How to become a cardiac sonographer

Cardiac Sonographers Salaries Are Substantial

Though 4-year degrees are possible, most of these health professionals complete 2-year medical programs. This quick and affordable certification pays off well, seeing as how experienced cardiac sonographers earned an average annual salary of nearly $57,000 in 2018.

Cardiac sonographers must hold at least an associate’s degree in cardiovascular technology, echocardiography, diagnostic medical sonography or a related field. You can also choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Cardiac Sonographer Job Outlook

Employment opportunities for diagnostic cardiac sonography are booming right now. Employment of cardiovascular technologists and technicians, including vascular technologists, is projected to grow 7 percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations.

Sonography can be a rewarding career in the medical sciences. One medical career where you can get trained relatively quickly is the field of ultrasound. People can train to become a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer or a Cardiovascular Sonographer in as little as two years.

Diagnostic medical sonographer ranked first on CareerCast’s list of the least stressful jobs. Diagnostic medical sonographer was rated as the least stressful job. The position involves using medical imaging equipment like ultrasound machines.

The median annual salary for diagnostic medical sonographers, the formal name for ultrasound techs, is $69,650, which means half make this amount and half higher. Sonographers make the most money, $78,360, in outpatient care centers.

The requirements for sonography school include passing difficult courses in anatomy and physiology, mathematics and physical sciences. They must also complete months of full-time clinical training, often under stressful conditions.

Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual salary for Sonographers in 2016, Cardiovascular Technologists, Vascular Technologists, and related technician positions was $71,750 or $34.49 per hour. The average annual wage for Registered Nurses in 2016 was $72,180 or $34.70 per hour.

However, many students find that a nursing degree offers significant benefits over a sonography degree, including more overall job opportunities, more focus on direct patient care, greater opportunity to specialize in an area of interest and a predictable processes for career advancement.

Many education paths are available for prospective sonographers, but the most common is a 2-year degree through an accredited sonography training program. Bachelor’s degrees are also available, as are 1-year certificate programs in sonography for persons already trained in another healthcare field.

Neurosonography Education

Other options include a certificate program, which varies in length between 12 to 24 months, and a four-year bachelor’s degree program. These neurosonograpny programs are often based in diagnostic medical sonography with a specialization in neuro sonography or neonatal neurosonography.

Accredited programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography always have math prerequisites, and one of them is algebra. Unfortunately, the word “algebra” puts fear in the hearts of many students who are weak in math. The requirement makes sense because algebra is used in one or more sonography courses like ultrasound physics.

Certificates. Aspiring ultrasound technicians can also opt to earn a certificate instead of a degree in the field. Unlike other certificates, however, a diagnostic medical sonography certificate program is intended for people who already have a college education.

There is essentially no difference between a sonographer vs. an ultrasound tech. Ultrasound technician and medical sonographer are two names for the same job.