Ultrasound Technician Training: How to Become an Ultrasound Tech
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Credit: Science Photo Library / Getty ImagesUltrasound technicians play a critical role in a patient’s healthcare journey. These healthcare professionals use sonography to detect tumors and provide the first images of fetuses to expecting parents.
If you want to get started in healthcare, find out how to become an ultrasound technician in 1-4 years with this in-depth guide. Learn about the educational requirements, available specialties, and licensure and certification criteria.
How Long to Become
1-4 Years
Degree Required
Certificate or Associate Degree
Job Outlook
11% Growth from 2023-2033
Popular Online Associate Healthcare Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Steps to Becoming an Ultrasound Technician
- 1
Earn Your High School Diploma or GED Certificate
A high school diploma or GED certificate qualifies you for admission to an accredited college’s sonography certificate program. If you did not complete high school, you can take the General Educational Development (GED) test to earn your certificate.
- 2
Apply to Accredited Sonography Training Programs
You can apply for an accredited sonography training program with a high school diploma or GED certificate. Admission often requires submitting official transcripts and taking an entrance exam unless applicants submit ACT or SAT scores. Schools may also request that applicants meet physical requirements, such as the ability to lift 50 pounds.
Students must attend an accredited sonography program. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAEP) accredits sonography programs. You can check a program’s accreditation status by visiting CAAEP’s directory.
- 3
Earn a Degree in Medical Sonography
You’ll need to earn a certificate or degree in medical sonography to qualify for certification and employment as an ultrasound tech. You choose to complete a one-year certificate, a two-year associate degree, or a four-year bachelor’s degree in medical sonography.
You’ll learn to operate ultrasound equipment, communicate with patients to ensure their cooperation, and analyze ultrasound images with varying levels of depth, depending on the degree.
- 4
Gain Experience as an Ultrasound Technician
Ultrasound technicians can gain experience through internships or entry-level jobs under the mentorship of experienced technicians.
The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) offers current news about ultrasound technology. New ultrasound technicians can use the ARDMS website’s career center for resources to gain experience in the field. They can also complete internships or work in supervised entry-level jobs.
- 5
Consider Becoming a Certified Ultrasound Technician
Board certification validates an ultrasound tech’s knowledge and experience. Becoming a certified ultrasound technician may be optional, depending on your state’s legislation. Still, many employers require these credentials.
You may opt for certification to get an edge in the job market, even in geographic areas that do not require licensure or certification. Ultrasound technicians can become certified through the ARDMS and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).
What Is an Ultrasound Technician?
Ultrasound technicians use sonographs to create images of blood vessels, organs, and other parts of the body with sound waves. These pictures are also called sonograms or ultrasound scans.
Radiologists and other advanced practice providers use ultrasound scans to diagnose medical disorders and decipher the best medical treatment.
Ultrasound technicians must be detail-oriented and possess a high skill level to operate the ultrasound equipment effectively.
Ultrasound Technician Specialties
Certified ultrasound technicians often specialize in various practice areas, such as:
- Pediatric Echocardiography: This specialty teaches sonographers to use ultrasounds to identify heart conditions or abnormalities, such as congenital heart disease in children.
- Neurosonology: In this specialized area, professionals study the brain and neural structures using sonography to detect conditions like blockages in large ventricles within the brain.
- Gynecology and Obstetrics: This specialty uses 2D and 3D ultrasounds of women’s reproductive organs, often for fetal imaging or diagnosing conditions like fibroids or tumors.
- Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography: Also known as echocardiography, this specialty uses medical imaging to assess the heart, including its valves and vessels. Professionals also perform echocardiograms on fetal hearts.
- Abdominal Sonography: This form of noninvasive imaging helps doctors screen for health issues in the abdominal areas, including the liver, kidney, and spleen.
- Musculoskeletal Sonography: Doctors use this form of ultrasound to diagnose musculoskeletal problems such as nerve damage and muscle tears.
Ultrasound Technician Education
Different educational routes can lead to a career as an ultrasound technician. The path you take depends on your state’s medical board requirements. You can take the quickest route to earn a certificate or pursue an associate or bachelor’s degree. While you can secure a job with a certificate, ultrasound technicians with degrees may earn higher salaries. States may also require ultrasound technicians to obtain certification and/or licensure.
Certificate in Sonography
An ultrasound certification program is best suited for students who want to become ultrasound technicians as quickly as possible. These programs also suit healthcare professionals with existing healthcare training who aim to work in specialized sonographer roles.
- Admission Requirements: Admission for a medical sonography certificate program requires a high school diploma or GED certificate. You also must be 18 years old. Candidates with associate degrees or college-level reading and math credits from accredited schools can often bypass entrance exam requirements.
