Ultrasound Tech Programs

By an allied health world contributing writer
Published: January 18th, 2010

Duration of Ultrasound Technician Programs Ultrasound technician programs are typically 18-24 months in duration. The majority of programs are set up with the first year consisting of full time coursework and part time clinical experience. The second year of the program typically consists of part time coursework in addition to part time clinical experience (usually 32 hours per week). Of course the duration of each program varies.

Tuition

The cost of an ultrasound technician training program depends on if you’re paying in state or out of state tuition, the duration of the

program, and the type of school you choose to attend. Cost can vary widely but one thing is for certain, the return on educational investment for this field is huge due to the high demand in the field and lucrative salaries.

Waiting Lists

Ultrasound technician programs oftentimes have wait lists since many more students apply than they have room to accept into the program. For instance, most schools accept between 18-25 students into their program each year and some have as many as 60-100 applying into the program. Of course, whether a program has a wait list and the length of the list varies from one program to the next.

Those individuals with the odds stacked in their favor for acceptance into the program have completed a college degree and/or worked in the health care industry previously, and completed the necessary prerequisites. Schools may accept students more readily if they've earned good grades and were in good academic standing while earning a previous college degree.

Typical Students in an Ultrasound Tech Class

While those entering into sonography programs used to be a younger crowd, the trend seems to have shifted to professionals making a career change. Some of these career changers have a health care background while others have never worked in the health care industry. The typical age of students in these programs tends to vary between 25-50 year olds. The current economic conditions may be one reason for why there is an older average age range of individuals pursuing this career field. These individuals realize that sonography is a high-demand field and they want a skill that will allow them job security, the ability to make good money, and excellent health benefits.

Learn more about ultrasound technician schools.