idaho | $105K | +3% | 80 |
| Nebraska | $104K | +3% | 120 |
| Maryland | $104K | +3% | 330 |
| Rhode Island | $104K | +3% | 110 |
| Indiana | $103K | +2% | 280 |
| North Dakota | $103K | +1% | 50 |
| Virginia | $102K | +0% | 430 |
| Texas | $101K | -0% | 1,060 |
| Georgia | $101K | -0% | 540 |
| Montana | $100K | -1% | 50 |
| Delaware | $100K | -1% | 70 |
| Arizona | $100K | -1% | 430 |
| Maine | $100K | -2% | 70 |
| Wisconsin | $98K | -3% | 390 |
| New Mexico | $98K | -3% | 70 |
| Missouri | $98K | -3% | 360 |
| Ohio | $98K | -4% | 670 |
| Florida | $97K | -4% | 1,740 |
| Kentucky | $95K | -6% | 270 |
| Michigan | $95K | -6% | 640 |
| Pennsylvania | $95K | -7% | 740 |
| Iowa | $93K | -8% | 150 |
| Oklahoma | $91K | -11% | 200 |
| South Carolina | $90K | -11% | 280 |
| Louisiana | $88K | -14% | 170 |
| North Carolina | $85K | -16% | 600 |
| Tennessee | $84K | -17% | 390 |
| Arkansas | $84K | -17% | 190 |
| Mississippi | $83K | -18% | 160 |
| Alabama | $83K | -18% | 320 |
| South Dakota | $82K | -19% | 140 |
| Wyoming | $82K | -19% | 40 |
| West Virginia | $76K | -25% | 150 |
| Kansas | $65K | -36% | 380 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track nuclear medicine technologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a nuclear medicine technologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $199K, rent takes 31.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,483/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $3,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for nuclear medicine technologists in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nuclear medicine technologists typically earn — is $154K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $9,257/month. At HUD’s $3,483/month FMR, rent would take 38% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nuclear medicine technologist a high-paying job in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
Local pay is 96% above the national median — $199K here vs. $101K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara compare to the national average for nuclear medicine technologists?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara pays $199K median vs. the U.S. average of $101K — that’s +96%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $180K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nuclear medicine technologists make in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA?
The median is $198,950 a year, that works out to about $96 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $154,280, and experienced nuclear medicine technologists can clear $231,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $199K enough to live in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,126/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,483/month, which eats 31.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a nuclear medicine technologists salary go in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara has a Regional Price Parity of 110.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nuclear medicine technologists salary is worth about $180,176 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nuclear medicine technologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.