Ultrasound technicians
can specialize to increase their wages.
Ultrasound technicians, also known as sonography technicians, use medical imaging equipment to take pictures of structures inside the body. This medical technician field pays an average of more than $60,000, and the demand for technicians is on the rise due to the increasing population. Considering that you need only one to four years of education to enter the field, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, becoming a ultrasound technician is a very lucrative healthcare career choice.
Pay Average and Range
Ultrasound technicians make an average annual salary of $63,640 based on 2009 data, says the BLS. This is roughly $30.60 per hour. The lowest earners in the profession make $43,990 a year, or $21.15 per hour. Pay is as high as $85,950 annually -- $41.32 an hour -- for some experienced sonographers, or about double what an entry-level worker makes.
Top Sectors
Ultrasound technicians usually work in hospitals and doctors' offices, according to 2009 BLS information. However, these employers don't always provide the highest wages for the field. Sonographers sometimes make better wages in outpatient care centers ($64,560); colleges, universities and professional schools ($66,250); specialty hospitals ($67,070); and employers associated with management of companies and enterprises ($67,890). The employment services sector pays the highest rates to ultrasound technicians, offering $68,020 a year. This is almost 7 percent better than the industry average. Of the best-paying sectors, most sonographers work in outpatient care centers.
Top States
Because geographical regions have different costs of living, sonographer pay varies according to location. The best states for ultrasound technician compensation are Alaska ($75,500), Washington ($76,980), Colorado ($77,380), Oregon ($78,320) and Massachusetts ($78,320), according to 2009 data from the BLS. These figures represent an 18.6 to 23 percent increase over the industry average.
Experience
As with other healthcare professions, education plays a role in how much an ultrasound technician makes. Those with under a year of experience make $30,304 to $51,395 as of 2011, according to ultrasoundtechnician-schools.net. With one to four years in the field, technicians make $36,164 to $52,267. Five to nine years of experience in the profession yield $41,724 to $59,793. With a decade in the industry, a sonographer makes $75,000 or more.
Considerations
Pay for ultrasound technicians increased by 0.4 percent from 2008 to 2009, says the BLS. Additionally, ultrasound technicians can increase their pay by gaining certifications in a specialty. Specialty examples include areas such as obstetrics, cardiac imaging and magnetic resonance imaging.
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