Salary of U/S technician

manna, BSN, RN · Mar 12, 2004

I don't know, but the job postings I've seen here were more around $20/hr, but I do live in Mississippi, after all. Maybe that's agency type work? No benefits? Or maybe they're just that in demand. As with anything, geographical area/cost of living plays a large factor (salaries vary from area to area).

Check http://www.salary.com for good income info relative to your area of the country.

Oh, and I think the ASRT (http://www.asrt.org) puts out a salary survey every year - you can find it on their website by searching for "salary."

fiestynurse · Mar 12, 2004

There is a shortage of good ultrasound techs and they do make good money in Southern California. If you are a nurse with U/S experience that is even better.

BabyRN2Be · Mar 13, 2004

Is there a difference between Ultrasound Technician and Ultrasound Technologist? I'd think that a tech would need a little less education (like at a community college) and a technologist needs a 4 year degree. I really don't know, please excuse my ignorance. :)

angelac1978 · Mar 14, 2004

there really is no such thing as an ultrasound "technician". Most sonography/ultrasound programs require that you be a rad tech first (some also allow RN's, resp therapists and med techs to enter as well) I also think that there are some programs out there that you can get into if you already have a bachelor's in another area. I believe that the ARDMS is changing their entrance/testing requirements. for more info you can go to http://www.ardms.org and http://www.caahep.org/caahep

as far as salary goes, I checked http://www.salary.com and the national median income for a US technologist is $50,398. Assuming that this is a base salary, 40 hrs/wk, without overtime, call or shift differentials, it works out to about $25/hour. I would say that the $40/hr is probably agency or PRN work.

A

BabyRN2Be · Mar 14, 2004

Wow! With some quick figuring up at 2:15am; if she's making $40/hr, that's $65,280/yr!! Is this the same person that comes in and scans your belly or whatever with a transducer, the ones who work with a radiology tech? Good grief! That's a lot of moolah!

If that is the case, I think I'm in the wrong field!! J/K, I love the field of nursing even though I'm just starting out, but I'm amazed that an u/s tech makes a heck of a lot more than nurses do.

mskatee · Apr 1, 2004

Hi There:

This is my first time on the board. I'm hoping that someone will be able to help me with a little information.

My son is interested in applying to an ultrasound program. We are in NJ and so far there are only 2 programs available to him, distance-wise. These programs are approved by the ardms. One of them is a diagnostic school and one is conducted thru umdnj. We are not quite sure as to what the requiredments are for the umdnj is yet but the other one only seems to want an entrance exam.

Any help on those points would be welcome...but the bigger question to him at least is : He wants to know if this is a profession that is mainly women...I told him probably, but maybe he would be more marketable in the field if there is a shortage and a need? for male sonographers, can anyone comment on this?

thanks for helping us out

mskatee

there really is no such thing as an ultrasound "technician". Most sonography/ultrasound programs require that you be a rad tech first (some also allow RN's, resp therapists and med techs to enter as well) I also think that there are some programs out there that you can get into if you already have a bachelor's in another area. I believe that the ARDMS is changing their entrance/testing requirements. for more info you can go to www.ardms.org and www.caahep.org/caahep
as far as salary goes, I checked www.salary.com and the national median income for a US technologist is $50,398. Assuming that this is a base salary, 40 hrs/wk, without overtime, call or shift differentials, it works out to about $25/hour. I would say that the $40/hr is probably agency or PRN work.
A