Your 2018 Guide for Sonographer’s Salaries
Ultrasound technician salaries rank among some of the highest salaries of all medical technician fields. In fact, Monster.com named Diagnostic Medical Sonography as the second best paying job you can get with an associates degree, and U.S. News ranked it #5 in the best healthcare support jobs. The median salary for Sonographers was $69,650. The top 10% earned $99,100 and the bottom 10% earned $48,660, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2016).
High earnings potential, combined with great employment outlook, makes sonography a popular choice.
What is the Starting Salary for an Ultrasound Tech?
The median starting salary for a Sonographer is $48,660.00, nation-wide. The pay you earn is dependent on several factors. First of all, the more education and experience a sonographer has, generally the higher his or her income will be. Ultrasound technician pay also depends on the area the sonographer is specialized in, such as vascular or cardiac ultrasound. It is also dependent on the state in which they’re working. The following table compares salaries among the top-paying states, as of May, 2016 (the most recent data available from the BLS).
Highest Paying States for Ultrasound Techs
| State | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| National Median | $69,650 |
| California | $93,350 |
| Washington D.C. | $87,570 |
| Oregon | $84,160 |
| Washington | $86,970 |
| Colorado | $81,830 |
| See our full list of states |
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016 Data
Explore the Subject Further:
- What are the top jobs in medical imaging? – Salaries and job growth expectations
- Best Jobs of 2015 – U.S. News & World Report’s prediction for ultrasound
- Job Search Tips – Resources to help you after graduation
Does the Gender Pay Gap still exist?
In our series of articles on Women in Medical Imaging, we explore the issue of the gender pay gap, and whether or not it is as prevalent in healthcare as it is in other industries.
How Does the Salary Compare to Similar Professions?
Below is a comparison between an ultrasound tech salary and the salaries of similar professions. As you will see, ultrasound technicians are paid, on average, a higher income than similar professions. The data is provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):
| Profession | Lowest 10% | Median | Highest 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultrasound Technician/Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $48,660 | $69,650 | $99,100 |
| Radiologic Technologists | $38,660 | $57,450 | $82,590 |
| Cardiovascular Tech | $28,650 | $55,570 | $89,450 |
| Medical Assistants | $26,860 | $31,540 | $45,310 |
| Surgical Technologists | $36,980 | $45,160 | $64,800 |
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey, 2016 Data.
Factors That Affect Ultrasound Tech Salary
- Level of education and amount of training
- Geographic location (rural vs. urban; state)
- Facility of employment (hospital, physician’s office, diagnostic imaging facility, etc)
Job Growth for Sonographers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers is very promising with a projection of 39% more positions available by the year 2022. The BLS adds that the median ultrasound technician salary in May 2016 was $69,650 annually; the top 10% among the ultrasound job market made over $99,000 and the lowest 10% made less than $49,000. With ultrasound technician demand expected to grow, salaries in turn should reflect the growing value placed on sonography within the medical world.
Already a Sonographer? Here’s How to Increase Your Salary
In general, the higher and more specialized level of education, the higher the ultrasound technician salary. For example, if you specialize in Obstetrics/Gynecology, and become certified through the ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) you will receive a higher ultrasound tech pay than if you practice General Sonography. Also a Bachelor or even a Master Degree in Ultrasound opens up the doors for higher paying positions, such as in consulting, management or education.
What type of employer pays the highest ultrasound salary? According to the BLS, medical and diagnostic laboratories pay the highest salary, with a median annual pay of $69,650 for May 2016.
Recently the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) surveyed its membership to compile information on average salaries and benefits for each area of sonography, such as cardiac, obstetrics, vascular, neuro-ultrasound and general. The report is now available to all SDMS members.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics Survey, 2016 Data: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm#29-0000
*Career One Stop, http://www.careerinfonet.org/Occ_Intro.asp?id=1&nodeid=1
*BLS: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes292032.htm
Footnotes:
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by 2,080 hours; where an hourly mean wage is not published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
