A CT scan without insurance in the U.S. typically costs anywhere from about $270 up to $6,750 or more , with many common scans falling in the $300–$3,000+ range depending on what’s being scanned and where you go. Many people who shop around at outpatient imaging centers are often able to find prices closer to the $300–$800 range for standard, non-emergency scans in 2024–2025.

Quick Scoop

  • Typical overall range (no insurance): ~$270–$6,750+ per CT scan.
  • Common “average” charge listed by hospitals: around $3,000 per scan.
  • What people often actually pay at lower-cost outpatient centers: about $300–$800 for many routine scans (head, chest, abdomen, etc.).
  • Emergency room or hospital-based CT scans can be 2–3× more expensive (often $2,000–$8,000 , especially in ER settings or for complex scans).
  • Full‑body CT scans can run roughly $1,000–$7,000 without insurance.

What Affects The Price

Even for the same body part, prices vary a lot. Key factors include:

  • Body part & complexity
    • Head/brain CT without contrast: often about $250–$700 at many outpatient centers.
* Abdomen & pelvis with contrast: can be **$800–$2,000+**.
  • Use of contrast dye
    • “With contrast” or “with and without contrast” adds the cost of the contrast material plus extra scan time, so it’s usually significantly more expensive than “without contrast.”
  • Type of facility
    • Hospital or ER: usually the highest prices, sometimes thousands of dollars more because of higher facility fees.
* Independent outpatient imaging center: often **hundreds, not thousands** , especially with cash/self‑pay discounts.
  • Location & urgency
    • Large metro/expensive regions tend to charge more.
    • Emergency, after‑hours, or trauma scans are usually billed at premium rates.

Real-World Price Ranges (By Scan Type)

Here are example ranges commonly quoted in recent sources for uninsured or cash‑pay patients (prices can overlap and vary by city):

  • Head/brain CT (no contrast) : about $250–$700 at many outpatient centers; hospital charges may list $800–$4,800.
  • Chest CT : roughly $300–$1,300 , depending on contrast and facility.
  • Spine CT : commonly $300–$1,000 for cervical or lumbar CT without contrast at outpatient locations.
  • Abdomen or pelvis CT : usually $400–$1,500+ depending on contrast and whether abdomen, pelvis, or both are imaged.
  • Sinus CT : often ranges $600–$6,000 depending heavily on the facility (hospital vs outpatient).
  • Emergency room CT : can easily reach $2,000–$8,000 once ER and facility fees are included.

How To Lower Your Out-of-Pocket Cost

If you need a CT scan and do not have insurance, there are practical ways to keep the bill closer to the low end of the range:

  1. Ask for the CPT code
    • Your doctor can give you the CPT code (for example, CT head without contrast might be 70450).
    • Use that code to call different imaging centers and ask for their self‑pay or cash price.
  1. Choose outpatient imaging over hospital/ER when safe
    • Schedule at an independent imaging center instead of a hospital-owned center when your situation is not an emergency.
    • Cash prices at these centers are often hundreds of dollars instead of several thousand.
  1. Ask about discounts and payment plans
    • Many centers offer:
      • Self‑pay or same‑day payment discounts
      • Sliding‑scale or financial assistance
      • Interest‑free payment plans for a few months
  1. Look for transparent pricing or membership services
    • Some clinics and online platforms post all‑inclusive cash prices for CT scans, which can be significantly cheaper than hospital sticker prices.
  1. If it was done in the ER, negotiate after the bill arrives
    • You can request an itemized bill , check for errors, and ask for a self‑pay discount if you do not have insurance.
    • Some people work with patient advocates or billing‑focused lawyers when charges are extremely high.

“Latest News” and Forum-Type Experiences

In recent years (especially 2023–2025), many patients on forums and health blogs have been:

  • Reporting huge differences between quotes from nearby facilities (e.g., one hospital quoting over $4,000 vs. an independent center offering under $600 for a similar CT).
  • Sharing success stories where asking for the cash price up front or using discount imaging networks cut their bill by more than half.
  • Expressing concern about surprise bills after ER visits, where the CT itself plus ER and radiology fees ended up several thousand dollars higher than expected.

Many guides from 2024–2025 emphasize that, if your situation allows you to schedule in advance, shopping around with the CPT code and asking multiple centers for their self‑pay prices is one of the most effective ways to make a CT scan affordable without insurance.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.