Ultrasound is an important diagnostic medical procedure.
An ultrasound technologist, also called a diagnostic medical sonographer, uses ultrasound to produce pictures of the inside of peoples' bodies. An ultrasound technologist works directly with patients to perform the ultrasound procedure. Salary varies based on geographical location, employer, experience and other factors.
General Job Description
An ultrasound technologist explains the ultrasound procedure to the patient and asks about relevant medical history. The tech then sets up the equipment and positions the patient. The tech uses a transducer, which transmits sound waves, to perform the ultrasound exam, viewing the images as they appear on a screen. The tech makes sure the images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes and shows them to the physician. Other job duties of an ultrasound technologist may include maintaining patient records and adjusting and maintaining equipment.
Specialization
Ultrasound technologists may specialize in an area: obstetrics and gynecology, abdominal sonography, liver, kidneys, gallbladder, spleen and pancreas, neurosonography, the brain and other parts of the nervous system, breast sonography, vascular sonography or cardiac sonography.
Government Salary Data
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for diagnostic medical sonographers as of May 2009 was $63,010, with 50 percent earning between $53,110 and $74,400. More than half work in general medical and surgical hospitals, where the annual mean salary was $63,770. The states with the highest mean salaries were Massachusetts, at $78,460; Oregon at $78,320; and Colorado, at $77,380. In comparison, the mean salary in Florida was $56,030.
Job Site Salary Data
As of December 2010, the MySalary website reports the median expected salary for an ultrasound technologist in the United States is $64,899. PayScale.com reports salary ranges by years of experience: Less than one year, $30,625 to $50,054; one to four years, $35,318 to $51,370; five to nine years, $42,353 to $59,622; 10 to 19 years, $52,954 to $75,023; and 20 years or more, $46,800 to $70,000.
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