How Much Does an X-ray Cost?

Median cash price $65 Most people pay $58–$80

Full range $20–$515 · Based on cash prices from 236 clinics · Updated June 2026

An X-ray is the most affordable imaging test — usually well under a hundred dollars in cash at an outpatient center, though a hospital or ER can charge many times more for the same film. The figures above are the real self-pay prices clinics publish.

What makes an X-ray cost more or less?

Body part and number of views. A single-view chest X-ray is cheaper than a multi-view series of the spine or a limb.
Where you go. A standalone imaging or urgent-care center is far cheaper than a hospital or emergency room for the same X-ray.
Reading fee. Some quotes include the radiologist's interpretation; others bill it separately.

How to pay less for an X-ray

For a non-emergency, skip the ER — an imaging center or urgent care will cost a fraction as much. Ask for the all-in cash price for the specific body part and number of views, and confirm whether the reading is included.

X-ray cash prices by U.S. region

Cash prices vary by where you live. Each region is shaded by its median X-ray cash price (green = cheaper, blue = pricier); gray regions don't have enough clinics to report yet.

California $65 Southwest $39 Southeast $43 Mid-Atlantic $69 Midwest $100 Mountain West $70

$39 $100 Not enough data

Lowest: Southwest ($39) · Highest: Midwest ($100)

Frequently asked questions

Why is an ER X-ray so much more expensive?

Emergency rooms add facility fees on top of the scan, so the same X-ray can cost many times more than at an imaging or urgent-care center.

Does the price include the radiologist reading the X-ray?

Sometimes. Ask for the all-in cash price so the interpretation fee isn't a separate surprise.

Do I need a referral for an X-ray?

Many centers require a doctor's order; some offer self-pay X-rays without one. Each clinic's page shows what's required.

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Use this data

Writing about healthcare prices? You're welcome to cite these figures with a link back to this page. Embed the live price-range chart:

<iframe src="https://expectedhealthcare.com/resources/costs/imaging/x-ray/embed/" width="100%" height="220" style="border:1px solid #e2e2e2;border-radius:12px" title="X-ray cash price range — Expected Health" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Source: Expected Health — X-ray cost

These are self-reported cash (self-pay) prices collected from clinics and standardized to a common procedure so the same scan is compared like-for-like; they may have changed since collection. They are estimates for general guidance, not quotes — you can confirm current pricing by contacting the clinic directly. Insurance pricing differs from cash pricing. This page is not medical or financial advice.