Ultrasound technician schools are found in most moderate and major cities around the country and are often attached or affiliated with area medical schools. Finding an accredited school is only the beginning of your search. Many people select a career based on the salary paid without a lot of consideration for the cost of the training or the jobs available. A very expensive ultrasound school does not guarantee an effective program or a job after graduation. When you decide to be an ultrasound technician, spend time evaluating the local job market, various programs offered at the nearest schools, and your personality and abilities.

Large metropolitan areas are known for excellent medical facilities, but few of those hospitals and medical clinics will be interested in hiring new graduates. Check job postings on the internet and call local medical providers to see if they have any open positions. You may have to consider a small town to gain experience. Speak to previous students of the schools you might attend. If they are unable to find jobs, the schools might be turning out too many technicians for the area. Look at a map and find the smaller towns within a 100-mile radius to see if there might be one in which you would like to live. Every community has medical facilities and the smaller towns might need someone to move there to perform ultrasound readings.

Every ultrasound technician school has a program that includes class work and an externship, and offers associate’s and bachelor’s degrees. Within the program you will want to know if special programs are offered to cover gynecology, obstetrics, vascularity, ophthalmology, neurosonology, or echocardiography. These programs allow graduates to accept positions in more obscure medical settings. A general program will leave you competing with every ultrasound tech in the area. Look at the program from the perspective of the job market. If you found a position that remains open because no one has the training or experience, you can get trained for that type of position. Completing a program and being unable to find a job is not your objective.

Your personality and abilities will play a major role in your choice of ultrasound schools. Some schools spend a great deal of time on the exact usage of every piece of equipment while others spend more time on anatomy and biological sciences. There are even schools that will teach you every possible way to interact with patients. Whichever area is your weakness is the one that you want your school to emphasize. Take the harder road through your training so that you have the skills and tools you need to be the best possible technician. Another decision you must make is if you want to be around people who do not feel well all day every day. Not everyone can endure terminal illnesses and surprise findings from medical examinations. Talk to some people who actually do the job and decide if you possess the compassion to be there when a patient is given life-shattering news. Your care and concern can give them real hope for their situation. Book knowledge can be learned, but genuine care and compassion are innate.

Ultrasound Technician School

Some ultrasound technician schools spend more money on marketing and growing programs than they invest in job placement and career success of their students. Collecting tuition and paying instructors do not make a successful school. Student goals are more important than making money and should be evident in the school’s success record. Be objective and make your own decision between the schools in your area. Include the people you trust most and gather all the information you can. You are not seeking a degree but rather a job that will provide the experience you need to pass certification exams that are required for career progression. If you really want to make some good money, you must have all the foundational building blocks for success.

An ultrasound technician is not only required to operate the machinery and interpret the results. Other parts of the job include talking to the patient and explain the procedure, directing the patient in order to obtain the best images, selecting images for other medical professionals to review and maintaining the ultrasound equipment.

Doctor and ultrasound technologist looking at ultrasound machine

To be successful in this career, there are various skills that every technician needs to be proficient in. These include the ability to operate the ultrasound machine and interpret the images; attention to detail to select appropriate images and spot areas to concentrate on; good verbal and social skills in order to communicate effectively with patients; and the physical ability to help patients into an optimum position.

Ultrasound technicians must receive appropriate training and certification before being allowed to practice. This training can either take place in a hospital or in a university or vocational college. Most training programs will take 2 – 4 years to complete. After completing training, it is possible to achieve certification from the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) which requires passing both a general examination and an exam in the specialty in which the individual wishes to practice (obstetric sonography, abdominal sonography etc).

Most trained medical ultrasound operators will work mainly in hospitals. There are also job opportunities in physicians’ offices and diagnostic imaging centers. The average yearly salary in the United States is around $50,000 per year, with the top earners earning over $66,500 per year. Salary prospects vary depending on the industry sector in which the individual is employed.

There is an increasing demand for ultrasound technologists due to the aging population and the increasing demand for this type of diagnostic imaging as an alternative to x-rays and other more dangerous procedures. Job prospects therefore are extremely good and there are an increasing number of opportunities at private imaging centers offering ‘reassurance scans’ for pregnant women as well as hospitals and other medical establishments.

