Radiologic Technologist Jobs in Virginia Beach, VA
Radiologic technologists in Virginia Beach can start above $33 an hour at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital and the Sentara Independence imaging center, and Navy and VA hospitals across Hampton Roads hire them too. Here are the current openings, followed by who is hiring and how to get licensed.
Current radiologic technologist Openings in Virginia Beach, VA
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Radiologic Technologist Work in Virginia Beach
Most imaging work in Virginia Beach runs through Sentara, the city's largest private employer. Sentara posts registered radiologic technologist roles at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital, near Dam Neck Road and the Princess Anne corridor, and at the Sentara Independence Advanced Imaging Center at 800 Independence Boulevard, with rotating shifts and base pay listed from $33.25 to $49.11 an hour. Through the harbor tunnels, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and the Hampton VA Medical Center hire federal diagnostic and CT technologists, and outpatient surgery centers in Suffolk's Harbour View area add per diem shifts.
The Navy shapes this field more than in most Virginia cities. Federal imaging jobs at the naval hospital and the VA follow the GS pay scale, and Sentara's postings even note that some staff grandfathered from military radiologic technologist training are accepted in place of the ARRT registry. For a Navy spouse or a sailor leaving NAS Oceana, imaging is a credential that travels between Southside hospitals, outpatient centers and federal jobs.
Top Virginia Beach Employers Hiring Radiologic Technologists
These Hampton Roads employers have posted radiologic technologist roles on their own career sites or list radiology among their hiring areas:
- Sentara Health - hires registered radiologic technologists at Sentara Princess Anne Hospital and the Independence Advanced Imaging Center, new graduates welcome at Independence.
- Naval Medical Center Portsmouth - the Navy's regional hospital hires civilian diagnostic radiologic technologists at the GS-7 level.
- Hampton VA Health Care System - the VA medical center in Hampton hires diagnostic and CT radiologic technologists through USAJobs.
- Bon Secours Surgery Center at Harbour View - the USPI-affiliated outpatient surgery center in Suffolk hires PRN radiology technologists with a Virginia license.
- Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters - CHKD lists radiology among its clinical hiring areas, with a Health and Surgery Center on Concert Drive in Virginia Beach.
Radiologic Technologist Salaries in Virginia Beach
- Entry level: about $24 to $33 an hour, or $51,000 to $67,000 a year, for new graduates and federal GS-7 roles.
- Experienced: roughly $33 to $45 an hour for registered technologists at hospital and imaging-center jobs.
- Senior and advanced modality: about $38 to $49 an hour, or $79,000 to $103,000 a year, for CT technologists and top-of-range hospital staff.
These are estimates drawn from Sentara, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and Hampton VA postings in 2026. Pay rises with CT, MRI or other advanced registry credentials, with night and rotating shifts that carry differentials, and with on-call duty.
How to Become a Radiologic Technologist in Virginia Beach
The standard route is an accredited radiography program followed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) exam. Tidewater Community College runs its Associate of Applied Science in Radiography on the Virginia Beach Campus: 72 credits over 7 semesters, accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, with graduates eligible to sit for the ARRT exam. Virginia licenses radiologic technologists through the Virginia Board of Medicine, part of the Department of Health Professions. A full license requires graduating from a program acceptable to the ARRT and passing the ARRT or NMTCB certification exam, and the board also issues a narrower Radiologic Technologist-Limited license for limited-scope X-ray work. State law exempts some technologists employed by licensed hospitals, but outpatient centers such as the Bon Secours Surgery Center at Harbour View ask for a current Virginia license, and hospital postings ask for ARRT registry.
What the Job Involves
Radiologic technologists position patients and equipment to capture diagnostic X-ray images of bones, chests and abdomens. Daily work includes checking orders and patient history, explaining the exam, shielding patients and staff from radiation, adjusting exposure settings and reviewing images for quality before they go to the radiologist. Hospital techs also run portable X-ray in the ER and ICU.
Skills Employers Look For
- ARRT registry in radiography, or eligibility to sit for it
- Radiation safety and ALARA practice
- Patient positioning and portable X-ray experience
- PACS and electronic health record familiarity
- Current BLS certification
- Comfort with rotating, night and on-call shifts
- Clear, calm communication with patients
Career Path and Advancement
Most Virginia Beach techs start in general diagnostic X-ray at a hospital or imaging center, then add a second registry in CT, MRI or mammography to move into higher-paying modality roles like the CT positions Hampton VA posts at the GS-9 level. From there the ladder runs to lead technologist, imaging supervisor and department manager. Sentara's network of hospitals and imaging centers lets techs move between sites without leaving Hampton Roads.
Related Careers in Virginia Beach
If imaging interests you, these related Virginia Beach healthcare guides are worth a look:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a radiologic technologist in Virginia?
Yes, in most settings. The Virginia Board of Medicine licenses radiologic technologists, and a full license requires an ARRT-acceptable program plus a passing score on the ARRT or NMTCB exam. Some hospital employees are exempt under state law, but Virginia Beach hospitals still ask for ARRT registry.
How much do radiologic technologists make in Virginia Beach?
Sentara lists base pay of $33.25 to $49.11 an hour for registered technologists at its Virginia Beach imaging sites. Federal diagnostic roles at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth start around $51,000 a year, and CT technologist jobs at Hampton VA have paid up to about $103,000.
Where can I study radiography near Virginia Beach?
Tidewater Community College offers an Associate of Applied Science in Radiography on its Virginia Beach Campus. The program runs 72 credits over 7 semesters, is JRCERT accredited, and prepares graduates for the ARRT registry exam.
Do Virginia Beach employers accept military X-ray training?
Sentara's postings say staff grandfathered from the military radiologic technologist training merger may be accepted in place of the ARRT registry. That covers existing grandfathered staff, so most new applicants, Navy-trained or not, should plan on earning ARRT registry.
What shifts do radiology techs work in Virginia Beach?
Hospital roles at Sentara Princess Anne and the Independence imaging center are posted as rotating shifts, often with on-call duty, overtime and shift differentials. Outpatient surgery centers lean toward daytime and PRN schedules with no overnight work.
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