Many people are familiar with ultrasounds, or sonography, because ultrasound, or sonograms, are commonly utilized to view a fetus during pregnancy. As a Sonographer, you could be part of one of the most special times in a patient's life, revealing the gender of the baby and helping the patient to "see" her new baby for the very first time! While this is a most common use of ultrasound technology, sonography is also used to view other internal organs to diagnose a variety of problems of the abdominal organs, heart, brain, and blood flow.

Education and Training:

A Sonographers usually has at least a two-year associate’s degree. Training is offered at community colleges or at vocational or technical schools. Additional registration or certification may be earned through one of the professional societies. According to the Society for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, (SDMS), the training programs vary in length from one to four years.  There is also a certification exam that is required on a national level.

Average Work Week for Sonographers:

The average workweek is about 40 hours. If working in a hospital environment, overtime hours are always available if one would like to earn more money.

Sonographers may work in a doctor’s office, such as an OB/GYN practice, or in a hospital setting. According to the Bureau of Labor Statisitics (BLS), most Sonographers work in hospitals, while the number of Sonographers working in doctors' offices continues to grow. Additionally, Sonographers may work in an imaging center or clinic.

Sonographers should be comfortable working with highly sophisticated technological equipment. Additionally, strong communication skills are paramount for speaking with patients and putting them at ease about what to expect. Sonographers should be able to work well as part of a team, as they are coordinating with nurses and doctors to provide an accurate diagnosis of the patient. As with all medical professions, attention to detail is important, as Sonographers must be able to tell the difference between a normal image, and an abnormal one.

Typical Earnings for Sonographers range from $50,000 for entry level Sonographers, and can go as high as $70k.

**Annual earnings are determined by a variety of factors including field, title, place of employment, level of education, experience and geography.**

Search for Sonographer jobs