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PET Technologist Salary in the United States

How much does a PET Technologist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a PET Technologist in the United States is $99,134 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $48.

However, a PET Technologist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $123,548
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $92,822 to $111,913
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $87,075
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence PET Technologist Salaries

A PET Technologist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects PET Technologist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a PET Technologist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $97,061
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $97,250
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $100,088
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,428
  • Expert (over 8 years): $105,810
Levels Salary
Entry Level PET Technologist$97,061
Intermediate Level PET Technologist$97,250
Senior Level PET Technologist$100,088
Specialist Level PET Technologist$105,428
Expert Level PET Technologist$105,810
View as Graph

How Do PET Technologists Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract PET Technologists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $109,761.
  • California: $109,345.
  • Massachusetts: $107,888.

Top Paying Cities for PET Technologist

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $125,038
  • San Francisco: $123,669
  • Oakland: $121,062

What Skills Can Increase a PET Technologist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Commitment (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
  • Ansible (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Ansible is a suite of software tools that enables infrastructure as code. It is open-source and the suite includes software provisioning, configuration management, and application deployment functionality.
  • Patient Safety (Mentioned in 2.49% Job Postings): Patient safety is a discipline and responsibility that emphasizes safety in health care through the prevention, reduction, reporting, and analysis of medical error that often leads to adverse effects. The frequency and magnitude of avoidable adverse events experienced by patients was not well known until the 1990s, when multiple countries reported staggering numbers of patients harmed and killed by medical errors. Recognizing that healthcare errors impact 1 in every 10 patients around the world, the World Health Organization calls patient safety an endemic concern. Indeed, patient safety has emerged as a distinct healthcare discipline supported by an immature yet developing scientific framework. There is a significant transdisciplinary body of theoretical and research literature that informs the science of patient safety. At the same time, efforts are being made to anchor patient safety more firmly in medical education. The resulting patient safety knowledge continually informs improvement efforts such as: applying lessons learned from business and industry, adopting innovative technologies, educating providers and consumers, enhancing error reporting systems, and developing new economic incentives.
Skills Demand Percentage
Commitment 3.23%
Ansible 3.23%
Patient Safety 2.49%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a PET Technologist's salary.

  • Honesty and Integrity: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Professional Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Pediatric: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Honesty and Integrity $111,030
12%
Professional Communication $108,056
9%
Pediatric $108,056
9%
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PET Technologist Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

PET Technologist salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $105,153. While startup companies pay approximate $89,606.

PET Technologist Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $89,606
Growth Stage 51~500 $94,591
Established 501~5000 $101,715
Enterprise 5000+ $105,153

PET Technologist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For PET Technologist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, PET Technologist positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view PET Technologist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a PET Technologist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$118,961$57.020%

PET Technologist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a PET Technologist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026
$92,822
Average $99,134/year
$111,913
$7,735
Average $8,261/month
$9,326
$1,785
Average $1,906/week
$2,152
$45
Average $48/hour
$54
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $111,913 $9,326 $2,152 $54
Average $99,134 $8,261 $1,906 $48
25th Percentile $92,822 $7,735 $1,785 $45

Most common benefits for PET Technologist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for PET Technologist

Here are companies hiring for PET Technologist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about PET Technologist

1. Where can a PET Technologist earn the most?

A PET Technologist's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a PET Technologist earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a PET Technologist is $125,038.

2. What is the highest pay for PET Technologist?

The highest pay for PET Technologist is $123,548.

3. What is the lowest pay for PET Technologist?

The lowest pay for PET Technologist is $87,075.

4. What are the responsibilities of PET Technologist?

Responsible for operating Positron Emission Tomography equipment to produce images and measure concentrations of Radioactive Isotopes in specific body areas and body products to obtain information for use by physicians in diagnosing and treating patient illnesses. Requires registration with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (A.R.R.T.) or the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (N.M.T.C.B.). May require a bachelor's degree in area of specialty. Typically reports to a chief technologist or manager. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for PET Technologist?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for PET Technologist roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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