Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Health ScienceO*NET 29-2032.00United States
Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.
- Median annual earnings
- $97,413
- Projected change
- +16%
- Typical education
- Associate degree
- Employment
- 94K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
47.1% of the workforce
Growing to 109K by 2035
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The work
What diagnostic medical sonographers do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
- Decide which images to include, looking for differences between healthy and pathological areas.
- Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
- Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in medical diagnosis.
- Operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of the motion, shape, and composition of blood, organs, tissues, or bodily masses, such as fluid accumulations.
- Select appropriate equipment settings and adjust patient positions to obtain the best sites and angles.
- Prepare patient for exam by explaining procedure, transferring patient to ultrasound table, scrubbing skin and applying gel, and positioning patient properly.
- Determine whether scope of exam should be extended, based on findings.
- Obtain and record accurate patient history, including prior test results or information from physical examinations.
- Maintain records that include patient information, sonographs and interpretations, files of correspondence, publications and regulations, or quality assurance records, such as pathology, biopsy, or post-operative reports.
- Record and store suitable images, using camera unit connected to the ultrasound equipment.
- Coordinate work with physicians or other healthcare team members, including providing assistance during invasive procedures.
- Clean, check, and maintain sonographic equipment, submitting maintenance requests or performing minor repairs as necessary.
- Perform clerical duties, such as scheduling exams or special procedures, keeping records, or archiving computerized images.
- Perform legal and ethical duties, including preparing safety or accident reports, obtaining written consent from patient to perform invasive procedures, or reporting symptoms of abuse or neglect.
- Supervise or train students or other medical sonographers.
- Maintain stock and supplies, preparing supplies for special examinations and ordering supplies when necessary.
- Perform medical procedures, such as administering oxygen, inserting and removing airways, taking vital signs, or giving emergency treatment, such as first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $66,553
- 25th percentile
- $79,691
- 50th percentile
- $97,413
- 75th percentile
- $112,454
- 90th percentile
- $136,196
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $97,413 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+16%much faster than average
202593,995 jobs
2035 projected109,002 jobs
15,007 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Associate degree
- 47.1%
- Certificate
- 19.3%
- Bachelor's degree
- 16.8%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 16.7%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Ultrasound Technologists7,817 postings
- 02Sonographers6,370 postings
- 03Travel Ultrasound Technologists5,379 postings
- 04Ultrasound Technicians5,267 postings
- 05Travel Echo Technicians1,949 postings
- 06Echo Technicians1,787 postings
- 07Ultrasonographers1,344 postings
- 08Vascular Sonographers1,284 postings
- 09Diagnostic Medical Sonographers1,153 postings
- 10Diagnostic Sonographers1,062 postings
- 11Ultrasound Sonographers1,044 postings
- 12Echocardiographers1,030 postings
- 13Medical Sonographers937 postings
- 14Echocardiography Technologists907 postings
- 15Vascular Ultrasound Technologists862 postings
- 16Travel Ultrasound Technologists/Sonographers767 postings
- 17Ultrasound Technologists/Sonographers708 postings
- 18Travel Ultrasound Sonographers695 postings
- 19Echo Sonographers568 postings
- 20Lead Ultrasound Technologists554 postings
Top employers
- 01Soliant Health3,172 postings
- 02Titan Medical1,322 postings
- 03AMN Healthcare1,264 postings
- 04HCA Healthcare1,091 postings
- 05MedPro Healthcare Staffing743 postings
- 06Aya Healthcare728 postings
- 07Fusion Medical Staffing722 postings
- 08Trusted Health604 postings
- 09Triage Staffing591 postings
- 10K&A Recruiting587 postings
- 11Supplemental Health Care563 postings
- 12Ingenovis Health541 postings
- 13SSM Health Care455 postings
- 14Medical Solutions448 postings
- 15Gqr446 postings
- 16Anders Group423 postings
- 17Accountable Healthcare Staffing412 postings
- 18AdventHealth342 postings
- 19Health Advocates Network333 postings
- 20Fujifilm331 postings
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