How Much Does an MRI Cost? Prices With and Without Insurance (2026)

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan costs about $1,325 on average in the U.S., but the price can range from about $400 to $12,000, according to CareCredit. What you pay depends on the body part being scanned, whether contrast dye is used, the type of facility, where you live, and how your health insurance applies to the bill.

This guide covers typical MRI cost by body part, why prices vary so much between facilities, how insurance changes what you owe, and how to get a reliable estimate before you book.

Average cost of an MRI by body part

CareCredit reports these typical MRI scan cost ranges for common MRI scans:

Adding contrast dye can increase the total by about $110 to $310, according to CareCredit. The low end of each range usually reflects outpatient imaging centers, while the high end reflects hospital charges. Prices for a pelvic MRI, chest MRI, or cardiac MRI vary depending on the number of image sequences and whether contrast agents are used.

These figures are list or cash-price ranges. If you have insurance, your share depends on the rate your plan has negotiated and how much of your deductible you've met.

What's included in the price of an MRI

An MRI bill usually has two parts:

• Technical fee. Covers the scanner, the technologist, supplies, and the facility. Hospitals may also add a facility fee.
• Professional fee. Covers the radiologist who reads the images and writes the report.

Some imaging centers quote a "global" price that includes both. Others bill the radiologist's read separately, so you may get two bills for one scan. Contrast dye, sedation (common for children or people with claustrophobia), and follow-up imaging add to the total.

Why MRI prices vary so much

• Facility type. An MRI is typically less expensive at an outpatient facility, such as a freestanding imaging center, than at a hospital. Hospitals carry higher overhead, including round-the-clock staffing, and often add facility fees.
• Body part and scan length. Brain, spine, and abdominal scans often take longer and use more image sequences than a knee or ankle scan.
• Contrast. A scan with contrast dye needs extra supplies, time, and monitoring.
• Location. Prices follow local labor costs and competition. Areas with several competing imaging centers often have lower cash prices than areas with one hospital-based option.
• Scanner type. Higher-field (3 Tesla) scanners cost more to buy and run than standard 1.5 Tesla machines, and some facilities charge more for them.
• Insurance contracts. Each facility negotiates its own rates with each insurer, so the same scan can have very different in-network prices across town.

MRI cost with insurance coverage

MRIs are typically covered by health insurance when they're medically necessary, but many plans require prior authorization first. Check with your insurance company before you book, because skipping a required authorization can leave you with the full bill.

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan's cost sharing:

• Deductible. Until you meet your deductible, you usually pay the full negotiated rate.
• Coinsurance or copay. After the deductible, you pay a percentage of the allowed amount (coinsurance) or a flat fee (copay), depending on your plan.
• Out-of-pocket maximum. Once your spending on covered, in-network care reaches the yearly cap, your plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the year. Our guide to the deductible vs. out-of-pocket maximum explains how they fit together.
• Network. Out-of-network providers can cost far more, and your plan may cover little or none of it. See in-network vs. out-of-network for how that works.

Example: your plan's negotiated rate for a scan is $1,200, you have $1,000 left on your deductible, and your coinsurance is 20%. You pay the $1,000 toward your deductible, then 20% of the remaining $200 ($40), for a total of $1,040. If you'd already met your deductible, you'd owe only $240.

If you're on one of the high-deductible health plans and haven't met your deductible, compare the imaging center's self-pay price with your in-network rate. A cash price at a freestanding center is sometimes lower, though cash payments may not count toward your deductible. Ask your insurer before you decide.

MRI cost without insurance

Uninsured patients and other self-pay patients pay the facility's self-pay rate rather than an insurance rate. Many independent imaging centers post or quote cash-pay pricing that is well below hospital list prices for the same scan, so it pays to compare prices. Ask for the discounted cash price rather than the full cost on the standard charge list, and ask whether the quote includes the radiologist's read, so there are no hidden fees.

Under the No Surprises Act, if you're uninsured or choose not to use insurance, providers and facilities must give you a good faith estimate of expected charges when you schedule a service. If your bill comes in at least $400 more than the estimate, you can start a patient-provider dispute resolution process, which has a $25 fee.

Hospitals are also required to publish their prices, including discounted cash prices, under the federal hospital price transparency rule. Price transparency files can help you compare before you call and avoid surprise bills.

Hospital vs. imaging center: where diagnostic imaging costs less

For the same scan, a freestanding imaging center usually costs less than a hospital outpatient department, because it has lower overhead and typically no hospital facility fee. When your doctor agrees it's appropriate, you can ask them to send your MRI order to a lower-cost, in-network imaging center.

Hospitals still make sense in some situations, such as emergencies, inpatient care, or scans that need sedation and close monitoring. Ask your doctor whether your scan needs to be done at a hospital.

MRI vs. CT scan cost

CT scans generally cost less than MRIs, but these medical imaging tests answer different questions. CT uses X-rays and is often used for bone fractures, internal bleeding, and lung conditions. An MRI machine uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to create detailed images of soft tissue, joints, the brain, and the spinal cord, without radiation. Don't swap one test for the other to save money without talking to your doctor, because the wrong test can lead to repeat imaging and a higher total cost.

Paying for an MRI with an HSA or FSA

Diagnostic tests such as MRIs are medical care under IRS Publication 502, and health savings accounts (HSAs) and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs) can generally be used for qualified medical expenses. That can include your deductible and coinsurance for a covered scan or a self-pay price. See our HSA vs. FSA comparison for how each account works, and keep your itemized bill and explanation of benefits for your records.

How to estimate your MRI cost before you book

• Get the CPT code. Ask your doctor for the procedure code on your order, such as 70551 for a brain MRI without contrast, 72148 for a lumbar spine MRI without contrast, or 73721 for a knee MRI without contrast. Use it when you call for quotes.
• Call two or three facilities. Ask each for the in-network price and the self-pay price.
• Ask what's included. Confirm whether the quote covers the radiologist's read, contrast, and any facility fee.
• Check with your insurer. Confirm the facility is in network, whether prior authorization is needed, and what you'll owe after your deductible.
• Request a good faith estimate if you're paying on your own.
• Ask about payment plans. Many hospitals and imaging centers offer payment plans for larger bills. If you're claustrophobic, ask whether an open MRI is available and how its price compares.

Don't put off a scan your doctor says you need because of cost. A few phone calls with your CPT code in hand usually give you a clear, realistic price.