Sonographers develop images useful in medical diagnosis.
A sonographer is a medical professional who operates ultrasound equipment that diagnoses illnesses by studying images created when high-frequency sound is bounced off a part of the body. Ultrasound images are useful, for example, in studying the development of a fetus within the mother's womb. These images are used by physicians and surgeons to monitor conditions as well as diagnose medical complaints. Salaries for a diagnostic medical sonographer, the full professional title for the role, vary according to location and employer type, but average about $64,900 annually, says a 2010 survey by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Average Salaries
As part of its May 2010 national employment survey, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) gathered pay information from more than 53,000 sonographers throughout the country. It calculated that the average yearly salary for the role is $64,900, equivalent to $5,408 a month and $31.20 an hour. Sonographers among the top 10 percent of earners earn salaries in excess of $88,490, while their colleagues in the lowest 10 percent bracket earn less than $44,900, on average.
Salaries by Industry
According to the BLS 2010 survey, the largest number of sonographers work within general medical and surgical hospitals, where the average wage within this sector of the medical industry is $65,010, a little higher than the $64,750 figure paid to practitioners employed within the offices of physicians ($64,750). Sonographers employed within outpatient care centers earn an average annual salary of $70,440, while those working within medical and diagnostic laboratories earn an average of $62,160.
Salaries by Location
In May 2011, SalaryExpert.com surveyed wage levels in certain large U.S. cities and found that New York City, New York state and Dallas, Texas offer the highest salaries to sonographers, averaging $86,111 and $81,397, respectively. Other salaries by city are: Phoenix ($74,456), Atlanta ($73,833), and Orlando ($60,076). According to the BLS, average wages for sonographers in 2010 across all industry sectors are highest in Massachusetts ($80,000) and Oregon ($79,740). Salaries in New York state and New Mexico are comparable, at $65,320 and $64,490, respectively; while Alabama has one of the lowest averages, at $50,870.
Outlook
The BLS projects an 18 percent growth in employment opportunities for sonographers over the decade from 2008 to 2018. This growth, faster than that for jobs in the nation as a whole, which is estimated to grow by between seven and 13 percent, will be driven primarily by an aging population requiring more diagnostic procedures. In addition, medical providers are expected to favor sonography as a more cost-effective tool than comparative technologies, such as radiography.
Tags: 2010 survey, average Salaries, Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, earn average, employed within