Typical entry: Associate's degree
Diagnostic medical sonographer
Diagnostic medical sonographers operate ultrasound equipment to image organs, blood flow, and pregnancies, and they capture the views physicians need. Demand is growing quickly with an aging population.
By the Degreeless Jobs research deskUpdated Sep 7, 2026Sources: BLS, O*NET
What a diagnostic medical sonographer makes
Median pay, May 2025, United States
$96,590
$46.44 an hour, median
- 25th percentile
- $80,430
- 75th percentile
- $106,930
- 90th percentile
- $129,370
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Wages of employed workers, not offers.
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- BLS
- Workers without a bachelor's
- Not published
- O*NET
- Growth, 2025 to 2035
- +13.9%
- BLS projections
- Openings a year
- 6,000
- BLS projections
How people get in without a degree
Most sonographers hold an associate's degree from a CAAHEP-accredited program (18 to 24 months) and pass ARDMS exams. Programs are competitive; healthcare experience such as CNA or patient care work strengthens applications.
The work, as O*NET defines it: Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.
The next step
Accredited sonography program (associate's) and ARDMS certification
- Typical cost
- $8,000 to $30,000 depending on the school
- Time to complete
- 18 to 24 months
Costs and durations are ranges gathered from provider and state sources; confirm the current price and your state's rules before you pay anything. Never pay a fee to apply for a job.
Pay by state
Median pay for diagnostic medical sonographers by state, May 2025, sorted by annual median. States without a published estimate are omitted.
| State | Hourly median | Annual median | 25th to 75th | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $61.79 | $128,530 | $99,510 to $160,580 | 10,110 |
| Hawaii | $59.82 | $124,430 | $112,280 to $129,650 | 210 |
| Washington | $58.34 | $121,340 | $100,430 to $134,810 | 2,190 |
| Oregon | $57.80 | $120,220 | $102,900 to $130,860 | 1,210 |
| District of Columbia | $53.86 | $112,020 | $104,520 to $126,660 | 160 |
| Colorado | $52.12 | $108,410 | $99,440 to $122,960 | 1,430 |
| Massachusetts | $51.67 | $107,480 | $102,170 to $127,650 | 2,190 |
| Alaska | $50.81 | $105,670 | $97,600 to $124,540 | 140 |
| Vermont | $50.05 | $104,100 | $97,330 to $127,890 | 140 |
| New York | $49.96 | $103,920 | $93,140 to $119,850 | 6,880 |
| New Hampshire | $49.89 | $103,760 | $97,640 to $117,470 | 400 |
| Connecticut | $49.63 | $103,230 | $95,900 to $124,100 | 990 |
| New Jersey | $49.59 | $103,150 | $92,670 to $116,830 | 3,370 |
| Minnesota | $49.45 | $102,850 | $94,530 to $108,950 | 1,710 |
| Wisconsin | $49.08 | $102,090 | $96,480 to $115,650 | 1,530 |
| Montana | $48.56 | $101,000 | $84,800 to $110,700 | 230 |
| Illinois | $48.40 | $100,660 | $85,230 to $107,330 | 3,270 |
| Wyoming | $48.39 | $100,650 | $90,990 to $107,800 | 90 |
| Missouri | $48.14 | $100,130 | $81,980 to $102,410 | 1,930 |
| Utah | $48.13 | $100,100 | $83,710 to $107,220 | 740 |
| Arizona | $48.10 | $100,040 | $83,690 to $108,610 | 2,070 |
| Idaho | $48.04 | $99,920 | $82,950 to $103,720 | 510 |
| Maryland | $47.70 | $99,210 | $84,680 to $105,290 | 1,760 |
| Delaware | $47.37 | $98,530 | $86,380 to $110,570 | 220 |
| Kansas | $46.30 | $96,310 | $80,730 to $104,300 | 670 |
| Nevada | $46.15 | $95,980 | $78,410 to $115,870 | 640 |
| Virginia | $45.99 | $95,660 | $82,510 to $103,010 | 2,160 |
| Maine | $45.78 | $95,230 | $82,300 to $103,000 | 380 |
| Rhode Island | $44.63 | $92,820 | $85,630 to $104,620 | 380 |
| Texas | $44.51 | $92,580 | $78,610 to $100,700 | 6,960 |
| Kentucky | $43.86 | $91,230 | $79,310 to $101,350 | 940 |
| New Mexico | $41.93 | $87,210 | $78,120 to $104,030 | 410 |
| Iowa | $41.58 | $86,480 | $80,490 to $97,570 | 740 |
| North Carolina | $41.35 | $86,010 | $77,620 to $100,130 | 2,970 |
| Indiana | $40.89 | $85,040 | $77,070 to $99,580 | 1,380 |
| North Dakota | $40.55 | $84,340 | $80,310 to $94,160 | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $40.23 | $83,670 | $75,800 to $98,490 | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $40.04 | $83,290 | $77,380 to $96,320 | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $40.02 | $83,250 | $75,790 to $98,140 | 2,700 |
| Florida | $39.88 | $82,940 | $78,190 to $97,580 | 6,670 |
| Ohio | $39.84 | $82,870 | $79,120 to $97,160 | 3,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $39.77 | $82,710 | $78,170 to $96,310 | 2,980 |
| Nebraska | $39.74 | $82,670 | $78,540 to $99,370 | 780 |
| Michigan | $39.66 | $82,490 | $76,640 to $91,510 | 3,100 |
| Arkansas | $39.18 | $81,500 | $73,510 to $96,970 | 640 |
| South Dakota | $38.85 | $80,820 | $66,060 to $89,150 | 370 |
| Louisiana | $38.80 | $80,710 | $71,940 to $92,140 | 1,150 |
| Tennessee | $38.77 | $80,640 | $72,320 to $94,390 | 1,880 |
| West Virginia | $36.93 | $76,820 | $67,500 to $84,100 | 780 |
| Mississippi | $36.79 | $76,520 | $65,030 to $81,310 | 700 |
| Alabama | $32.78 | $68,180 | $61,760 to $78,320 | 1,510 |
Questions
Do you need a degree to be a diagnostic medical sonographer?
No. BLS lists "associate's degree" as the typical education for entry. The usual credential is accredited sonography program (associate's) and ARDMS certification.
How much does a diagnostic medical sonographer make?
The median pay was $96,590 a year ($46.44 an hour) in May 2025, according to BLS. The middle half earned between $80,430 and $106,930, and the top 10 percent earned more than $129,370.
How long does it take to become a diagnostic medical sonographer?
18 to 24 months. The typical cost is $8,000 to $30,000 depending on the school.
Is diagnostic medical sonographer work growing?
BLS projects employment to grow 13.9% from 2025 to 2035 with about 6,000 openings a year from growth and from workers leaving the occupation.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation code 29-2032.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 (Table 1.2).
- O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA), CC BY 4.0. The share without a bachelor’s degree is our summary of O*NET’s education distribution; USDOL/ETA has not approved or endorsed it.
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile