# Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

> Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/diagnostic-medical-sonographers
- SOC code: 29-2032.00
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $96,590 (10th percentile $67,820, 90th percentile $129,370)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +13.9%
- Openings a year: 6,000
- Typical entry education: Associate's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 81 |
| Investigative (I) | 63 |
| Artistic (A) | 5 |
| Social (S) | 52 |
| Enterprising (E) | 9 |
| Conventional (C) | 68 |

## What you'd do

- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 92/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 92/100)
- Getting Information (importance 87/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 84/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 80/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 80/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 75/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 72/100)
- Handling and Moving Objects (importance 71/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 70/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Operation and Control, Coordination, Monitoring, Operations Monitoring, Writing

## Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry, Physics, Customer and Personal Service, Biology, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Education and Training, Administrative, Mathematics, Personnel and Human Resources

## Also called

Cardiovascular Sonographer, Echo Sonographer (Echocardiograph Sonographer), Echo Tech (Echocardiogram Technician), Echo Tech (Echocardiographic Technician), Echocardiographer, Echocardiographic Technologist, Echocardiography Technician (Echocardiography Tech), Echocardiology Technologist, Echosonographer Technologist (Echo Technologist), Medical Sonographer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5109) (CIP 5109, 1,504 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Wagner College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wagner-college-3148) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $156,982 | $27,000 |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $102,500 | $142,774 | $23,325 |
| [John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/college/john-patrick-university-of-health-and-applied-sciences-1341) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $112,673 | $122,061 | $23,437 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $115,813 | $28,000 |
| [D'Youville University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/d-youville-university-755) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $113,290 | $114,737 | $30,703 |
| [Molloy College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/molloy-college-1749) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,567 | $111,267 | not reported |
| [Salisbury University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/salisbury-university-2329) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $75,312 | $109,739 | $23,250 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,526 | $107,539 | $22,000 |

## Related careers

- [Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cardiovascular-technologists-and-technicians): $74,310 median pay
- [Radiologic Technologists and Technicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/radiologic-technologists-and-technicians): $80,110 median pay
- [Neurodiagnostic Technologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/neurodiagnostic-technologists): $50,290 median pay
- [Radiation Therapists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/radiation-therapists): $105,310 median pay
- [Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/magnetic-resonance-imaging-technologists): $95,480 median pay
- [Ophthalmic Medical Technologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/ophthalmic-medical-technologists): $50,290 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.