What Is the Average Salary for Ultrasound Technicians?
Ultrasound technicians, also known as diagnostic medical sonographers, use specialized imaging equipment to create images of the body's internal organs in order to diagnose disease, track the development of a pregnancy, and more. Read on to learn about how average salaries for ultrasound technicians depending on factors including employer, experience and location.
Job Outlook and Salary Overview
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revealed that from 2016-2026, diagnostic medical sonography positions were predicted to grow 23%, which is much faster than the growth for other occupations (www.bls.gov). These professionals earned a mean wage of $73,860 in May 2018, reported the BLS. The BLS also reported that diagnostic medical sonographers in the 10th-90th percentile earned between $51,430 and $100,480 per year as of May 2018. Your specific salary can vary according to your employer, experience level or location.
Important Facts About This Occupation
| Required Education | Associate's degree or postsecondary certificate |
| Training | Related work experience and on-the-job training; hands-on experience during degree program |
| Certification | Greatly preferred by most employers |
| Similar Occupations | Radiologic and MRI Technicians, Cardiovascular Technologists, Medical Laboratory Technicians, Nuclear Medicine Technologists, Registered Nurses |
Salaries by Employer
According to the BLS, outpatient care centers paid the highest wage to diagnostic sonographers, with them earning an average salary of $88,820 per year as of May 2018. According to Payscale.com, most ultrasound technicians employed in the obstetrics and gynecology industry earned between $39,000 and $81,000 as of May 2019.
The BLS also reported that, other than outpatient care centers, the management of companies and enterprises and colleges, universities and professional schools paid the second and third highest average wages of $82,550 and $80,190 a year, respectively, as of May 2018. Another high-paying employer is specialty hospitals, which paid on average $79,800 a year.
Salaries by Experience Level
Salary.com figures from 2019 showed that salaries can also vary depending on how long you've worked in the field. Salary.com lists the salary range for all ultrasound technicians in the 25th-75th salary percentile was between $68,530 and $83,006 annually with a median salary of $75,424. According to Salary.com, most entry-level technicians earned between $70,252 and $74,258 a year whereas those with 3-4 years of experience earned between $73,231 and $77,205 a year, and those with 10-14 years of experience in the field earned on average between $75,285 and $79,578.
Salaries by State
The BLS reported that the states offering the highest average salaries for diagnostic medical sonographers in May 2018 were Hawaii ($94,350), Alaska ($93,740), California ($92,660), the District of Columbia ($90,860) and Washington ($87,960). The lowest mean wages of $56,450 to $65,790 were found in states that included South Dakota, Arkansas, Michigan, West Virginia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, New Mexico, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Florida.
The BLS claimed that the states employing the greatest number of sonographers were New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Illinois. These states offered mean annual salaries that ranged from $76,700 (Illinois) to $92,660 (California).