Job Duties

In this exciting and challenging career choice, ultrasound technicians are instrumental providers in the health care field by performing ultrasound exams on patients. They also perform varied necessary patient assessments, collect, retrieve and interpret data from advanced diagnostic tools. After completing assessments, technologists provide written reports and imaging patient data summaries, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests and x-rays, to assist physician partners with correct medical diagnoses and patient health management.

Salary Levels

Salary levels in this exciting health care field currently give the potential to earn a good income. For certified ultrasound technicians, the mean annual salary is listed at around $63,000. In some specialty areas, compensation may be higher depending on experience and individual State guidelines.

Employment Prospects

The future for ultrasound technician careers is one of high demand and is very promising for steady employment in various sectors. Certified ultrasound technicians are needed for work in civilian and military medical facilities. In hospitals, certified technicians usually maintain 40 hour work weeks with flexible scheduling around the clock to serve patients. Specialty imaging centers have a consistent need for certified ultrasound technicians. Ultrasound employment opportunities are also available for certified technicians in doctor offices, specialty clinics and in private/State owned medical laboratories.

Necessary Skills

Technicians need to be very precise, independent, self-motivated and detail-oriented when capturing medical images for analysis. Ultrasound technicians gather important information, take measurements, evaluate data and perform various calculations to create patient images. Precise details in developing medical images are crucial in assisting doctors to make accurate patient diagnoses.

Education Requirements

Potential ultrasound technologists must have earned a high school diploma or equivalent and successfully complete an approved training course. Approved training options in ultrasound include a certificate, an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree. A person can receive an ultrasound technician certificate in 1-2 years from an approved program, an associate’s degree from an accredited college in 2-3 years or a bachelor’s degree with a concentration in ultrasound in 4 years with full-time study.

Pregnant woman having ultrasound scan performed by female ultrasound technician in hospital

Licensure

Currently, there is no licensure requirement in this health care field.

Training

After completing an approved program to become a certified ultrasound technician, extra training may be required for imaging work in specialty areas, such as obstetric and gynecologic sonography or podiatry. Ultrasound technologists are usually required to participate in a Continuing Education program to keep their imaging skills current and complete training on new technology imaging equipment.

This career field will remain one of high demand as ultrasound technicians provide valuable services in managing patient care. As advanced technology continues to improve, ultrasound technicians will continue to perform as committed health care partners by providing excellent, specialized care in medical imaging.

The ultrasound technology uses sound waves or echoes to create detailed images of the body. This is particularly useful if the doctor wants to find out what is wrong inside but does not want to open or cut the patient’s body. Ultrasound is among the leading technologies used in medicine today. It is widely used because people nowadays prefer non-invasive techniques. As a consequence, knowledgeable and experienced ultrasound technicians have also become highly in demand.

Salary Baselines of Ultrasound Technicians

According to the data from the the BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), the lower 10% of the ultrasound technician population receive approximately $35,800 as salary. On the other hand, the upper 10% of the same population receive over $66,680. The ASRT (Am. Society of Radio. Technologists) reports higher figures, with the lower 10% receiving $39,212 and the higher 10% receiving $84,545.

The website salary.com states that the current average for the salary of ultrasound technicians is pegged at around $51,382. Meanwhile, ASRT states that the average is about $56,158. In the year 2006, it was stated by the BLS that the average was $48,660. The income of ultrasound technicians may vary according to their workplace. For instance, those who work in physicians’ clinics were reported to have an average yearly salary of $50,390. On the other hand, technicians who work in hospitals receive a slightly lower salary of $47,530. The ultrasound technician salary is $53,604 in physician’s offices and $73,888 in non-profit hospitals.

Ranges of Salaries of Ultrasound Technicians

The Society of Diagnostic Med. Sonographers conducted a recent survey which showed that ultrasound technicians can earn an hourly rate of $15 to $18. According to the Am. Registry of Diagnostic Med. Sonographers (ARDMS), if the ultrasound technician engaged in further studies or acquired certifications, the salary can even be higher. Data reports from the ASRT state that if an ultrasound technician has a bachelor’s degree, the salary range can reach $61,000 or even higher.

An ultrasound technician’s level of experience is also a determinant of salary. Similar to other careers or jobs, lower salaries are usually given to persons with entry-level positions. Increases in a person’s knowledge and experience translate to higher salary and better benefits. For instance, a salary range of $56,627 to $68,690 is reserved for chief ultrasound technologists. Moreover, a more specialized field in sonography (abdomen, breast, Obstetrics-Gynecology) has a better salary threshold for ultrasound technicians.