What do entry level Ultrasound Sonographer make?

How many patients do they nomally see a day? How often do they have pay increase? Is their work schedule flexible? Some private school charge 30k for Ultrasound Sonographer program, is this a good investment?

Entry level sonographers make approximately $26.00 per hour (national average) to start , and that goes up with experience , and numbers of registry's held by the sonographer . Ultrasound is the highest paid speciality in medical imaging , and pay is equal to that of a Nuclear Med tech.


patient load depends on the numbers of beds per hospital , local demographics , and number of sonographers per department, however the average patient load is between 8 and 10 exams per 8 hour shift , though more experienced sonographers typically scan upwards of 15 patients per day. work shedules typically consist of 40 hours per week , with call rotation divided among departments members. this call rotation typically includes weekends throughout the month, and holidays to be divided between workers throughout the calender year.

If you are looking in getting into Ultrasound as a career be sure the program is recognized by the ARDMS (American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers). this is are regulatory board , and there are many many private schools out there with un-accredited programs . No accreditation = unable to take your registry exams upon graduation ...and hospitals are hesitant to hire non-registered candidates.

A full list , state by state, of accredited programs can be found at www.ardms.org

as for the market being flooded , thats absolutely un-true ..ultrasound is actually in a SHORTAGE of QUALIFIED technologists . Yes..There are many graduates from UNACCREDITED programs out there that can't get jobs , but that's to be expected . The ultrasound shortage is growing in leaps and bounds , and is world wide...and approaching levels comparable to the nursing shortage.

I wish you luck:-)
~Ej

I believe that if deciding to apply to such a program, to do so at a community college or major university as those programs may be more reputable and credible to employers. I think that sonographers have to learn some physics and of course in anatomy and physiology. I'm not sure about the job prospects these days. In the early 90's, I was told by an RN (registered nurse) that the job market was pretty much flooded with sonographers. Perhaps you can talk with a couple that work in the field and find out if there is a demand for them (as opposed to asking schools that offer that as a major :) Good luck to you!

they make like 18-20 hour starting. honestly i think you should invest in being an XRAY tech.... radiologic technology... thats where the BIG money is

if you want a detailed account of how much ultrasound sono tech makes, per particular categories and options, go to www.salary.com. Its free and if you want a detailed report then it costs 30-40 dollars for 1 year subscription.