The median hourly wage for a diagnostic medical sonographer with less than one year of experience is $22.66.
A diagnostic medical sonographer uses clinical imaging technology such as an x-ray machine to identify illness or disease in patients. Sonographers use imaging equipment to direct sound waves into a particular area of a patient's body, which then reflect echoes and transmit them into images that may be viewed directly or photographed for later analysis and diagnosis. Aspiring medical sonographers looking to advance in the field should consider earning a bachelor's degree in sonography, although associate's degrees are available as well.
Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for diagnostic medical sonographers in the United States was about $61,980 as of May 2008. The typical entry-level wage, or lowest wage, earned by diagnostic medical sonographers is about $43,600 per year. The highest paid diagnostic medical sonographers earn about $83,980 per year. Sonographers can advance in their careers and earn potentially higher wages by specializing in a particular branch of the field, such as cardiac, vascular or obstetric sonography.
Cardiac Sonographer
Cardiac sonographers are typically the lowest paid professionals in the sonography field, earning an average of about $24.72 per hour. Sonographers who specialize in cardiology are also sometimes called echocardiographers or cardiac ultrasound technologists. They are responsible for using sonography equipment to view patients' hearts. They use ultrasound technology to analyze heart chamber sizes and arrangements, monitor blood flow and oversee valve function to diagnose potential heart conditions or disease.
Vascular Sonographer
Vascular sonographers are among the highest paid diagnostic medical sonographers in the health care field, earning about $30.20 per hour on average. Sonographers specializing in this subject use ultrasound equipment to examine the pathology, anatomy and physiology of a patient's arteries and veins. Vascular sonographers are used to detect arterial conditions and prevent strokes, aneurysms, blood clots and pulmonary embolisms.
Obstetric Sonographer
Obstetric sonographers are one of the most common types of medical sonographers in the field and are responsible for using ultrasound imaging to monitor the development of embryos in human pregnancies. Obstetric sonographers use visual images of growing fetuses to monitor growth and provide accurate suggestions for prenatal care. The median hourly wage for an obstetric sonographer is about $27.21.
Neurosonographer
A neurosonographer is responsible for using ultrasound technology to obtain images of a patient's nervous system, including the brain. Neurosonographers undergo advanced training to study brain conditions and diseases and to eventually diagnose and treat nervous system conditions. The pay rate for neurosonographers can vary between public health care centers and private facilities.
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