If you were interested in a career as an ultrasound technician, you would also be eager to know all about the income, right? You will be happy to hear that the ultrasound technician salary is very high in the sector of medicine. This is why many people are becoming interested in gaining more information about the career. The field of medicine that involves sonograms is looked at as among the most advantageous concerning the opportunities in career that it has to offer.
An ultrasound tech not only earns well on an hourly basis but there is also another advantage. If you become part of this field, you would not have to undergo higher training levels, which are required in other medical courses like registered nurse or medical technologist.
More Info
- What do Sonographers do? >>
- How Much does an Ultrasound Technician Make? >>
- What are Important Salary Trends? >>
- Best Paying Industries for Ultrasound Technicians >>
- Top Paying Cities (Data Provided in Table) >>
- Salaries by State (with Table) >>
- Salaries by Specialty (Data in Table) >>
- Compare to Ultrasound Salaries in Canada and the UK >>
- Necessary Education >>
Job Description: Duties and Responsibilities
Basically, such ultrasound technicians are responsible for the diagnostic procedures that make use of sound waves that have high frequencies. The procedures operate on particular kind of sound waves and create visual depictions of the various components of our bodies like the tissues, organs and also blood flow.
The ultrasound tech first has to prepare patients before they undergo sonography tests. He has to adjust settings of the ultrasound equipment to assess the condition of the body of the patient effectively. He also has the crucial responsibility of studying and evaluating all the images (created based on the echoes of the sound waves) to try finding the unhealthy areas in the patients’ bodies. He has to check if the images are detailed and clear so that doctors would not have difficulties in reviewing them. The diagnostic medical sonographer would also have to keep records of test results to submit them for further procedures by doctors.
The procedure can be used for a variety of purposes – for example, to scan the heart for abnormalities or to show pictures of an unborn infant during pregnancy. Therefore, there are many different ultrasound technician specialties, each focusing on a particular area of medical expertise.
Even though, in the USA, there is seldom any kind of gender discrimination regarding workplaces, it has been noted by many that the majority of ultrasound techs are, in fact, female. However, this is simply a result of the fact that a female technician is generally better at communicating with patients than a male one.
How Much does an Ultrasound Technician Make?
As you can see, ultrasound sonographers are very valuable for the health care team. This is why an ultrasound technician salary is very competitive. The salary is among the highest ones in the medical industry. In General, the ultrasound tech salary is higher than many other medical technician salaries, such as X-ray technician salary, surgical technician salary and pharmacy technician salary while the ultrasound salary is quite close to the registered nurse salary.
The average yearly salary in May 2009 was $63,000 that is $30.60 per hour as per the statistics provided by US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10% lowest salary of an ultrasound technician is $43,990 annually while the 10% upper ultrasound technicians earn $85,950 a year.
Most of these professionals are employed in general surgical and medical hospitals. 30,490 people out of total 51,630 technicians were employed in the May 2009 period. The latest report in 2012 states the average ultrasound tech salary is between $52,100 and $84,050 a year.
Salary Trends
In the USA, being an ultrasound technician truly pays off. In the past 4 years alone, wages have grown considerably. As a result, this line of work has become a very profitable one for those who become experts.
In 2008, the average yearly salary in the USA was somewhere around the $62,000. In 2009, that value increased to $ 63,000, while, by 2010, it has grown up to $67,000. In 2011 and 2012, the average annual income has dropped to a certain extent, but the best ultrasound technicians can still earn more than $90,000 per year.
Although the ultrasound technician income generally depends on many factors, such as how experienced the technician is or what type of sonography he specializes in, the wages are still quite high, even for those who are less experienced. The expectations for the upcoming years are also positive, as the ultrasound technician job continues to be a profitable one.
In which Industry will a Technician Earn the Highest Amount?
Those who work in hospitals get $63,770 annually in mean ultrasound salary. Next in line are the physicians who employ second most number of these professionals in their health centres. Here, 13,390 people receive about $63,820 in payment annually. The third settings where these sonographers are found in abundance are in diagnostic and medical laboratories that employ a total of 4,680 ultrasound technologists. In such settings, you would be able to earn $61,820 annually.
If you are looking at earning highest salary, consider working in firms that work in tandem with the employment services as then you are sure to earn a high salary of $68,000 or even more annually. The industry that pays second highest salary to an ultrasound technologist is in the management of enterprises and companies. Here, you would be able to earn $67,890 annually. You could also apply at some specialty hospitals that are different from the general surgical and medical hospitals. You could then expect to get a yearly payment of $67,000.
