Becoming an ultrasound technician is becoming a well-paid professional with a competitive salary as we see in this list of other paying opportunities within top medical fields. In this guide, you will be learning about the best ultrasound technician schools, available jobs for ultrasound technicians and what some of the salaries look like.
Before we proceed with listing, it is vital to realize that our goal at Jobreaders.org is to provide sufficient career information, skill programs and grants to help you live the dream career and or business. Talking about the ultrasound technician schools, we will not depart until we list the available jobs for already certified technicians. As promised, a clear beam will also shine on the best ultrasound technician salary here and in other parts of the world.
Who is an Ultrasound Technician?
To begin with, an ultrasound technician is a diagnostic medical sonographer or simply, a sonographer. These professionals use imaging equipment and soundwaves to form images of many parts of the body, known as ultrasounds.
How to become an ultrasound technician
To become an ultrasound technician, one must acquire the skills to analyze sonographic images, for medical and other purposes ( depending on the major). Largely, these images are used to help doctors diagnose and treat many medical conditions. To acquire these skills, one must be trained by an accredited ultrasound technician school or in other qualifying institutions.
Read Also: Sonography – What it Takes to Become an Ultrasound Technician
Best Ultrasound Technician Schools in USA
According to Nursing Progress, here is a list of 10 best ultrasound technician programs accredited by CAAHEP:
1) State Fair Community College – Sedalia, MO
2) Washburn University – Topeka, KS
3) Oregon Institute of Technology – Klamath Falls, OR
4) University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center – Oklahoma City, OK
5) University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences – Little Rock, AR
6) Cincinnati State Technical and Community College – Cincinnati, OH
7) University of Missouri – Columbia, MO
8) Ohio State University – Columbus, OH
9) Midland College – Midland, TX
10) University of Iowa Health Care – Iowa City, IA
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Frequently Asked Questions
With regards to our goal at Jobreaders, to help users discover career opportunities, we deploy data-driven research on several career topics. Some of these efforts include gathering what people users search for the most.
These questions include:
How long does it take to become an ultrasound technician?
2 years associate’s degree.
On average, an associate’s degree is the most basic education requirement to become an ultrasound technician in the United States and throughout the world. However, many employers prefer to hire technicians with a bachelor’s degree and probably know work experience. In most cases, additional industrial experience will sort out the gap.
What companies are hiring for ultrasound technician jobs?
Here is a list of top companies that are currently recruiting for ultrasound technicians/ sonographer jobs around the world. We are listed two (2) most famous recruiting portals for anyone from anywhere:
Recruiting Portal One: Tap this link to see the list of Top companies hiring for Sonographer jobs through LinkedIn. Applying for any of these jobs via this platform you must learn how to make your profile stand out, with the rest what it takes to land your dream jobs at LinkedIn.
Recruiting Portal Two: Tap this page to see the list of top companies recruiting ultrasound technicians via Indeed, another globally recognized job hunting platform for local and international applicants.
Are ultrasound techs in high demand?
Yes, professional medical sonographers are in high demand around the world. Without ultrasound most medical facilities are incomplete, so every medical outlet is searching for the best ultrasound technicians/sonographers to join their establishment. To back up the perceived potential in this medical field, the U.S Bureau of Labour and Statistics revealed that the demand will always be on the increase.
Can I get ultrasound tech jobs with no experience?
Different ultrasound jobs come with different entry level requirements for salary. One can secure a job as a sonographer with no work experience so long all the necessary skills can be proven. However, some top paying careers and advanced level ultrasound positions may require some work experience aside the minimum certification requirements.
Do ultrasound techs make good money?
It is as same as asking how much do ultrasound technicians/sonographers make and the answer is 100% like every other profession in the medical field. What this implies is that there are several conditions that can decide how much a technician can earn in any State or Country.
However, on average, a sonographer earns around $75,900. The median annual wage for diagnostic medical sonographers was $77,740 in May 2021. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $59,640, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $101,650.
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These figures are according to the United States BLS backed publication as at 2021. Depending on when you stumble upon this article, you can clearly see deep potentials in a profession that only requires a minimum of 2-year degree.
Sonographer/Ultrasound Technician Job Description
An ultrasound technician carries out several roles in the office and in the laboratory. In summary, here are the known responsibilities for sonographers (by most recruiters):
An Ultrasound technician performs more than just operating imaging equipment.
They also perform several duties that will be explained below, the responsibilities of an ultrasound technician include:
- They produce images that are used to diagnose the medical conditions of patients.
- Explaining sonographic procedures to patients
- An ultrasound technician prepares the exam room and also all ultrasound equipment to assist the radiologists in conducting examinations.
- Write examination report based on the scan results and completion
- Still maintain a high level of confidentiality
- They also keep records of patient’s medical history
- The ultrasound technician still decides whether the image of the tissue is good enough for a diagnosis
- They also select the images that would be shown to the physician
- The ultrasound technicians still alert the appropriate medical staff of any abnormalities noticed in any patient’s for immediate attention
- They are responsible for sterilizing, maintaining, and also managing the ultrasound equipment
Ability to work for a 12-hour shift including nights and also weekends in a hospital. An ultrasound technician must have a good work ethic and also display friendliness to patients to make them comfortable.
How to Become an Ultrasound Technician/Sonographer
Let us break down the various pathways to becoming an ultrasound technician.
Pathway One: Obtain the required Certification(s)
A one-year certificate program is available only to those who have working experience in other healthcare occupations regardless.
Pathway Two: Earn a College Degree
To become an ultrasound technician you must, one must earn an associate bachelor’s degree in diagnostic medical Sonography from an accredited program. In most cases, it takes about two years to get an associate degree and still about four years to get a diagnostic medical sonography bachelor’s degree.
Pathway Three: Secure More Credential.
Better sonography jobs that relatively pay better may require more work experience or more credentials. To increase your career chances, you can also take a national credentialing examination to become a certified ultrasound technician. Certification is not a mandatory protocol but most employers will not hire you without a certification letter. Although, those who pursue this route stand a chance to obtain a higher salary and better job offers in the ultrasound field.
Pathway Four: Go for Licensing.
Some countries and states still require ultrasound technicians to be licensed technicians to offer employment opportunities. In the same focus, most states do not employ ultrasound technicians without License.
