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Ultrasound Technicians

What is Ultrasound?

Ultrasound is a form of non-invasive medical imaging, which uses transducers and high-frequency sound to image a patient's internal organs, tissues, and blood flow for the purpose of diagnosis. Diagnostic ultrasound is also referred to as sonography or ultrasonography.

Sonographer Salary Levels

A sonographer technician salary can be as high as $85,000 (depending on your years of experience and where you live). Additionally, the sonography technicians field is expected to grow by as much as 18 percent through 2018.

Is that enough to spark your interest? Below is a list of frequently asked questions ––and our frequently provided answers about diagnostic ultrasound technicians and graduates of sonography tech schools.

Q. What is a typical annual sonographer technician salary?

A. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2009, the median annual earnings for a sonographer technician was $63,010, though the highest 10 percent of ultrasound diagnostic technicians (also called sonography technicians) earned more than $85,900.

Where you work can effect what you are paid. For example, in May 2009, median earnings of diagnostic medical sonographers who graduated from sonagraphy tech schools was $63,820 in physicians’ offices and $63,770 in general medical and surgical hospitals.

Q. How many sonographer technicians are there across the U.S.?

A. Again, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, sonographer tech school alumni held about 51,630 jobs in 2009. About 60 percent of these ultrasound technician jobs were in public and private hospitals, while the majority of the balance were in physicians offices, or in medical and diagnostic laboratories, including diagnostic imaging centers.

Q. What is the job outlook for sonographer technicians?

A. Employment of diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to grow much faster than the average –– as high as a 18 percent increase for all occupations through 2018. Factors for this amazing expansion include a growing, aging population, plus increased demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology.

Sonography technicians will be in demand because ultrasound technology is rapidly becoming a popular, safer alternative to radiologic procedures. Because it does not involve radiation, there are no harmful side effects or complications from repeated use. Sonographic technology used by sonagraphy tech schools graduates is expected to evolve rapidly and spawn many new procedures, such as 3D- and 4D-sonography for obstetric and ophthalmologic diagnosis.

Q. How will experience affect my sonographer technician salary?

A. You can’t expect to make top dollar when you first become a sonography technician. So typically, sonography technician salaries will be lower for entry-level workers and higher for senior positions.

Q. What other salary considerations for sonagraphy tech schools should I know about?

A. According to UltrasoundJobs.com, there are three factors that affect your salary:

• If you’re not registered with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS), an ultrasound or sonography technician can expect lower pay.
• The more types of specialties (abdomen, breast, OB/GYN, etc.) that a sonagraphy tech schools graduate has learned, the higher your pay.
• Your employer, background, level of education or certification, as well as your state of residence can all affect your ultrasound salary, according to a recent Ultrasound Jobs.com survey.