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by jollyjenny

Hello everyone!

I'm just curious. I know $ isn't all that matters, but I have struggled between which career path to choose for quite a while. I've been accepted into a sonography program and a RN program-both of which are equally interesting to me. I have to make up my mind within the next 2 weeks, so I can let the other program know I won't be attending.

So, who tends to make more money? I have researched this information and I get lots of different results.

Thanks!
jollyjenny

[weirdRN]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

Typically, both fields are competitive with regard to salary, hours and so on. However, sonography is extremely limited.

I wanted more hands on, with more responsibility to teach patients about their disease processes, so I became an RN.
If you are only looking at money, RNs typically make more than the US/X-ray Techs.

Best of luck to you and Congrats on the acceptance to the programs which ever you choose.

[teeituptom]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

I make more money than sonographers

which career do you like better

[BSNDec06]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

Nurses in an inpatient setting tend to care for a small group of patients for an entire shift. Sonographers may do quite a few procedures in a day, but the interactions will be more brief in nature. Nurses are more versatile and have more broad career opportunities, but ultrasound techs are able to become very good at one particular skill set and build upon that.

According to salary.com: The average US Staff RN salary is $53K to $63K.
Ultrasound techs make $53K to $64K per year. (25th to 75th percentile)
Even if there was a larger salary difference, I would still suggest that you base your decision on how you like to spend your time and how deeply you want to interact with the patients. Do you have time to do some shadowing over the next 2 weeks?

Good luck with your decision.

[Raeth]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

I'd do the RN. Of course, that's pretty obvious since I am in the middle of my RN program right now. However, I know a few people in my program who dropped out of other allied health fields to become RNs.

Most seemed to complain about the limited scope of what they were studying to be. Not as much flexibility or room to advance. RN and Sonographer make about the same I would say, however in the end I would say your earning potential would be far greater if you became an RN and continued to advance your education.

Being a student myself this isn't from personal experience. Just from what research I did when investigating my career choices.

Good luck... either way I am sure you will enjoy it.

[jollyjenny]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

Thanks for all of your replies!

I know that nursing offers more flexibility and you have the potential to earn more than sonographers, but I have read so much about the back-breaking work nurses experience all the time, no administrative support, no respect from families and patients, huge responsibility, high burn out rate, etc. I'm not so sure I want the kind of life where I dread going to work every day, like so many people on this website express.

I don't know-ever since I was a little girl I said I wanted to be a nurse because I love the IDEA of getting to care for the ill and know that I'm doing something really important. But I think that idea is very naive. I actually have shadowed nurses and sonographers, more than once with each, and the all of the nurses were extremely stressed out the whole time (NICU, ICU, L&D), but the sonographers said they were very content with their careers. They all worked 8-5 M-F, and actually one worked 4 10-hour shifts and had Fri-Sun off. This is more appealing to me also. I think I have made my decision to go the sonography route.

I appreciate all of your advice. Hopefully I'm doing the right thing. At least I know I've done everything possible to make an informed decision.

jollyjenny

[weirdRN]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

Don't let the few who have day hours fool you. Sonographers are often on call, and while the money might be nice, it really sucks when you have a family. My first year as a sonographer in a small x-ray dept, I was on call constantly. I worked nearly seven days a week that year. Thankfully that is over now.

As for stress, consider the settings that you elected to shadow, and the people whom you shadowed. What would those same people say about working in an advance practice clinic? Or being charge nurse in say a prison? There are a million different places to find yourself as a nurse. As a sonographer you will find yourself either in a Dr's Office or in a hospital X-ray dept.

Bottom line, Money isn't going to make your decision. Personal choice will.

[MzMiNiDiva8]

Re: Who makes more $$$...Sonographers or RNs?

You only mentioned hospital work for nurses. A lot of nurses do work in hospitals, but theres a lot that don't. Theres many other enviornments that nurses do work in. The hospital enviornment is just only one place a nurse can work. I'm sure some environments are more or less stressful then others. Atleast theres plenty of options nurses can choose from-until hopefully the right fit comes along.

It already seems like you have your mind made up.