X-Ray Cost in Sacramento, CA (2026): Average Prices & What You'll Pay

What does a x-ray cost in Sacramento, CA?

The same x-ray in Sacramento, CA might cost you $98 at one facility and $314 at another — the building you walk into drives the difference. The median cash price across 14 reporting hospitals is $258. These figures come straight from hospital price transparency files published under federal law.

Insurers negotiate this down to a median of $17, while self-pay patients are quoted $258 — about 15.2× higher, so asking for the cash or insurer-negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on your bill. The same X-ray that costs $44 at Shriners Childrens - Northern California in Sacramento reaches $1,071 at Barton Memorial Hospital in South Lake Tahoe — a 24.3× gap across the 14 Sacramento, CA hospitals reporting prices. The median Sacramento, CA price is $258. Most facilities fall between $94 and $314. Location within the state matters too: Sacramento has the lowest metro median ($229) while Folsom runs highest ($252) — a 1.1× difference inside Sacramento, CA alone.

Where x-ray costs vary in Sacramento, CA

Pins show hospitals with price-transparency data (colored by vs. state average) and nearby ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, and other facilities (colored by type). Click any pin for facility name and estimated cost range.

Estimate YOUR exact out-of-pocket cost →

The facility you choose matters more than almost anything else — the same procedure, same quality, same state can cost 5× more at one hospital versus the one down the road.

→ Compare all procedure costs   → X-Ray costs nationwide

Check YOUR hospital's pricing → Estimate YOUR exact cost →

Lower-cost options in Sacramento, CA start around $94 or below. Most hospitals cluster between $94 and $383. A smaller group reports prices above that — often academic medical centers or high-cost markets.

If you're comparing specific hospitals, the lowest self-pay rates reported in this dataset include: Marshall Medical Center in Placerville (cash price from $44); Shriners Childrens - Northern California in Sacramento (cash price from $48); Vibra Hospital of Sacramento in Folsom (cash price from $93). These are declared cash prices — contact each facility for a formal quote before scheduling.

Sacramento, CA X-Ray prices by facility

All prices below come from hospital chargemasters — the official price lists each hospital must publish under federal law. Gross charge is the undiscounted list price; cash price is the self-pay rate; negotiated range covers the spread across insurance contracts.

Source: CMS hospital price transparency machine-readable files. vs Median = savings or premium relative to the state median price. Gross Charge = undiscounted list price for reference.

Received a bill? Check it for errors → Estimate YOUR cost before you go →

Compare other procedures in Sacramento, CA:

• Appendectomy Cost in Sacramento, CA
• Cataract Surgery Cost in Sacramento, CA

Where you can save the most on x-ray in Sacramento, CA

These facilities have the lowest declared prices relative to the state median — they represent the best opportunities to reduce your out-of-pocket cost for this procedure.

Most expensive x-ray providers in Sacramento, CA

These facilities report the highest prices for this procedure. Academic medical centers and specialty hospitals often top this list — their gross charges rarely reflect what anyone actually pays, but understanding the spread helps you negotiate.

Why prices vary this much

A small number of hospitals (2) report very high prices above $816, which drives much of the overall price range. Excluding these, most facilities cluster in a significantly tighter band.

Setting drives much of the gap in Sacramento, CA: the median outpatient price is $288 versus $92 inpatient, so where a procedure is performed often matters more than which hospital you choose. Of the Sacramento, CA facilities reporting prices, 4 fall in a low-cost tier (up to $94) while 4 sit in a high-cost tier ($383 and up) — a lower-priced option almost always exists within the same state.

The spread comes from how each hospital sets its chargemaster (the undiscounted list price), what cash discounts it applies, and what rates it negotiates with each insurer. Facility classification matters too — a hospital-owned outpatient center adds a facility fee that a freestanding clinic does not. Understanding these mechanics is the first step to paying less.

Learn more:
→ Allowed amount vs negotiated rate — what your EOB is really saying
→ How to read your medical bill
→ Why hospital prices are so hard to find — and what to do about it

How insurance changes what you actually pay

Hospital list prices are only part of the picture. What you pay out of pocket depends on your deductible, your plan's out-of-pocket maximum, whether the facility is in-network, and whether your plan classifies the visit as outpatient or inpatient. A lower gross charge doesn't guarantee a lower bill if the facility is out-of-network or adds facility fees your plan doesn't cover.

Understand your cost before you go:
→ Deductible vs out-of-pocket max
→ EOB vs medical bill — complete guide
→ How to stop medical bill problems before they start (in-network vs out-of-network)

Compare x-ray costs in nearby states

• New York
• California
• Texas
• Florida

Frequently asked questions: X-ray costs in Sacramento, CA

How much does an X-ray cost in Sacramento, CA?

Across 14 Sacramento, CA hospitals that publish prices, an X-ray ranges from $44 to $1,071, with a median of $258. Most facilities fall between $94 and $314. What you pay depends on the facility, your insurance, and whether you have met your deductible.

Where is the cheapest place to get an X-ray in Sacramento, CA?

Based on declared prices, the lowest-cost facility in our Sacramento, CA data is Marshall Medical Center in Placerville at about $44. By metro, Sacramento has the lowest median ($229). Freestanding ambulatory surgery and imaging centers are often cheaper still and may not appear in hospital price data — ask your doctor whether one is an option.

Why is an X-ray so much cheaper at some Sacramento, CA hospitals?

Prices vary up to 24.3× because each hospital sets its own list price, cash discount, and insurer-negotiated rates. In Sacramento, CA, the median cash (self-pay) price is $258 versus a median negotiated rate of $17 — about 15.2× higher. Asking for the cash price or your insurer's negotiated rate is often the single biggest lever on what you pay.

How much will I actually pay out of pocket for an X-ray in Sacramento, CA?

Your out-of-pocket cost depends on your deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, and whether the facility is in-network — not just the sticker price. If you have not met your deductible, you will typically pay the negotiated rate in full until you do. Use the CostKits cost forecaster to estimate your specific out-of-pocket amount before you go.

Explore all x-ray cost data

→ See x-ray costs across all states

CostKits compiles hospital price transparency data to help families make informed decisions. If you've received a bill for this procedure:
→ Analyze your medical bill for errors
→ How to negotiate your medical bills
→ Track and manage your healthcare costs (free account)