Introduction
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of ultrasound technicians, or sonography technologists, will increase by 18% through 2019 for a total of 59,500 sonography technologists. The projected salary range for the sonography field is expected to continue growing, especially as ultrasound imaging becomes more common. In fact, comparing two different salary surveys from 2008 and 2010 shows an upward trend in salaries, just in those two years.
In 2008, the median annual wage for sonography technologists was $61,980; however, the middle 50% earned wages between $52,570 and $73,680 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The lowest 10% earned less than $43,600 and the highest 10% earned more than $83,950. Those with higher salaries tend to have managerial or administrative duties, many years of clinical experience, and/or advanced specializations.
In the 2010 ASRT Radiologic Technologist Wage and Salary Survey, the overall mean full-time compensation for a sonography technologist was $66,593. If the 2008 median annual wage of $61,980 is compared to the 2010 median annual wage of $66,593, it is clear that the potential for the continued upward rise of wages is a certainty for qualified sonography technologists.
Every year, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT), the largest radiologic imaging organization in the world, regularly measures income, benefits, satisfaction and other demographics of ultrasound technicians and sonography imaging personnel at the national level. The wage and salary survey for 2010 is published and available on the ASRT website at http://www.asrt.org. In the annual wage and salary survey, the ASRT samples technologists both full-time and part-time from radiography, mammography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, bone densitometry, quality management and several other advanced certifications. Within each specialty certification area, the ASRT measures the mean and median sonogram tech salary based on education and experience. It also takes into account the sonography career positions and types of workplace, each having a direct impact on sonogram technician salary. In the 2010 ASRT Radiologic Technologist Wage and Salary Survey, the overall mean full-time compensation was $58,265. As illustrated in Table 1, the highest mean overall income is based on advanced certification specialization such as those found in diagnostic sonographer jobs.
| Certification specialization | Highest mean overall income 2010 |
| Registered Radiologist Assistant (RRA) | $99,843 |
| Radiation Therapy Technologist (RTT) | $76,376 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) | $68,741 |
| Quality Management Technologist (QMT) | $68,330 |
| Sonography Technologist | $66,593 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologist (MRI) | $62,884 |
| Cardiovascular Technologist (CV) | $62,691 |
| Computed Tomography Technologist (CT) | $58,854 |
| Bone Densitometry Technologist (BD) | $55,735 |
| Radiography (R) | $50,149 |
Qualified sonographers may add additional skills and competencies in order to perform advanced examinations. For example those with advanced skills in cardiovascular sonography and echo sonography may expect to receive increased remuneration for such ability. Current published national information shows that a sonographer might expect a cardiovascular salary range from as $21.41 to $37.21 per hour, depending on years of work experience, geographic region of the U.S., and the type of medical facility. Likewise a registered vascular ultrasound technologist might expect a similar salary.
With more years of clinical work experience in sonography and ultrasound imaging sonographer has, one can expect a greater income level. For example, in the ASRT 2010 wage and salary survey overall, regardless of certification specialization, those with 0-2 years of work experience had a mean income of $46,424 compared to $63,716 for those with 11-15 years of work experience. In the medical imaging profession, there are a variety of positions that require various specialized certificates, education and degrees such as an associates or bachelors. Examples of ultrasound sonographer jobs include staff technologist/therapist, senior/lead technologist/therapist, assistant chief technologist/therapist, chief technologist/therapist, supervisor/manager, administrator, instructor/faculty, program director, and corporate representative. Assuming greater responsibility for the overall management of the imaging facility and staff equates to a higher medical sonographer salary. Such positions would be called senior, lead, supervisor, manager or administrator. For example, in the ASRT 2010 survey, these positions had a higher overall wage of $93,355 for an administrator, as compared to a staff technologist position with a mean overall wage of $56,405. A corporate representative, that usually requires bachelors or master’s degree, specialized certification, and work experience, received the highest overall wage of $105,872.
The ASRT 2010 Salary and Wage Survey also highlighted the difference in how much sonography technicians earn in various types of clinical workplaces. In an industrial workplace the average salary for imaging professionals was the highest mean at $110,200. Industrial sonography technologists often work in dirty manufacturing environments and are at risk of work-related injury, and this is reflected in the higher pay scale. The sonography salary for those who work as educators earn $68,562and this job usually requires bachelors or masters degree. Medical diagnostic sonographers operating a mobile X-ray unit receive an overall mean salary of $53,205 compared to $62,354 for a tech working in a government/VA hospital. The sonographer salary also varies among different geographic areas of the U.S. According to the 2010 ASRT Salary and Wage Survey, the mean full-time compensation was reported highest in California ($82,753), Massachusetts ($76,840), Washington (no specific figure recorded), Rhode Island ($75,399), Connecticut ($74,763) and the District of Columbia ($72,450). The mean full-time compensation was reported lowest in Alabama ($49,531), North Dakota ($51,930), West Virginia ($52,380), Arkansas ($52,691) and South Dakota ($52,813).
The specialized certifications yielding the highest compensation was registered radiologist assistant ($100,004), medical dosimetry ($95,279) and radiation therapy ($79,125). The specialized certifications yielding the lowest compensation were radiography ($53,953), bone densitometry ($56,521) and mammography ($60,263). The diagnostic sonography salary came in between the lowest and highest compensation ranges at $66,597.
In the ASRT 2010 Wage and Salary Survey, 44.7% of the respondents hold an associates degree, have been in the profession for 17.8 years, currently practice in a staff position (63%), and work 41 hours per week in one of three employment settings (not-for-profit hospital, clinic/physician office, and for-profit hospital). Approximately 77% of the respondents receive at least partial employer funding of life insurance, 87% receive health insurance, 77% have dental insurance, 86% have retirement/pension programs, and 60% are offered tuition assistance.
