A cardiac sonographer also known as an echocardiographer is a medical professional who has been trained to use ultrasound equipment t assist physicians in detecting heart attacks in patients.
With the use of an ultrasound machine, this professional can produce moving 2D and 3D images of the heart and its chambers. But, did you know that a cardiac sonographer makes an average salary of $34.57 per hour? That’s about $71,898 every year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is predicted to grow by 14% resulting in over 18,000 job openings across the US.
Table of contents
What does a Cardiac Sonographer do?
A cardiac sonographer’s duties typically include interacting with hospital employees to get information about patients, swiftly communicating test findings to physicians, and even managing patient scheduling.
The following are other tasks a cardiac sonographer performs:
- Inform the fetal-maternal specialist and the management physician of any relevant discoveries
- Identify blood clots in the main veins of the legs or arms
- Perform non-invasive vascular, veins, ob-gyn, and abdominal exams
- Enter reports into the PACS system
- Interpret real-time photographs of cardiac structures and Doppler signals
- Assist the code team’s nurses and physicians with CPR
- Note and report the changes in the patient’s condition to the RN
- Examine the carotid arteries, aorta, liver, kidneys, and thyroid with ultrasonography
- Administer EKG testing that can detect abnormal heart rhythms and send the results to a mobile physician
- Perform an echo, stress, and stress echo EKG n the carotids, the lower arterial system, and the upper extremities
- Maintain proper paperwork in order to comply ICAEL regulations
How much does a Cardiac Sonographer Make?
As of June 3, 2023, the average annual salary of a cardiac sonographer in the United States is $84, 742. If you need a quick salary calculation, it would come out to be around $40.74 per hour. This equates to $1,630 each week or $7,062 monthly.
Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for a Cardiac Sonographer
With average incomes higher than the national average in cities, the prospects for financial progression as a cardiac sonographer appear to be extremely promising.
| City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $102,652 | $49.35 |
| Fremont, CA | $119,991 | $57.69 |
| San Jose, CA | $96,744 | $46.51 |
| Oakland, CA | $95,785 | $46.05 |
| Jackson, WY | $95,523 | $45.92 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $94,055 | $45.22 |
| Hayward, CA | $93,957 | $45.17 |
| Seattle, WA | $93,468 | $44.94 |
| Vallejo, CA | $93,227 | $44.82 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $93,184 | $44.80 |
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Cardiac Sonographer Average Salary By State
In the US, people on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10%, earn around $38,000 per year, while the highest 10% earn around $135,000 annually.
Albeit, a cardiac sonographer’s salary is highest in California, Connecticut, North Dakota, Delaware, and New York.
Below is a tabular representation of the highest-paying states.
Cardiac Sonographer Salary By Year
See how much a cardiac sonographer’s salary has changed from 2018 till date.
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $93,925 /year | $45.00 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $71,900 | $34.57 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $70,400 | $33.84 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | $68,700 | $33.01 | +1.5% |
| 2019 | $67,600 | $32.51 | +2.5% |
| 2018 | $66,000 | $31.71 | +1.0% |
Factors that Affect Cardiac Sonographer Salary
A plethora of factors including your experience, education, and location will affect your compensation as a cardiac sonographer.
Let’s take a look.
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Years of Experience
The more years you work as a cardiac sonographer, the higher your salary will be. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey, the experience can affect your cardiac sonographer salary.
| Level of experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $63,409 |
| Early career (1 to 4 years) | $72,457 |
| Mid-career (5 to 9 years) | $85,433 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $97,348 |
| Late career (20+ years) | $112,762 |
Location
Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a cardiac sonographer. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.
According to BLS, here is a list of several large cities and their matching average cardiac sonographer salaries.
| City | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $129,751 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $110,332 |
| Seattle, WA | $101,501 |
| Portland, OR | $99,093 |
| Boston, MA | $96,245 |
| New Orleans, LA | $70,886 |
| Miami, FL | $69,237 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $67,546 |
| Atlanta, GA | $67,086 |
| Birmingham, AL | $66,700 |
Frequently Asked Questions
The average salary of a cardiac sonographer in the United States is $84,742.
Factors that can affect a cardiac sonographer’s salary include years of experience and location.
California says the highest salary in the US and is $115,291.
References
- Climbtheladder.com– Cardiac Sonographer salary
- Zippia.com Cardiac Sonographer
- Ziprecruiter.com Cardiac Sonographer
- Indeed.com-Cardiac Sonographer Job
- Glassdoor.com
- Bls.gov
- https://www.bls.gov/ncs/
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