Compared to other medical technician occupations today, diagnostic medical sonography stands at the top – being well-paid and having more opportunities than other similar jobs. However, like other occupations, there is a big discrepancy between the highest earning sonographers and the lowest earning sonographers. What factors can affect how much your average salary is in a year as a sonographer? Location (wage by state) is not the only thing to consider.
1. Certification
Sonography is a profession, but unlike medical professions (medical doctors, nurses, etc.) sonographers are not required to be licensed in order to practice or work as one. However, certification is a common practice among diagnostic medical sonographers, especially since most employers prefer that a sonographer is certified before he or she can start working. But how exactly are certificates and licenses different from each other?
It’s pretty simple. Certificates are not mandatory like licenses. In order to work as a doctor, nurse, or other licensed professions, a person has to take a licensure exam, pass it, and become registered. Certificates on the other hand, are not required by law in order for a sonographer to practice his or her profession – although most employers request them. There are only a few states that have enacted licensing laws for sonographers, among them New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Tip: To become certified, a sonographer has to take an exam from a governing body such as the ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) or CCI (Cardiovascular Credentialing International). There are several examinations that a sonographer takes – a basic SPI (Sonography Principles and Instrumentation) plus one or more specialty exams (e.g. musculoskeletal, cardiac, vascular).
2. Program length
Program length is another factor to consider, primarily because sonography is offered mainly as an associate degree and bachelor’s degree. If you are a new high school graduate, choosing a program will typically depend on two things – how long you want or are able to study and how much you can actually afford the type of education you want. Associate degrees take two years to complete, compared to the longer, bachelor degree programs. However, bachelor degrees have generally better training because it takes 4 years to complete them.
Tip: Employers prefer sonographers with better training not just hospital experience, hence them choosing a graduate of a four-year course rather than a two-year course. This is something to consider if you want to be competitive in the health care occupation market.
Specialty greatly impacts a sonographer’s per annum earnings. Certain specialties are more in demand than others, which is why some sonographers earn well-above the occupation’s average annual salary. By far, the highest paying sonography is neurosonography. The SDMS conducted a survey among sonographers and it was revealed that 46.7 percent of neurosonographer respondents earned $80,000 annually or higher. Not far behind were cardiac pediatric sonographers, with 43.4 percent of the cardiac pediatric sonographer respondents earning at least $80,000 annually or higher.
Tip: With this in mind, it can be said that having several specialties will greatly make your skills more competitive and can lead to higher salary and an increase in job opportunities. An employer will likely choose a sonographer who has say two specialties than a sonographer who only has one.
3. Location, location, location
Location can refer to two things: geographical location and industry. These factors affect all occupations in the United States, including sonography. The sonographer salary in your state is most likely different compared to other states. There are five top paying states in the country according to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) – California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Rhode Island. Apart from Rhode Island (which offers an average annual salary of $78,750 for sonographers), all four states offer a per annum salary between $80,400 and $86,550. This is well above the nationwide average of $67,170 per annum.
Tip: If you want a higher salary than average, planning where you want to work in should be a priority. A sonographer should include medical sonography salary by state and industry in his or her considerations when choosing where to work.
These four things are the major factors that can affect your salary if you decide to become a sonographer. Getting the best possible starting salary should be every sonographer’s concern, as well as bettering his or her practice through additional studies and experience.
Sonography is a profession, but unlike medical professions (medical doctors, nurses, etc.) sonographers are not required to be licensed in order to practice or work as one. However, certification is a common practice among diagnostic medical sonographers, especially since most employers prefer that a sonographer is certified before he or she can start working. But how exactly are certificates and licenses different from each other?
It’s pretty simple. Certificates are not mandatory like licenses. In order to work as a doctor, nurse, or other licensed professions, a person has to take a licensure exam, pass it, and become registered. Certificates on the other hand, are not required by law in order for a sonographer to practice his or her profession – although most employers request them. There are only a few states that have enacted licensing laws for sonographers, among them New Mexico, New Jersey, Oregon, and West Virginia.
Tip: To become certified, a sonographer has to take an exam from a governing body such as the ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) or CCI (Cardiovascular Credentialing International). There are several examinations that a sonographer takes – a basic SPI (Sonography Principles and Instrumentation) plus one or more specialty exams (e.g. musculoskeletal, cardiac, vascular).
2. Program length
Program length is another factor to consider, primarily because sonography is offered mainly as an associate degree and bachelor’s degree. If you are a new high school graduate, choosing a program will typically depend on two things – how long you want or are able to study and how much you can actually afford the type of education you want. Associate degrees take two years to complete, compared to the longer, bachelor degree programs. However, bachelor degrees have generally better training because it takes 4 years to complete them.
Tip: Employers prefer sonographers with better training not just hospital experience, hence them choosing a graduate of a four-year course rather than a two-year course. This is something to consider if you want to be competitive in the health care occupation market.
- Specialty
Specialty greatly impacts a sonographer’s per annum earnings. Certain specialties are more in demand than others, which is why some sonographers earn well-above the occupation’s average annual salary. By far, the highest paying sonography is neurosonography. The SDMS conducted a survey among sonographers and it was revealed that 46.7 percent of neurosonographer respondents earned $80,000 annually or higher. Not far behind were cardiac pediatric sonographers, with 43.4 percent of the cardiac pediatric sonographer respondents earning at least $80,000 annually or higher.
Tip: With this in mind, it can be said that having several specialties will greatly make your skills more competitive and can lead to higher salary and an increase in job opportunities. An employer will likely choose a sonographer who has say two specialties than a sonographer who only has one.
3. Location, location, location
Location can refer to two things: geographical location and industry. These factors affect all occupations in the United States, including sonography. The sonographer salary in your state is most likely different compared to other states. There are five top paying states in the country according to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) – California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Rhode Island. Apart from Rhode Island (which offers an average annual salary of $78,750 for sonographers), all four states offer a per annum salary between $80,400 and $86,550. This is well above the nationwide average of $67,170 per annum.
Tip: If you want a higher salary than average, planning where you want to work in should be a priority. A sonographer should include medical sonography salary by state and industry in his or her considerations when choosing where to work.
These four things are the major factors that can affect your salary if you decide to become a sonographer. Getting the best possible starting salary should be every sonographer’s concern, as well as bettering his or her practice through additional studies and experience.