Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary in Lafayette, LA: $98,617 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time nuclear medicine technologist in Lafayette, LA earns a median $98,617/year (≈ $47.41/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-2033). Once you factor in Lafayette's price level (10% below national, BEA RPP 90.3), that paycheck buys what $109,210 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 2.6% above the Louisiana state average.
Based on BLS state-level estimates · View source
Nuclear medicine technologists in Lafayette, Louisiana, find themselves in an environment shaped by the diverse credentialing of professionals, particularly regarding PET/CT and SPECT-only specialties. For 2026, the median annual salary is projected at $98,617, which reflects the competitive nature of nuclear medicine pay in the area, even though it is slightly below the national median of $106,398. The salary range for these professionals spans from $73,474 at the P10 level to $129,368 at the P90 level, indicating considerable variability based on credentials and workplace settings. These estimates are informed by location-specific adjustments derived from BLS state-level data and regional price parities, which help to outline the landscape of nuclear medicine technologist pay in Lafayette, LA.
About the Lafayette Market
Salary estimated from Louisiana average ($82,000) adjusted for local cost of living.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $73,474 | $35.32 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $85,769 | $41.24 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $98,617 | $47.41 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $113,080 | $54.37 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $129,368 | $62.20 |
Median Salary Position
7.31% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Lafayette
In Lafayette, LA, the nuclear medicine technologist salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $55,894 (2026 est.). At $98,617, the local median is 7.31% below the national median of $106,398.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Lafayette: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Lafayette Nuclear Medicine Technologist Pay Compares
Lafayette median: $98,617/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Lafayette Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana Average | $96,118 | +2.60% more |
| National Average | $106,398 | -7.31% less |
Nuclear Medicine Technologists in Lafayette, LA earn a median of $98,617 per year (2026 est.), which is 7.31% lower than the national median of $106,398 and 2.60% above the Louisiana state average of $96,118.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Lafayette has a cost of living 9.70% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Lafayette, LA has a cost-of-living index of 90.3 (below the national average of 100). A nuclear medicine technologist earning $98,617 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $109,210 in an average-cost city — an effective 10.74% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$66,230
2025 BLS Actual
$93,957
2026 Current Est.
$98,617
2019–2027 Growth
+56.3%
Salary Trajectory for Nuclear Medicine Technologists in Lafayette (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 4.96% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $66,230 | Actual |
| 2020 | $66,730 | Actual |
| 2021 | $73,000 | Actual |
| 2022 | $79,062 | Actual |
| 2023 | $85,736 | Actual |
| 2024 | $76,004 | Actual |
| 2025 | $93,957 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $98,617 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $103,509 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Lafayette metropolitan area, the median nuclear medicine technologist salary grew 41.9% from $66,230 (2019) to $93,957 (2025). At a 4.96% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $103,509 by 2027 — a total increase of $37,279 (56.29%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Lafayette metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 4.96% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $73,474 – $85,769 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $85,769 – $98,617 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $98,617 – $113,080 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $113,080 – $129,368 |
NMT salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual nuclear medicine technologist compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Nuclear Medicine Technologist Job Market in Lafayette
In a job market with only 18 nuclear medicine technologists currently employed in Lafayette, the dynamics of salary offers hinge significantly on local demand and the cost of living, indexed at 90.3, suggesting that professionals here may enjoy a more favorable purchasing power compared to the national average. Employers such as hospital nuclear medicine departments and outpatient PET/CT imaging centers generally offer the highest salaries, with the latter often providing premium compensation for PET/CT credentialing and theranostics experience, particularly with therapies like lutetium-177. The pay spread in Lafayette is influenced by several factors, including the credential mix and experience levels of technologists—those cross-trained in CT may find themselves earning on the higher end of the scale due to their versatility and the demand for on-call coverage. To maximize earnings, professionals should consider pursuing additional certifications in PET/CT or seeking roles in mobile PET imaging companies, helping them to capitalize on the growing trends in nuclear medicine technology.
More salary data for Lafayette, LA:
Frequently Asked Questions
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Written by Alexandra Chen, MS, CNMT
Career Analyst
Alexandra has 10 years of experience in nuclear medicine. She specializes in PET imaging at a community hospital. She analyzes trends in the nuclear medicine job market.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $93,957 for nuclear medicine technologistsin the Lafayette metropolitan area. A 4.96% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Salary data for Lafayette is estimated from official BLS state-level occupational wage data (2025), adjusted for regional cost-of-living differences using BEA RPP (Regional Price Parities).
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.96%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for nuclear medicine technologists (SOC 29-2033).
Compiled and verified by Alexandra Chen, MS, CNMT, a licensed nuclear medicine technologist with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov