Nuclear Medicine Technologist Salary in Fayetteville, NC: $87,463 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time nuclear medicine technologist in Fayetteville, NC earns a median $87,463/year (≈ $42.05/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-2033). Once you factor in Fayetteville's price level (8% below national, BEA RPP 92.0), that paycheck buys what $95,091 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 10.0% below the North Carolina state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In Fayetteville, North Carolina, the projected salary for nuclear medicine technologists in 2026 is set at $87,463 annually, which indicates a 17.80% lower earning potential compared to the national median salary of $106,398. The salary range for this profession spans from $73,063 at the 10th percentile to $107,857 for the top 90th percentile. Data derived from 2025 BLS OEWS surveys provides these insights into local compensation. With a small workforce of about 30 nuclear medicine technologists, the job market reflects the structural choices between hospital settings and outpatient PET/CT centers, significantly influencing salary trajectories and employment opportunities within the Fayetteville region.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $73,063 | $35.12 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $81,375 | $39.13 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $87,463 | $42.05 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $89,510 | $43.03 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $107,857 | $51.86 |
Median Salary Position
17.8% below the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Fayetteville
In Fayetteville, NC, the nuclear medicine technologist salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $34,794 (2026 est.). At $87,463, the local median is 17.8% below the national median of $106,398.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Fayetteville: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Fayetteville Nuclear Medicine Technologist Pay Compares
Fayetteville median: $87,463/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Fayetteville Pays |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina Average | $97,181 | -10.00% less |
| National Average | $106,398 | -17.80% less |
Nuclear Medicine Technologists in Fayetteville, NC earn a median of $87,463 per year (2026 est.), which is 17.80% lower than the national median of $106,398 and 10.00% below the North Carolina state average of $97,181.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Fayetteville has a cost of living 8.02% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Fayetteville, NC has a cost-of-living index of 91.978 (below the national average of 100). A nuclear medicine technologist earning $87,463 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $95,091 in an average-cost city — an effective 8.72% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$64,078
2025 BLS Actual
$83,330
2026 Current Est.
$87,463
2019–2027 Growth
+43.3%
Salary Trajectory for Nuclear Medicine Technologists in Fayetteville (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 4.96% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $64,078 | Actual |
| 2020 | $62,550 | Actual |
| 2021 | $64,744 | Actual |
| 2022 | $70,120 | Actual |
| 2023 | $78,130 | Actual |
| 2024 | $83,818 | Actual |
| 2025 | $83,330 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $87,463 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $91,801 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Fayetteville metropolitan area, the median nuclear medicine technologist salary grew 30.0% from $64,078 (2019) to $83,330 (2025). At a 4.96% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $91,801 by 2027 — a total increase of $27,723 (43.26%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Fayetteville 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) | $73,063 – $81,375 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $81,375 – $87,463 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $87,463 – $89,510 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $89,510 – $107,857 |
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 Fayetteville
Evaluating the local job market reveals a competitive atmosphere for nuclear medicine technologist pay in Fayetteville, NC. With a cost-of-living index of 91.978, the purchasing power reflects slightly below the national average, affecting take-home salaries. Among local employers, hospital nuclear medicine departments typically offer the highest salaries, compared to outpatient PET/CT imaging centers and mobile PET imaging companies. The variation in pay largely stems from credentialing differences, such as those who are cross-trained in CT versus those limited to SPECT-only roles, along with the expertise necessary for recent advances in theranostics. Maximizing potential earnings entails pursuing additional certifications, embracing cross-training opportunities, and strategically engaging in on-call roles, ensuring that technologists capitalize on the evolving landscape of radiopharmaceutical therapies and imaging technologies.
More salary data for Fayetteville, NC:
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 $83,330 for nuclear medicine technologistsin the Fayetteville 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
Source: BLS, OEWS, 4-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
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