Ultrasound Technician Training: How to Become an Ultrasound Tech
- Ultrasound Tech Career Overview
- Steps to Become an Ultrasound Tech
- Ultrasound Technician Training Options
- Ultrasound Tech Licensure and Certification
- Ultrasound Technician Salary and Career Prospects
- FAQ
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Credit: Science Photo Library / Getty ImagesUltrasound technicians develop special images that help doctors and other healthcare providers diagnose and treat conditions. According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), ultrasound technicians are in high demand, with a 15% projected job growth rate that’s nearly four times the national average.
These professionals — also known as diagnostic medical sonographers or simply sonographers — earn competitive wages and can work in a variety of healthcare settings and specialties.
Learn more about how to become an ultrasound tech, including training, licensure and certification, and an ultrasound technician salary outlook.
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What Is an Ultrasound Technician?
Ultrasound technicians must operate complex medical equipment to obtain images called ultrasounds or sonograms. Ultrasound is a highly safe, highly effective technology with a long history of use in the medical field. Many people know ultrasound technicians from fetal exams during pregnancy, but ultrasound techs work in a variety of specialties, creating images of everything from the joints to the kidneys.
To create these images, ultrasound machines emit non-invasive, high-frequency soundwaves that move through the body to create the images. The ultrasound tech understands this technology and how to use it within a given specialty. There are so-called “soft skills” involved in the job as well, as ultrasound techs prepare and assist patients — many of whom may be anxious about the test or its results — before and during the test. After the test is complete, a physician or other healthcare provider interprets the images to help them address the medical questions at hand.
The following provides a step-by-step guide on how to become an ultrasound tech.
How Long to Become
1-4 Years
Degree Required
Certificate or Associate Degree
Job Outlook
15% job growth between 2023-2033
How to Become an Ultrasound Tech
- 1
Earn Your High School Diploma or GED Certificate
A high school diploma or GED qualifies you for admission to many accredited sonography certificate programs. The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) offers a searchable database of certificate programs and other accredited training options for ultrasound technicians and other healthcare professionals.
- 2
Apply to an Accredited Sonography Training Programs
Admission often requires submission of official transcripts and ACT or SAT scores. Schools may also request that applicants meet certain physical requirements, such as the ability to lift 50 pounds.
- 3
Earn Your Credential 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. Ultrasound technician credentials generally occur in three levels: a one-year certificate program, a two-year associate degree, and a four-year bachelor’s degree. As part of these programs, you’ll learn to operate ultrasound equipment, effectively communicate with patients, and analyze ultrasound images.
- 4
Gain Experience as an Ultrasound Technician
Ultrasound technicians build experience through internships or entry-level jobs supervised by experienced technicians. The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) offers up-to-date information about the latest information and advancements in the ultrasound technology field. Newer ultrasound technicians can use the ARDMS career center to access resources like job and internship opportunities.
- 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. Board certification gives you 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).
Ultrasound Technician Training
Different educational routes can lead to different careers in medical sonography. A certificate is the quickest route, although associate and bachelor’s degrees hold their own advantages once you’ve entered the workforce. For example, while you can secure a job with a certificate, ultrasound technicians with degrees may earn higher salaries.
Education and licensure requirements vary by state. To learn more about the requirements and opportunities where you live, consult the ARDMS or your state’s medical board.
In general, however, many states and schools have overlapping requirements and parameters when it comes to ultrasound technician training.
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 attract healthcare professionals who aim to work in specialized sonographer roles.
- Admission Requirements: A high school diploma or GED certificate. You 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.
- Curriculum: The 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.
- Skills Learned: You’ll learn how to use ultrasound instrumentation to perform abdominal sonography, obstetric and gynecologic sonography, vascular ultrasound, and echocardiography. You’ll also learn about operational management in healthcare.
- Time to Complete: A certificate takes about 14-22 months to complete. While the timeline varies depending on coursework, you can usually expect to graduate in less than two years.
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. Graduates 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: A high school diploma or GED certificate and transcripts. You may also need to provide ACT or SAT scores. Some programs require an interview.
- Curriculum: Students complete about 60 credits over 6-8 semesters. You’ll commonly take courses in physics, math, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, and anatomy and physiology. The curriculum includes an overview of the causes and effects of diseases. During clinicals, students practice patient care and get experience using sonographic imaging and instrumentation.
- Skills Learned: Labs and other activities give you hands-on experience using sonographic machinery to produce images of internal organs, blood vessels, and tissues.
- 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. Finish your degree faster with accelerated programs designed for applicants with experience or prior college credits.
Bachelor’s Degree in Sonography
While you do not need a four-year degree to become a certified ultrasound tech, bachelor’s programs offer more extensive clinical training — and perhaps more professional opportunities after graduation. A bachelor’s degree in medical sonography can enhance your employment prospects. It can also pave the way to higher salaries and advanced certifications.
- Admission Requirements: First-year or transfer applicants can enroll in a bachelor’s program. 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. Transfer students usually have an associate degree or significant credit.
- Curriculum: A bachelor’s program begins with introductory biology, human anatomy and physiology, and physics courses. You’ll also learn patient care and sonography scanning skills and techniques. Participants complete clinical practicums and often produce a senior project.
- Skills Learned: Students practice ultrasound techniques in specialized areas such as obstetrical, gynecological, and sonographic vascular sonography. During labs and clinicals, you’ll perform ultrasound exams and learn how to discern between normal structures and abnormalities. Some programs offer externships to provide additional experience in a clinical setting.
- Time to Complete: It takes about four years to finish the bachelor’s in medical sonography. However, some programs offer accelerated programs you can complete in 15-27 months.
Ultrasound Technician Licensure and Certification
Only four states require sonographers to be licensed: New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oregon. But even in states where licensure is not required, employers still often prefer certified sonographers or ultrasound technicians.
Many employers look for ARRT or ARDMS certification. Cardiovascular Credentialing International offers additional credentials for cardiovascular ultrasound techs.
ARDMS’s certification requires you to pass the sonography principles and instrumentation examination. Your specialty area may require additional exams, such as ARDMS’s Vascular Technology exam for ultrasound techs specializing in blood vessels.
Ultrasound Technician Salary and Career Overview
Ultrasound technicians can work in several settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Medical and diagnostic laboratories
- Ambulatory care centers
- Physician’s offices
Recent data shows that ultrasound techs are not only in high demand but have considerable earning power. As of early 2025, data from Payscale show an average annual salary of $73,001 for diagnostic medical sonographers and an average hourly pay rate of $35.36.
Wages can vary widely based on specialty type, experience, degree level, and geographic location, among other potential factors.
Ready to start searching for that first job as an ultrasound tech? Reputable online sources like the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers offer job postings and ultrasound technician salary information.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ultrasound Technician Training
Becoming an ultrasound technician takes 1-4 years, depending on the program you choose. Certificate programs typically take about a year of full-time study, while associate degrees take two years and bachelor’s degrees take about four years.
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