How To Become an Ultrasound Technician in Minnesota 2025

The medical sonographer's job is both rewarding and challenging for anyone with an aptitude for patient interaction while using advanced diagnostic medical sonography. Some serve prenatal patients, whereas others help cardiovascular physicians treat difficult heart conditions. There are abundant opportunities to make a difference in this field, but you'll need to understand the ultrasound tech requirements.

What Is an Ultrasound Technician?

Ultrasound technicians have the important responsibility of producing and interpreting medical imaging technology for an array of healthcare purposes. This ranges from breast imaging and prenatal diagnostics to detecting cancer and vascular abnormalities.

Many technologists assist doctors in other obstetrics and gynecology areas. This role best suits someone committed to comprehensive patient care with the ability to operate expensive medical equipment for echocardiography, gynecology, and other radiologic purposes.

The ultrasound tech career field receives regulatory oversight by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

How To Become an Ultrasound Tech in Minnesota

Diagnostic medical sonographers can build lucrative years throughout Minnesota in places like Minneapolis, St. Paul, St. Cloud, or Rochester. How do prospective ultrasound technologists enter this promising field? Consider these important steps to learn more.

Step 1: Finish High School

Prospective candidates in ultrasound technology should first finish high school or obtain a GED. While doing so, you may identify early internships to help prepare your entrance into the sonography profession.

If you are still attending high school, you can get a head start on prerequisite coursework (especially in biology and allied health sciences) and general education requirements at a nearby technical college. This makes it much easier to gain acceptance from ultrasound technician schools upon graduation. Most programs prefer candidates who present at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA), but always check the technical school's requirements before applying.

Step 2: Earn a Degree

The most time-consuming part of the process will be the community college education, which you should obtain from a dependable sonography program. You can determine the best schools by searching for those accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

It evaluates certificate programs, associate degrees, and bachelor's degree programs through many rigorous criteria, including continuous quality review. Ensure you only consider academic licensure or credentialing through accredited programs under the CAAHEP jurisdiction. These programs are challenging and expect ultrasound techs to show proficiency in diagnostic medical sonography and other relevant health sciences.

Step 3: Get Sonography Licensing

Your licensing or certification should come from an ARDMS-approved institution. While the State of Minnesota does not require it by law, eligibility for future employment depends heavily upon it. You must finish the certificate program and pass a certification exam to qualify.

The ARDMS website offers several testing opportunities, but most occur early in the year. You can take the certification test either at a testing site or at home. Minnesota has several testing sites in Rochester, St. Paul, Bloomington, Egan, Brooklyn Park, and Golden Valley.

Step 4: Gain Valuable Hands-on Experience

Gaining on-the-job experience through clinical internships and other work is an indispensable way to grow as an ultrasound tech. Clinical experiences give the sonography candidate important exposure to various forms of radiologic technology and instruments. It also combines technological aspects with patient interfacing.

Fortunately, all of this happens under the supervision of other experienced healthcare professionals and technologists. If you desire to advance even further in the career field, you can enroll in continuing education for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Remember that this field is competitive (especially for higher-salaried positions). Therefore, good grades and professional referrals can help tremendously with this objective as well.

Types of Ultrasound Technician Careers in Minnesota

• Obstetric and gynecologic sonographers: These sonographers use ultrasound technology to discover fetal medical conditions earlier during pregnancy. An ultrasound tech for babies can make a tremendous difference in successful pregnancies.
• Diagnostic cardiovascular sonographers: Sonography also allows healthcare professionals to find and treat heart problems such as chamber or valve abnormalities.
• Pediatric sonographers: It also helps to have a specialized ultrasound tech for pregnancy and pediatric care. Pediatric sonographers detect potential congenital defects and other growth problems during prenatal development and shortly after birth.
• Musculoskeletal sonographers: Imaging centers can even aid in musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Trained professionals apply ultrasound technology to locate muscle tears, stress fractures, compound fractures, hernias, nerve damage, and more.

FAQs About How To Become an Ultrasound Technician in Minnesota

If you still have questions about beginning your ultrasound technician career, keep reading. Below are the most frequently asked questions related to program costs, completion times, expected salaries, and more.

How Long Does It Take to Become an Ultrasound Tech in Minnesota?

Program completion depends on the specific institution you attend, but most accredited certification programs and associate degrees entail a two-year commitment. The sonography program at St. Cloud Tech, for instance, requires 70 course hours to complete.

While researching community colleges, pay special attention to their coursework and accreditation status, which must align with ARDMS ultrasound tech requirements. This is critical for finding a job after graduation.

How Long Does It Take To Become an Ultrasound Tech After High School?

Once you've finished high school, explore the best options for schooling to become an ultrasound tech. Research multiple schools thoroughly, interview experts and practitioners, select a program, enroll, complete the coursework, and pass the certification exam. After that, you'll have an excellent chance for employment within about two years.

How Much Does It Cost to Become an Ultrasound Technician in Minnesota?

The Mayo Clinic reports that the typical sonography program costs about $29,880 in Rochester, MN for a 21-month degree. Most of the costs go toward tuition, but there are also lesser fees for books, uniforms, exams, and software.

How Much Does an Ultrasound Tech Make in Minnesota?

The average sonography tech salary in Minnesota is about $80,850 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This means that the aforementioned cost commitment will yield a significant return on investment, provided you attend one of the state's accredited programs.

Become an Ultrasound Technician

Use these guidelines for ultrasound tech requirements so you can enjoy a more productive search for programs to start this career. Then, support your education with financial aid options, which you can also learn more about through Learn.org. The abundant employment opportunities for sonography specialists offer many career development options for new medical professionals in Minnesota.