Professional schools, universities and colleges that provide work for ultrasound technicians are known to pay $66,250 annually. Those who work in outpatient centers usually receive $64,560 per year. Besides these various work settings, the region you work in that is the geographical location plays a role too in determining the amount of salary you would receive.
The most important benefit of being an ultrasound tech is that there is a very high demand for people in this line of work (consequently, the salary range is quite attractive). It is said that this demand will stay in place until 2018. Because of this, an ultrasound technologist will find work very easily, and has many choices when it comes to deciding where to work.
Even if you are an entry-level technician, your annual salary will likely be more than $40,000 per month, depending on the geographic location of where you work.
Those with over 15 years of experience can easily reach salaries of more than $70,000, depending on their dedication and expertise. Working overtime can also earn a technician a bonus or various other benefits.
With an online salary calculator, you can even get all the information about how much you could earn as an ultrasound technician before you even start your career. This is a very accurate way of calculating your wage, and you will find that it can truly be of help.
Top Paying Cities
The best salaries are generally offered in the cities including Atlanta, Buffalo, Baltimore, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Kansas City, Las Vegas, NYC, Oklahoma City, Tulsa OK, Phoenix and Tucson.As you can see in the table below, you have a better chance of earning a good wage in the larger, more well-known cities like New York, Boston or San Francisco. This isn't necessarily a rule, however, as you can often get paid quite well in cities like Baltimore, Dallas or San Diego.
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Salaries by State
The table shows the average ultrasound technician salaries in the states including California, Florida, New York, Texas, New Jersey, Ohio, Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, CT, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Maine, Nevada, Oklahoma, Vermont, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Washington State and West Virginia.Back to Top
Salaries by Specialty
Following is another important piece of information. The next table describes the hour rates and yearly income that various sonography specialists earn including diagnostic, obstetric, gynecology, abdominal sonography, neurosonography, breast sonography, vascular ultrasound technician, cardiac sonography, cardiovascular technician and veterinary ultrasound technician. Salaries for the related occupations like radiology technician and X ray technician are also included in the table below. The numbers are average calculations.There is some information available on the general salary outlook of an ultrasound technician (and other related occupations), as well as salary chart and graph data, on sites like Yahoo, Glassdoor, Payscale, or on the BLS official website, but you will find that our website already contains the most relevant information that you can find there. We have done all the research, so you do not have to spend extra time searching on tons of websites.
International Comparison
The USA is not the only country where ultrasound technicians are well paid. In the UK, the average yearly salary is somewhere between 30,000 and 45,000 pounds ($47,000 – $70,000). In Canada, on the other hand, the annual pay can reach more than $75,000 in some areas.
While these numbers are only general estimations, they are largely accurate. Based on all the information presented here, it is safe to say that being an ultrasound technician can become a very profitable career.
Necessary Education
With the high salary, it is no wonder that many people are interested in becoming ultrasound technologists. To become the one, you need to meet education requirements. You should be a high school graduate having specializations in physics, medical terminology and biology, and have completed programs such as associates certification or degree in medical sonography. This should be earned from accredited schools, universities or colleges. An ultrasound certificate program that lasts a year is available but is intended for those who are already part of the field of medical care. You could opt for a 2-year program from reputed ultrasound technician schools instead.
Some hospitals also offer certificate programs. The two-year associate degree courses are widely chosen for entering the ultrasound technology sector. You could study further to gain bachelor’s degree. This would normally be a 4-year program. These degrees and courses would teach you a lot about the field of ultrasound sonography. You would then be prepared to take responsibilities and challenges while on the job. If you have higher ultrasound technology educational qualifications you will be more likely to secure a great job and also earn considerable money.
More than 150 ultrasound technician programs were accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). In order to complete the education, you need to study theoretical knowledge and do training as well. License is not one of the main requirements. However, with regard to employment conditions of certain employers, you would have to register with American Registry for Medical Sonography. In order to be registered with the organization, you would have to take an exam. Such a license would result in higher ultrasound technician salary. It is also taken as proof that the applicant is competent and capable. You would also have to be fit physically as the profession demands being on your feet for long periods of time and carrying out related procedures repeatedly.
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