Ultrasound Tech Salary: How Much Do Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Make?
Median pay, percentiles and employment for diagnostic medical sonographers — nationally, in all 50 states, and by metro.
Short answer: the median diagnostic medical sonographer salary in the United States is $96,590 a year ($46.44 an hour). The middle of the market runs $80,430 to $106,930, and the 10th to 90th percentile spans $67,820 to $129,370. Location matters more than most people expect: the median is $128,530 in California and $68,180 in Alabama — a $60,350 gap for the same job. About 90,160 people work as diagnostic medical sonographers nationally.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Public-domain federal data, surveyed from employers.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer salary by state
Annual wages for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (BLS occupation code 29-2032). Percentiles show the spread within each state.
| State | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $51,700 | $68,180 | $83,220 | 1,510 |
| Alaska | $78,170 | $105,670 | $126,540 | 140 |
| Arizona | $74,010 | $100,040 | $127,510 | 2,070 |
| Arkansas | $64,280 | $81,500 | $102,190 | 640 |
| California | $62,890 | $128,530 | $177,780 | 10,110 |
| Colorado | $85,500 | $108,410 | $130,720 | 1,430 |
| Connecticut | $77,790 | $103,230 | $129,480 | 990 |
| Delaware | $83,240 | $98,530 | $115,800 | 220 |
| District of Columbia | $93,590 | $112,020 | $135,280 | 160 |
| Florida | $66,230 | $82,940 | $103,570 | 6,670 |
| Georgia | $62,120 | $83,250 | $104,930 | 2,700 |
| Hawaii | $83,900 | $124,430 | $135,660 | 210 |
| Idaho | $79,290 | $99,920 | $117,100 | 510 |
| Illinois | $78,350 | $100,660 | $122,680 | 3,270 |
| Indiana | $62,850 | $85,040 | $103,320 | 1,380 |
| Iowa | $72,480 | $86,480 | $101,970 | 740 |
| Kansas | $72,420 | $96,310 | $112,520 | 670 |
| Kentucky | $62,440 | $91,230 | $115,390 | 940 |
| Louisiana | $62,900 | $80,710 | $98,500 | 1,150 |
| Maine | $78,330 | $95,230 | $125,130 | 380 |
| Maryland | $80,940 | $99,210 | $118,520 | 1,760 |
| Massachusetts | $89,190 | $107,480 | $133,480 | 2,190 |
| Michigan | $66,960 | $82,490 | $96,360 | 3,100 |
| Minnesota | $84,020 | $102,850 | $120,220 | 1,710 |
| Mississippi | $59,660 | $76,520 | $92,340 | 700 |
| Missouri | $76,820 | $100,130 | $106,090 | 1,930 |
| Montana | $80,750 | $101,000 | $121,260 | 230 |
| Nebraska | $64,590 | $82,670 | $105,320 | 780 |
| Nevada | $74,960 | $95,980 | $133,250 | 640 |
| New Hampshire | $82,110 | $103,760 | $134,220 | 400 |
| New Jersey | $80,090 | $103,150 | $134,550 | 3,370 |
| New Mexico | $65,250 | $87,210 | $108,030 | 410 |
| New York | $79,630 | $103,920 | $127,120 | 6,880 |
| North Carolina | $67,070 | $86,010 | $105,530 | 2,970 |
| North Dakota | $66,890 | $84,340 | $102,570 | 240 |
| Ohio | $65,480 | $82,870 | $101,190 | 3,160 |
| Oklahoma | $64,610 | $83,670 | $102,570 | 1,060 |
| Oregon | $91,960 | $120,220 | $135,150 | 1,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,370 | $82,710 | $103,570 | 2,980 |
| Rhode Island | $83,690 | $92,820 | $129,690 | 380 |
| South Carolina | $69,530 | $83,290 | $102,540 | 1,340 |
| South Dakota | $51,100 | $80,820 | $98,090 | 370 |
| Tennessee | $62,220 | $80,640 | $101,830 | 1,880 |
| Texas | $64,360 | $92,580 | $106,090 | 6,960 |
| Utah | $70,030 | $100,100 | $124,760 | 740 |
| Vermont | $80,190 | $104,100 | $134,080 | 140 |
| Virginia | $77,540 | $95,660 | $122,930 | 2,160 |
| Washington | $61,840 | $121,340 | $156,860 | 2,190 |
| West Virginia | $64,750 | $76,820 | $99,060 | 780 |
| Wisconsin | $82,430 | $102,090 | $124,450 | 1,530 |
| Wyoming | $80,390 | $100,650 | $136,830 | 90 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. “Not released” means BLS suppressed the estimate, usually because the state sample was too small — this page shows that rather than guessing.
Highest-paying metro areas for diagnostic medical sonographers
| Metro area | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $173,150 | $213,010 |
| Vallejo, CA | $171,170 | $205,490 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $163,220 | $188,300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $161,570 | $206,220 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $160,270 | $204,140 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $142,150 | $175,320 |
| Modesto, CA | $141,210 | $177,780 |
| Redding, CA | $133,340 | $170,150 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $132,490 | $161,410 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $130,210 | $178,730 |
Top 10 of the 393 metro areas BLS publishes. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average diagnostic medical sonographer salary?
The median diagnostic medical sonographer salary in the United States is $96,590 a year as of May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Half of diagnostic medical sonographers earn more than that and half earn less. The 10th percentile is $67,820 and the 90th percentile is $129,370.
Which state pays diagnostic medical sonographers the most?
California, with a median of $128,530. The lowest of the states BLS publishes is Alabama at $68,180, a gap of $60,350. Higher-paying states also tend to have higher housing costs, so compare take-home pay and rent rather than the headline figure alone.
How much do diagnostic medical sonographers make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $46.44 as of May 2025.
Is this data self-reported?
No. These figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, which collects wage data from employers rather than from workers submitting their own salaries. It is public-domain federal data.