Sonography is one of the top-earning healthcare jobs today, especially when you compare annual and hourly wages to the average nationwide. Salaries tend to vary depending where you work amongst other factors. Periodically, the Bureau of Labor Statistics gives out reports on how the trend for salaries is going and the latest release for ultrasound technician salary 2013 was recently released. You can find more details by clicking the link.
Salaries nationwide
Employment levels on the rise in 2013, with just under 133 million US citizens employed. Annual mean wage was on a similar trend, a few thousand higher than 2012. Annual salary in 2013 was $46,440 and the mean hourly wage was $22.33. The highest paid occupation was Anesthesiologists, earning an annual mean wage of $235,070. The top ten highest paid occupations were actually medical doctors. On the other side of the scale, fast food cooks earned the least, with an annual salary of $18,870.
Sonographer salaries
According the BLS report of 2013, employment and salary was up for diagnostic medical sonographers during the year. The employment level was 58,250 by May 2013, with sonographers earning $67,170 on average annually. They were earning $32.29 per hour. This continued rise in employment and salaries meets the predictions of the BLS for a continued steady upward rise of job outlook for sonographers between 2012 and 2022. The predicted percentage increase in employment was a whooping 46 percent.
For a breakdown of industries and states with the highest employment levels and salaries, see the following list.
For a breakdown of industries and states with the highest employment levels and salaries, see the following list.
Highest levels of employment
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Highest annual salaries
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Specialties
Among the factors that affect a person’s salary is the specialty they are in. The ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) certifies sonographers for the following specialties: abdomen, adult echocardiography, breast, fetal echocardiography, obstetrics and gynecology, neurosonology, pediatric echocardiography, and vascular technology. These specialties get paid differently.
According to the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SDMS), the top earning sonography specialties were neurosonology, cardiac sonographers, cardiac fetal sonography, and vascular sonography. These specialties earn as much as $80,000 annually or higher on average. Other specialties earn between $67,000 to $80,000 in a year.
According to the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SDMS), the top earning sonography specialties were neurosonology, cardiac sonographers, cardiac fetal sonography, and vascular sonography. These specialties earn as much as $80,000 annually or higher on average. Other specialties earn between $67,000 to $80,000 in a year.
Schools that offer sonography training
The CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) has accredited 211 colleges that offer ultrasound technician training in the US in 2014. CAAHEP-accredited schools have the best sonography courses because their curricula meet the standards set by the organization for the entire country. These colleges offer a range of programs, primarily in general, cardiac, vascular, and pediatric cardiac sonography, which teach students how to become a sonographer with a specialty. With the prediction of increasing salary and employment opportunities, ultrasound technician salary 2013 has never been better.