State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earn a median of $96,590 per year ($46.44/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 13.0% through 2034, with about 5,800 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
SOC 29-2032Healthcare Practitioners and TechnicalLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $96,590
- Projected growth
- +13.0%
- Openings a year
- 5,800
- Typical education
- Associate's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Cardiac Sonographer, Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Medical Sonographer, Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), Sonographer, Staff Sonographer.
How much do Diagnostic Medical Sonographers make?
10th percentile$67,820
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$80,430
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$96,590
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$106,930
Upper quartile
90th percentile$129,370
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $96,590 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $46.44/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $97,240 |
| People employed | 90,160 |
Versus all US occupations
At $96,590, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earn 89% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $45,610 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
The median is typical for the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $97,870.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $129,370 or more while the bottom 10% earn $67,820, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 75% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($128,530), but once local prices are taken into account Oregon leads at $116,311 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Diagnostic Medical Sonographers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $128,530 | $116,086 | 10,110 |
| Hawaii | $124,430 | $113,169 | 210 |
| Washington | $121,340 | $113,388 | 2,190 |
| Oregon | $120,220 | $116,311 | 1,210 |
| District of Columbia | $112,020 | $101,928 | 160 |
| Colorado | $108,410 | $105,199 | 1,430 |
| Massachusetts | $107,480 | $101,629 | 2,190 |
| Alaska | $105,670 | $103,235 | 140 |
| Vermont | $104,100 | $106,270 | 140 |
| New York | $103,920 | $96,293 | 6,880 |
Is Diagnostic Medical Sonographer a growing career?
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers13.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+13.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers to change 13.0% over 2024–2034, roughly 4.2× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 11,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,800 openings are projected each year, 6.4% of the 90,000 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
With an aging population, the need to diagnose medical conditions that affect older adults, such as tumors, will likely increase. As a result, demand for diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to grow as they use ultrasound technology to help physicians diagnose these conditions. The many and expanding uses of sonography in various medical specialties also is expected to increase employment demand for these workers.
How to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Diagnostic medical sonographers typically need at least an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate. Some sonographers need a license or certification.
| Typical entry-level education | Associate's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as diagnostic medical sonographers.
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)47.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate19.3%
- Bachelor's Degree16.8%
- First Professional Degree16.7%
What does a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer do?
Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.
Diagnostic medical sonographers, also called ultrasound technicians, operate special equipment to create images of inside the body. They work closely with physicians and surgeons, who view the images to assess and diagnose medical conditions.
Day-to-day tasks
- Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
- Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
- 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.
- 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.
- Decide which images to include, looking for differences between healthy and pathological areas.
- Clean, check, and maintain sonographic equipment, submitting maintenance requests or performing minor repairs as necessary.
- Obtain and record accurate patient history, including prior test results or information from physical examinations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most diagnostic medical sonographers work full time. Because they may work in medical facilities that are always open, they may have shifts that include evenings, weekends, or overnights.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- Regular bending or twisting
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where diagnostic medical sonographers work
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 57% |
|---|---|
| Offices of physicians | 21% |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 10% |
| Outpatient care centers | 4% |
| Self-employed workers | 2% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.5/5
- Active Learning3.4/5
- Writing3.3/5
- Science3.3/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.8/5
- Time Management3.4/5
- Coordination3.3/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Operations Monitoring3.1/5
- Operation and Control3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.9
Investigativeprimary4.8
Artistic1.3
Social4.1
Enterprising1.5
Conventionalprimary5.0
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer: frequently asked questions
How much do Diagnostic Medical Sonographers make?
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earn a median of $96,590 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 89% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $46.44/hr. The middle half earn between $80,430 and $106,930. The top 10% earn $129,370 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.1% hold associate's degree (or other 2-year degree).
Is Diagnostic Medical Sonographer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 13.0% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 5,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer do?
Diagnostic medical sonographers, also called ultrasound technicians, operate special equipment to create images of inside the body. A core O*NET task: observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Diagnostic Medical Sonographers the most?
The highest state medians for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are California ($128,530), Hawaii ($124,430), Washington ($121,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Oregon moves to the top at $116,311.
What personality type suits a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?
O*NET scores Diagnostic Medical Sonographers highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.