Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are an elite group of healthcare professionals, who are very important in the diagnosis of diseases, and in scans of fetuses during pregnancies. If you are curious about the salaries these groups of healthcare professionals earn monthly, this article would tell you about that and what you need to do to become a diagnostic medical sonographer.According to ziprecruiter.com, diagnostic medical sonography earns between $29 and $46 per hour and between $95,495 and $59,453, depending on the state where you work. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earn their highest salary per month in the state of New York, followed by New Hampshire and Vermont. While you might want to move to some of these States to earn better, you put into consideration the cost of living of the state you want to move to as this would determine how you would fare economically.let us know about that the Salaries For Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
Taxes for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the USA pay 22% of their annual salary as social security, Federal income tax, and State income tax. As a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, you should take these taxes into account whenever you are planning your monthly budget, and also plan your student loan payments per year against your anticipated income.
Factors that affect Diagnostic Medical Sonographer salary
Salaries for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are affected by the following factors:
– Years of practice experience as a diagnostic medical sonographer: Your salary as a diagnostic medical sonographer is determined by how long you have been practicing in the USA. For example, where a beginner diagnostic medical sonographer earns $59,000 per year, a diagnostic medical sonographer who has been practicing for 15 years or more would earn $90,000+.
– Soft skills that are relevant to a Diagnostic Medical sonographer: You may not believe this, but certain soft skills can seriously help you earn more than others. Having skills like patient care, communicative skills, rapt attention to detail, etc, can hasten your promotion and increase your salary compared to other Diagnostic Medical sonographers.
How to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in the USA?
To become a diagnostic medical sonographer in the USA, there are a few educational routes for you to follow. These routes are:
Obtain a certificate in Sonography
To become a Sonographer, you can attend a vocational school or a community college to obtain a certificate in Sonography. These sonography certificate programs run for 12-18 months and are composed of both classroom and clinical education. Meaning that you would take some classes in the hospitals.
Obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Sonography
Obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Sonography is another viable option for you to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. Having a Bachelor’s degree in Sonography gives you an advantage over Sonographers who went to vocational schools and community colleges, as you would be ranked above them, and you would also be paid higher. Like the others, Bachelor’s degree in Sonography programs offers classroom courses and practical courses in the clinics, as well as some general courses. In the Bachelor’s degree program, you can also offer certification courses if you want to focus on a particular specialty.
Obtain a Master’s degree in Sonography
To become a very senior Sonographer or get a management or Professorship role in Sonography, you can also take a Master’s degree in Sonography. But, for you to be eligible to take a Master’s degree in Sonography, you must have completed a Bachelor’s program in Sonography. Before choosing a Master’s degree in Sonography, you should make sure that the program you are about to choose is accredited by the CAAHEP, the regulatory body that ensures that healthcare programs are of high standards and that Sonographers are well trained to be able to safely deliver healthcare services to patients.
Licenses to obtain for you to be able to practice as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
There are two licenses to obtain to be able to practice as a Diagnostic Medical sonographer, they are:
1. License from the American Registration of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
2. License from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography(ARDMS).
The ARRT offers two different routes to obtain its sonography certification. And, they are
1. The primary route, where certificates are given to Diagnostic Medical Sonographers who have just recently completed a sonography program.
2. The post-primary route, where certificates are given to Diagnostic Medical Sonographers who are already registered with ARRT and are seeking additional certifications in their quest for career advancement.
As a sonography licensing institution, the ARRT offers certificates in 15 different sonographic specialties. The certificate expires in one year and for you to be able to renew the certificate, you would have to show proof to the ARRT that you are continuously educating yourself.
The ARDMS on the other hand offers five different certificates. For you to obtain these certificates, you would be required to sit for the examinations organized by the ARDMS.
Some states Diagnostic Medical Sonographers to obtain certain licenses. These licenses are issued by a government agency, and it signifies that the government in that State has given legal permission to the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer to carry out diagnostic ultrasound scans on patients. States who have this requirement are New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, and North Dakota).
Conclusion
The salaries you would earn as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer are very attractive and is worth the sacrifice of having to sit in classrooms for hours receiving lectures and having to prepare for and write examinations both for licensing and certification purposes. As a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, you would be one of the first points of contact for patients whenever they first come into the hospital for treatment, and you would be involved in all of the remaining stages of treatment. Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a good profession, and a high paying one.
FAQs
1. Are Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in high demand in the USA?
Yes, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are in high demand in the USA. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the rate of increase in the number of diagnostic medical sonographers in the country is 14%, very much higher than the national average.
