Occupation salary profile

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

SOC 29-2032 BLS OEWS May 2025

Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists. Excludes “Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians” (29-2031).

National median · BLS
$96,590
▲ +8.12% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$97,240
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
90,160
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$67,820
25th$80,430
Median (50th)$96,590
75th$106,930
90th — top pay$129,370

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

BLS projects employment of diagnostic medical sonographers to grow 13.9% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 6,000 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
92,200 → 105,100
+12,900 jobs
Projected change
+13.9%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
6,000
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
No related experience required
Self-employed
1.1% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need an associate's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening4.0
  • Speaking3.9
  • Reading Comprehension3.8
  • Critical Thinking3.6
  • Social Perceptiveness3.6
  • Operation and Control3.4
  • Coordination3.3
  • Monitoring3.3
  • Operations Monitoring3.3
  • Writing3.3
Top knowledge areas
  • Medicine and Dentistry4.5
  • Physics4.5
  • Customer and Personal Service4.2
  • Biology4.0
  • English Language3.7
  • Computers and Electronics3.3
  • Education and Training2.9
  • Administrative2.8
Software and technology used
eClinicalWorks EHR softwareMEDITECH softwareMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareDatabase softwareEmail softwareMedical procedure coding softwarePatient medical record software

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What diagnostic medical sonographers do

  • Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
  • Decide which images to include, looking for differences between healthy and pathological areas.
  • Operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of the motion, shape, and composition of blood, organs, tissues, or bodily masses, such as fluid accumulations.
  • Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
  • Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in medical diagnosis.
  • Select appropriate equipment settings and adjust patient positions to obtain the best sites and angles.
  • Determine whether scope of exam should be extended, based on findings.
  • Obtain and record accurate patient history, including prior test results or information from physical examinations.
Also called
RDMS (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer)Staff SonographerUltrasound Technician (Ultrasound Tech)Ultrasound Technologist (Ultrasound Tech)Cardiovascular SonographerEcho Tech (Echocardiographic Technician)Echosonographer Technologist (Echo Technologist)Medical SonographerRegistered Diagnostic Cardiac SonographerRVT (Registered Vascular Technologist)
More job titles for this occupation (17)
Echo Sonographer (Echocardiograph Sonographer)Echo Tech (Echocardiogram Technician)EchocardiographerEchocardiographic TechnologistEchocardiography Technician (Echocardiography Tech)Echocardiology TechnologistOBGYN Sonographer (Obstetrics and Gynecology Sonographer)Sonogram Technician (Sonogram Tech)Sonography Technician (Sonography Tech)Sonography TechnologistTravel OB Ultrasound Tech (Travel Obstetrics Ultrasound Technician)Travel Ultrasound SonographerTravel Ultrasound TechnologistUltrasonic TesterUltrasound TesterVascular Ultrasound Technician (Vascular Ultrasound Tech)Vascular Ultrasound Technologist

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.