How much do ultrasound technologists make in 2026?
Ultrasound technologists — diagnostic medical sonographers — earn a national median of $96,590 a year ($46.44 an hour) per BLS OEWS May 2025 (SOC 29-2032). The bottom 10% earn about $67,820 and the top 10% reach $129,370. Sonography pay is credential-driven: a general sonographer holding abdomen and obstetric-gynaecologic registries sits near the median, while adding vascular, paediatric or breast credentials, or moving into echocardiography, pushes toward the $106,930 P75. The role is also physically demanding, and repetitive-strain injury is a real career risk that shapes how long sonographers stay at the scanner. Employment is projected to grow 13% through 2034 with roughly 5,800 openings a year. → Full ultrasound technologist career guide, career path, credentials & placement →
Note: $96,590 blends every experience level and every setting in this occupation. For pay by level alone, see Pay by Level below.
- Ultrasound Technologists earn a national median $96,590/yr ($46.44/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 29-2032); the P10 to P90 range is $67,820 to $129,370.
- Sonography pay is credential-stacked: general abdomen and OB-GYN registries sit near the $96,590 median, and vascular, paediatric or breast credentials move you up the range.
- Sonographers earn well above general radiographers because image acquisition is operator-dependent — the diagnosis depends on what the sonographer chooses to capture.
- BLS projects 13% growth through 2034 with roughly 5,800 openings a year, and repetitive-strain injury risk is a genuine factor in how long a career at the scanner lasts.
US Ultrasound Technologist Pay Distribution · BLS OEWS May 2025
Pay by Level · BLS OEWS May 2025
How much do ultrasound technologists earn at each level?
BLS OEWS publishes one blended wage for the whole occupation and does not break pay out by credential or practice level. The levels below distribute the published percentile range across the credential tiers this role actually hires at.
Level medians are aligned to the BLS OEWS May 2025 percentile distribution for SOC 29-2032; GlobalCybers does not yet publish a verified placement sample for this role, so no verified median is shown.
Methodology & Sources
How the numbers on this page are built
Published (BLS): BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 29-2032, United States national estimate. Public, methodologically rigorous, but sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection — so it reflects wages that are already 1–2 years old by the time you read them.
Level and certification medians: distributed across the published BLS percentile range for this SOC code (P10 through P90) according to the credential tiers this occupation actually hires at. They are modeled reference points, not separately surveyed wages.
State and metro figures: modeled — the BLS national median multiplied by the GlobalCybers state wage index, and for metros by the published metro index for that state. They are estimates of local pay, not BLS state or metropolitan-area observations, and are labelled as modeled in the tables below.
No verified placement sample:GlobalCybers does not yet publish a placement median for this role, so no "verified" figure appears anywhere on this page.
Pay by Career Level
How much does an ultrasound technologist earn at each career stage?
Sonography pay follows registry credentials and specialty mix rather than years served. Each median below is anchored to the BLS OEWS distribution for SOC 29-2032.
By State
Which states pay ultrasound technologists the most in 2026?
These are modeled state estimates — the BLS national median scaled by the GlobalCybers state wage index — not BLS state observations. Sonography is unlicensed in most states, so the credential that matters is the ARDMS or ARRT registry rather than a state permit, and geography acts through hospital wage grids alone.
6 of 51 state guides shown, ranked by median. Bar is relative to California ($111,080), the highest-paying state shown. See all role salary guides →
By Metro
Which cities pay ultrasound technologists the most?
Modeled metro estimates: the national median scaled by the state wage index and then by the published metro index for that state. They estimate local wage levels and are not BLS metropolitan-area observations.
BLS OEWS MSA estimates, May 2025. Nominal pay — weigh each metro against its cost of living before relocating.
Certification Impact
Which certifications raise an ultrasound technologist’s pay the most?
Median annual pay before and after each credential, based on GlobalCybers placement data cross-referenced with BLS. License upgrades move the needle most; stackable certs add on top.
Impacts are not additive, the licensing rows share the same career ladder. Browse all 167 certifications →
Trade Comparison
How does ultrasound technologist pay compare to related roles?
BLS OEWS national median across the closest trades. Ultrasound Technologists sit mid-pack on median but carry one of the widest P10–P90 spreads, licensing and specialization drive the upside.
BLS OEWS May 2025. Verify ultrasound technologist wages on BLS.gov →
Take-Home Pay
What does an ultrasound technologist actually take home after taxes?
The medians above are gross base wage.
Estimates use 2026 federal brackets, standard deduction, and 7.65% FICA. Actual take-home varies with filing status, deductions, and local tax.
FAQ
Ultrasound Technologist Salary, Frequently Asked Questions
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