Sonography techs use the sound waves of ultrasound equipment to image the interior of the human body for medical diagnoses. The work requires formal, postsecondary training, available through both two-year and four-year programs. States do not require licensing for the profession. However, voluntary credentialing from national organizations can increase employability and salaries.
Work
Sonography techs work in clean, climate-controlled health care facilities, using their machines in darkened rooms. Full-time employees work a standard 40-hour week, though some may be on call for evening and weekend work. A tech may work at several facilities, or travel to patients' homes with portable imaging equipment. The median salary of techs is $63,010 annually, with a range of $43,990 to $85,950. The median hourly wage is $30.30, with a range of $21.15 to $41.32. These figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2009.
Employers
The largest employers of sonography techs are general medical and surgical hospitals with almost 60 percent of the estimated 51,630 positions. Work here may be conducted in a room devoted to imaging, with a constant stream of patients supplied by the hospital. Compensation is close to the median at $30.66 per hour or $63,770 per year. The highest paying employers are employment services, which may hire out sonographers temporarily to health care facilities. Average wages at these firms are $32.70 per hour or $68,020 per year.
Location
The state with the best paying jobs for sonography techs is Massachusetts, with compensation at $37.72 per hour or $78,460 per year, according to the BLS. It is followed by Oregon, with salaries at $37.65 per hour or $78,320 per year. The city with the best paying employers is Santa Cruz, California, with pay at $46.89 hourly or $97,530 yearly. It is followed by San Jose, California, at $44.56 per hour or $92,680 per year. Both cities have a high cost of living that boosts salaries.
Outlook
The BLS predicts that jobs for sonography techs will increase at 18 percent until 2018, which is faster than average. The demand will come from an aging population, which will require diagnostic imaging to assess medical conditions. Because opportunities vary by location, those willing to relocate should have the best prospects. Those with multiple specialties and credentials will also find good opportunities.
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