Ultrasound techs make decent annual wages in the field of sonography.
Ultrasound technicians, also known as sonographers, are trained to take diagnostic images similar to X-rays. However, unlike X-rays, sonographs use sound waves rather than radiation or radio waves in order to capture an image. The amount of money an ultrasound technician makes varies depending on experience and employer.
Qualifications
Ultrasound technicians may follow one of several paths to pursue their career, each of which will lead to a different salary. They may train in hospitals, colleges or universities or vocational institutions and earn either an associate or bachelor's degree. One year vocational certificates are also an option, though those with higher degrees will likely make more money.
Salary
The average salary for ultrasound techs in the U.S. is $63,640, or an average hourly rate of $30.60. The median salary is $63,010, with those in the bottom 10 percent earning $43,990 and those in the top 10 percent earning $85,950. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009)
Facility
Ultrasound technicians are most commonly employed by hospitals, though they also frequently work at doctors' offices, laboratories and other medical clinics. Sonographers at general medical and surgical hospitals earn $63,770 annually on average, while those at specialty hospitals earn more at $67,070. Those in offices of physicians earn $63,820, while medical and diagnostic laboratories pay $63,820 and outpatient care centers pay $64,560. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2009)
Area
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that no states require ultrasound technicians to possess a license, although organizations such as the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography offers credentials and certification. Techs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, Calif., earn the highest wages in the country at $97,530, followed by another California area: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, which offers $92,680. Ultrasound techs in Worcester, Mass.-Connecticut earn $90,440 a year, while those in Boulder, Colo., and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, Calif., both earn more than $83,000.
Tags: Bureau Labor, Bureau Labor Statistics, Labor Statistics, Ultrasound technicians, earn more, hospitals earn, Labor Statistics 2009
