CT scan cost without insurance
The median cash price for CT abdomen and pelvis is $2,319.00 across 1,466 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price. Most hospitals (the middle 80%) charge between $559.65 and $5,350.00.
A CT scan uses X-rays and a computer to make cross-section pictures of the body, and because it is fast it is used often for injuries, bleeding and sudden abdominal pain. The price depends on the body area and on whether iodine contrast dye is used, and scheduled scans at freestanding imaging centers are often priced lower than the same scan at a hospital.
Collected Sep 25, 2026 One price per hospital, from each hospital's own price file
CT scan prices by type
Match the code to your order: for the abdomen and pelvis, 74176 is without contrast (the usual kidney stone scan), 74177 is with contrast and is used in the state table, and 74178 is without and then with contrast. 71271 is the low-dose lung cancer screening scan and 75571 is the coronary calcium score, both meant for people without symptoms.
| Procedure | Hospitals | Most charge | Median | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head CT scan CT scan of the head or brain, no contrast dye · code 70450 | 1,476 | $273.65–$2,533.49 | $1,025.30 | $106.81median 9.6× |
| CT abdomen and pelvis CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, with contrast dye · code 74177 | 1,466 | $559.65–$5,350.00 | $2,319.00 | $356.43median 6.5× |
| CT abdomen/pelvis, no contrast CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, no contrast dye · code 74176 | 1,472 | $432.23–$4,351.20 | $1,883.48 | $243.77median 7.7× |
| CT abdomen/pelvis with/without CT scan of abdomen and pelvis, without and then with contrast dye · code 74178 | 1,478 | $605.98–$6,477.53 | $2,617.50 | $356.43median 7.3× |
| Chest CT scan Diagnostic CT scan of the chest, no contrast dye · code 71250 | 1,472 | $302.99–$2,611.00 | $1,066.92 | $106.81median 10.0× |
| Chest CT scan with contrast Diagnostic CT scan of the chest, with contrast dye · code 71260 | 1,474 | $383.43–$3,207.95 | $1,397.75 | $179.20median 7.8× |
| Pelvic CT scan with contrast CT scan of the pelvis, with contrast dye · code 72193 | 1,482 | $422.75–$3,136.70 | $1,409.19 | $179.20median 7.9× |
| Sinus CT scan CT scan of the face and sinuses, no contrast dye · code 70486 | 1,468 | $295.00–$2,606.43 | $1,030.40 | $106.81median 9.6× |
| Neck (cervical spine) CT scan CT scan of the neck (cervical spine), no contrast dye · code 72125 | 1,440 | $402.50–$3,127.10 | $1,257.29 | $106.81median 11.8× |
| Lung cancer screening CT Low-dose CT of the chest for lung cancer screening, no contrast dye · code 71271 | 1,331 | $98.28–$1,186.65 | $292.50 | $106.81median 2.7× |
| Coronary calcium score CT CT of the heart without contrast dye to measure coronary calcium · code 75571 | 1,182 | $38.42–$826.50 | $124.98 | $88.91median 1.4× |
| CT abdomen without contrast CT scan of the abdomen without contrast · code 74150 | 1,459 | $310.00–$2,578.20 | $1,098.89 | $106.81median 10.3× |
| CT abdomen with contrast CT scan of the abdomen with contrast · code 74160 | 1,473 | $430.31–$3,164.00 | $1,424.40 | $179.20median 7.9× |
| Head CT with contrast CT scan of the head with contrast · code 70460 | 1,459 | $379.20–$2,945.60 | $1,269.76 | $179.20median 7.1× |
| Head CT without and with contrast CT scan of the head without and with contrast · code 70470 | 1,473 | $444.95–$3,550.40 | $1,531.70 | $179.20median 8.5× |
| Chest CT angiogram CT angiography of the chest (CTA), for blood clots in the lungs · code 71275 | 1,480 | $510.00–$3,922.80 | $1,617.85 | $179.20median 9.0× |
| Lumbar spine CT CT scan of the lower back (lumbar spine) without contrast · code 72131 | 1,457 | $332.28–$3,083.50 | $1,204.76 | $106.81median 11.3× |
| Coronary CT angiography CT angiography of the heart arteries with contrast dye (coronary CTA), including calcium score · code 75574 | 1,152 | $375.00–$3,134.68 | $1,190.26 | $356.43median 3.3× |
“Most charge” is the middle 80% of hospitals (10th to 90th percentile), so one mistyped line in a hospital file cannot stretch it. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price for the code. “Medicare” is Medicare's 2026 national base rate for the same service outside a hospital stay, including the patient's share (the hospital outpatient, lab or hospital clinic rate); “median 3×” means the median cash price is three times that rate.
CT abdomen and pelvis: median by state
States with at least two hospitals, cheapest median first. Pick a state for its CT scan prices and cheapest hospitals.
- Maryland$343.37
- New Jersey$476.54
- Tennessee$871.20
- Rhode Island$1,020.00
- Arizona$1,061.08
- Colorado$1,209.40
- Connecticut$1,228.35
- New York$1,366.71
- Louisiana$1,425.20
- Mississippi$1,541.25
- Oklahoma$1,610.82
- Wisconsin$1,731.05
- Wyoming$1,749.64
- Maine$1,814.48
- Indiana$1,820.76
- Minnesota$1,824.98
- West Virginia$1,909.50
- Ohio$1,931.80
- Hawaii$2,090.40
- Arkansas$2,097.36
- Nevada$2,127.58
- Oregon$2,220.75
- New Hampshire$2,242.44
- Idaho$2,263.00
- Michigan$2,308.50
- North Dakota$2,372.58
- Missouri$2,374.45
- Nebraska$2,383.50
- Washington$2,491.84
- Utah$2,492.86
- Iowa$2,676.00
- Pennsylvania$2,754.60
- Massachusetts$2,759.00
- Delaware$2,775.68
- Virginia$2,858.40
- Montana$2,877.20
- New Mexico$2,913.27
- Kansas$3,043.95
- Illinois$3,049.80
- Georgia$3,167.00
- South Carolina$3,185.65
- North Carolina$3,217.18
- Vermont$3,519.00
- Alaska$3,696.42
- Texas$3,842.06
- California$4,004.00
- South Dakota$4,391.20
- Alabama$4,584.00
- Florida$4,873.88
- Kentucky$5,455.68
Paying cash: what to do
- Check whether your order says with, without, or without and with contrast; each is a different code with its own price.
- Ask whether the contrast dye is billed as a separate pharmacy charge and whether the radiologist's reading is included.
- For a contrast scan, ask whether a kidney function blood test is required beforehand and whether it is included in the quote.
Questions
Do I need a doctor's order for a CT scan?
In almost all cases, yes: a licensed provider orders the CT and specifies the body area and whether contrast is needed. Some imaging centers accept self-referral for a coronary calcium score, but rules differ by state and facility.
Why does a CT with contrast cost more?
A contrast study adds the dye, an IV line and extra staff time, and a 'without and with' study such as 74178 captures two sets of images. Hospitals usually price these codes higher than the same scan without contrast.
What is the difference between a CT scan and an MRI?
CT uses X-rays and is quick, which makes it common for injuries, bleeding and abdominal pain; MRI uses a magnet and shows soft tissues such as ligaments, nerves and the brain in more detail. They are not interchangeable, so compare prices for the test your clinician ordered.