Ultrasound Tech Salaries, Benefits

One of the best things about the field of sonography is that the salaries are typically lucrative. This field is in high demand, so it is only natural that it pays well. Sonographers are typically paid hourly versus earning a salary, which is pretty common in the health care industry. Most sonographers just out of school earn around $23-25 per hour. More experienced techs who also are skilled in vascular may make over $30 an hour. So, annually, the average ultrasound technician salary can range between $40,000 and $60,000 annually.

The west coast tends to pay better than the Midwest and east coast. Pay is also determined by whether you practice in a clinic, Ultrasound Technologist Salary

doctor’s office or hospital. Hospitals tend to pay better than the other settings. Larger hospitals, with greater dependence and job security, tend to pay better than smaller hospitals. The average ultrasound technician salary of those who work for a company that sends them to a variety of different offices is usually higher than those who are hired to work at one physician’s office.

Learn more about ultrasound technician schools.

Ultrasound Tech Work Hours

At both clinics and ultrasound departments within hospitals the hours are typically somewhere between 7am and 6pm. However, most sonographers who work at hospitals are required to “take call” to cover night and weekend hours.

Raises and Promotions

Typically annual reviews are conducted and a cost of living type of raise is given each year. This raise can be dependent on job performance as well.

In this field oftentimes there is the opportunity to advance to a lead ultrasound tech (supervisor) role, which typically pays better. In terms of wanting to make better money but not necessarily advance to a supervisory role, earning additional certifications may lead to an increase in pay. Even if these extra certifications do not provide a pay increase, it can definitely help with marketability.

Of course with more practice, sonographers become more efficient at obtaining the appropriate images and 'seeing' all the anatomy perfectly. With time and practice, a sonographer’s images typically improve. Those dedicated to this field and who truly care about the well-being of their patients will take the extra time necessary to obtain an effective image. In turn, the average sonographer salary will increase with the longer they’re in the field.

Reporting Structure

Sonographers typically report to a lead ultrasound tech who also serves as their manager. The lead ultrasound tech serves a leadership/supervisory role in addition to regular job duties of performing ultrasounds. Those chosen for the supervisory positions have typically been in the profession for a number of years and are fairly experienced, so they can offer guidance to other sonographers.

Career Benefits

Some of the major benefits of this career include excellent health care benefits, good pay, and job security since this is a high-demand field. An additional benefit is the intrinsic rewards that come with helping ease patient’s concerns prior to an exam and also helping find the source of their symptoms. One of the greatest benefits of being an ultrasound tech is that each day your patients and the types of ultrasounds are different, which keeps the career interesting.

Career Challenges

Although one of the benefits of the job of an ultrasound tech is getting to work with a variety of personality types, this can also be a challenge. Adapting your communication style to work with a multitude of personalities of both patients and doctors can be challenging. Also, some ultrasound techs may find it challenging to perform sonograms on children and babies since they may be scared and have difficulty laying still for the imaging.