The Salary Range for Sonographers
Sonographers, also known as diagnostic medical sonographers, use X-rays, ultrasonography and other imaging processes to produce images of the inside of the human body. Sonographers must know the basics of anatomy as well as use and maintain sonography equipment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median salary of a sonographer was $61,980 in 2008. The lowest 10th percentile earned $43,600 and the highest percentile earned $83,950. Salaries vary by geography, location (in hospitals, clinics or doctors' offices) and speciality.
Geography
The best-paying states for sonographers are Oregon, Washington, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Alaska, with annual mean wages of between $73,290 and $76,570 for those states. The lowest-paying states were Alabama ($50,090), Wyoming ($50,130), Mississippi ($51,020) and South Dakota ($51,720) according to the BLS.
Industry
The top five employers of sonographers are hospitals (annual mean wage of $62,690), doctor's offices (annual mean wage of $62,870), laboratories (annual mean wage of $60,620), clinics (annual mean wage of $61,620) and schools (annual mean wage of $64,760).
Types
There are several specialities of sonographers, including obstetric and gynecologic sonographers, abdominal sonographers, neurosonographers and breast sonographers. Job prospects and may be best for sonographers who specialize in obstetric and ophthalmology, as the technology related to those fields is rapidly advancing.
Employers
The top-paying employer for sonographers is government-sponsored health care facilities. The annual mean wage for these jobs is $78,080. Colleges, universities and schools round out the top five employers with a mean wage of $64,760.
Considerations
Professional organizations for sonographers may have more detailed career and salary advice for those looking to enter the field or increase their salaries. The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine can be found in the Resources section.
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