- Program Curriculum: A certificate program covers medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, physics, and healthcare ethics and law. You can take coursework and labs in abdominal sonography and obstetric and gynecological sonography.
- Time to Complete: A certificate takes about 14-22 months to complete. While the timeline varies depending on the coursework, you can usually expect to graduate in less than two years.
- Skills Learned: You’ll learn the fundamentals of medical terminology and practical skills using ultrasound instrumentation to perform abdominal sonography, obstetric and gynecologic sonography, vascular ultrasound, and echocardiography. You’ll also learn about operational management in healthcare.
Associate Degree in Sonography
The most common path for ultrasound technician training is an associate degree in diagnostic medical sonography. This degree prepares students for entry-level positions and certification. It allows students to qualify for ultrasound technician certification and employment sooner than a bachelor’s degree. Yet, it gives graduates more in-depth knowledge than a certificate.
- Admission Requirements: An associate of sonography requires that you submit high school transcripts. You may also need to provide your ACT or SAT scores. You’ll need either a traditional diploma or GED certificate to apply. Additionally, you may need to pass an interview for admission.
- Program Curriculum: Earning an associate degree in sonography requires completing about 60 credits over 6-8 semesters. Students gain an essential understanding of the causes and effects of diseases. They commonly take courses in physics, math, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, and anatomy and physiology. During fieldwork, learners practice patient care and get experience using sonographic imaging and instrumentation.
- Time to Complete: Students can complete an associate degree in 14-24 months. The typical associate degree requires two years of study for full-time learners. Accelerated programs for applicants with experience or prior college credits offer a faster degree pathway.
- Skills Learned: The hands-on learning in labs and lectures train you to use sonographic machinery that utilizes high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the internal organs, blood vessels, and tissues.
Bachelor’s Degree in Sonography
A bachelor’s of medical sonography degree offers a route for ultrasound technicians looking to manage sonography teams. While you do not need to spend four years in college to become a certified ultrasound technician, bachelor’s programs offer more extensive experiential clinical learning. Also, the degree includes the prerequisites needed for graduate school and advanced certifications.
- Admission Requirements: First-year or transfer applicants can enroll in a bachelor’s degree. Many first-year students apply directly after high school with a diploma or GED certificate. They may need to complete college preparatory courses such as algebra, chemistry, biology, and English. When applying, transfer students usually possess an associate degree or a minimum of 60 credits.
- Program Curriculum: A bachelor’s program begins with introductory biology, human anatomy and physiology, and physics courses. Students also complete coursework in patient care and sonography scanning skills and techniques. You’ll take clinical practicums and often complete a senior project.
- Time to Complete: It takes about four years to finish the bachelor’s of medical sonography curriculum. However, some programs might provide quicker paths to a degree in approximately 15 months. With self-paced or evening courses, you can earn a bachelor’s degree in about 51 months.
- Skills Learned: Bachelor’s degree-holders practice ultrasound protocol techniques in specialized areas such as obstetrical, gynecological, and sonographic vascular sonography. They complete labs and clinical learning that focus on performing ultrasound exams and discerning images of normal structures compared to abnormalities.
Ultrasound Technician Licensure and Certification
States determine the requirements to become a sonographer or ultrasound technician. Not all states require licensure, but employers generally prefer certified sonographers or ultrasound technicians. Employers recognize credentials from professional organizations, such as ARRT, the ARDMS, and Cardiovascular Credentialing International.
Certifications require passing the sonography principles and instrumentation (SPI) examination. Your specialty area may require additional exams. For instance, the registered diagnostic cardiac sonography credential requires passing the adult echocardiography, fetal echocardiography, and pediatric echocardiography exams. Additionally, requirements may include completing a two-year program and 12 months of clinical work experience.
Ultrasound technicians need a license to work in four states: New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon.
Working as an Ultrasound Technician
Ultrasound technicians can work in several settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Medical and diagnostic laboratories
- Ambulatory care centers
- Physician’s offices
The BLS projects employment for ultrasound technicians to grow by 11% from 2023-2033, which is about three times the projected growth rate of 4% for all occupations. March 2023 Payscale data indicates an average hourly wage for sonographers of $34.65, generally ranging from $26.51 to $45.86 per hour, depending on specialty type, experience, degree level, and geographic location.
There are online sources with job postings for entry-level ultrasound technicians, such as the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers featured jobs page.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming an Ultrasound Technician
Becoming an ultrasound technician takes 1-4 years, depending on your chosen program type. Certificates take a year of full-time study. Associate degrees typically take two years. Bachelor’s degrees take four years to complete. Higher degrees qualify you for roles with higher earning potential and greater autonomy.
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