SelfPayRates
Cash prices California Outpatient

MRI cost in California without insurance

In California, the median cash price for Knee MRI is $3,030.39 across 182 hospitals, from $213.00 to $25,339.09. The lowest is at County of Monterey (Salinas). The US median is $1,854.50.

California law (Health and Safety Code §127405): if you are uninsured or have high medical costs and your family income is at or below 400% of the federal poverty level, a hospital may not expect you to pay more than it would expect from Medicare or Medi-Cal, whichever is greater. That can be less than the cash prices below; ask the hospital for its discount payment policy. A separate physician fee may still apply. Other states' laws.

An MRI uses a strong magnet and radio waves, not X-rays, to make detailed pictures of joints, the spine, the brain and other soft tissues. The price depends mostly on the body part and on whether contrast dye is used, and hospital outpatient departments usually charge more for the same scan than freestanding imaging centers.

Collected Nov 8, 2026 One price per hospital: its lowest outpatient cash price for the code

MRI prices in California by type

Find the exact code on your order: 'without contrast' codes such as 73721 (knee, hip or ankle) or 72148 (lower back) are a single scan, while 'without and with contrast' codes such as 73723 or 70553 add a second set of images after dye is injected. The state table uses 73721, the lower-limb joint MRI without contrast.

ProcedureHospitalsRangeMedianUS median
Knee MRI MRI of knee or other lower-limb joint, no contrast dye · code 73721 182 $213.00–$25,339.09 $3,030.39 $1,854.50
Knee MRI with contrast MRI of knee or other lower-limb joint, without and then with contrast dye · code 73723 177 $334.00–$30,837.87 $4,620.75 $2,670.50
Brain MRI MRI of the brain, no contrast dye · code 70551 209 $219.20–$20,680.10 $2,904.96 $1,840.10
Brain MRI with contrast MRI of the brain, with and without contrast dye · code 70553 209 $357.00–$32,723.60 $4,326.75 $2,720.17
Lower back MRI MRI of the lower back, no contrast dye · code 72148 209 $232.00–$22,182.83 $3,060.69 $1,900.40
Lower back MRI with contrast MRI of the lower back, without and then with contrast dye · code 72158 210 $356.00–$29,304.77 $4,517.08 $2,750.28
Neck (cervical spine) MRI MRI of the neck (cervical spine), no contrast dye · code 72141 209 $232.00–$22,079.75 $2,997.60 $1,871.10
Thoracic spine MRI MRI of the mid back (thoracic spine), no contrast dye · code 72146 210 $231.00–$24,611.06 $2,894.40 $1,920.00
Shoulder MRI MRI of the shoulder, elbow or wrist joint, no contrast dye · code 73221 184 $213.00–$25,339.09 $2,625.00 $1,850.73
Pelvic MRI MRI of the pelvis, no contrast dye · code 72195 208 $229.00–$21,033.81 $2,569.00 $1,810.38
Abdominal MRI with contrast MRI of the abdomen, without and then with contrast dye · code 74183 208 $332.80–$33,436.45 $4,368.00 $2,680.05
Breast MRI, both breasts MRI of both breasts, without and then with contrast dye · code 77049 27 $1,200.00–$6,939.00 $3,328.15 $2,110.75
Abdominal MRI MRI of the abdomen without contrast · code 74181 209 $228.00–$21,995.12 $2,796.96 $1,864.50
Pelvic MRI with contrast MRI of the pelvis without and with contrast · code 72197 206 $342.00–$21,561.12 $4,147.31 $2,669.20
Neck MRI with contrast MRI of the neck (cervical spine) without and with contrast · code 72156 207 $446.00–$25,664.59 $4,441.39 $2,691.66
Head MRA (brain vessels) MR angiography (MRA) of the head without contrast · code 70544 209 $188.00–$25,339.09 $2,894.04 $1,816.80
Procedure The service and its billing code (CPT or HCPCS). Opens the comparison of every hospital that prices it. More
Hospitals How many hospitals publish a cash price for this code here. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price.
Middle 80% Cash prices of most hospitals: a tenth of hospitals charge less than the first number (P10), a tenth charge more than the second (P90). More
Median The middle cash price: half of the hospitals charge less, half charge more. One price per hospital. More
US median The median cash price across all US hospitals that publish one for this code.

Outpatient cash prices in California. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest cash price for the code; prices for both sides of the body and inpatient prices are not mixed in. Pick a procedure to compare every hospital in the state.

Lowest Knee MRI prices in California

MRI cost by metro area in California

MRI cost in other states

Paying cash: what to do

  • Ask for the self-pay price by the CPT code on your order, and confirm it matches what will be done, with or without contrast.
  • Ask whether the radiologist's reading is included or billed separately, and whether the contrast dye appears as its own charge.
  • Get a quote from a freestanding imaging center as well as the hospital; you can usually take the same order to either.