Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earn an average annual salary of $122,183, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. The field has seen strong growth, with employment increasing by 7.4% over recent years. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Hospitals and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals.

Key Statistics

9,240
2023 Workforce
None
Average Age
$122,183
Average Salary

Employment

Employment and salary information for the Diagnostic Medical Sonographers workforce.

Employment Over Time

9,240 Workforce in 2023

The Diagnostic Medical Sonographers workforce has been growing over time.

Historical employment trends for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Yearly Wage Ranking

$122,183 Average Wage

In 2023, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earned an average of $122,183.

Wage ranking compared to other occupations.

Wage Distribution

This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Salary distribution for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Employment Growth Projections

4.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)

44,526 Projected Employment (5 years)

Projected growth: 23.1%

54,799 Projected Employment (10 years)

Projected growth: 51.5%

This occupation is projected to grow at 4.2% annually, indicating strong future demand.

Historical employment trends and future projections for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and on wages for those in the field.

Occupations by Industries

This graphic shows the share of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers employed by various industries.

Industry distribution for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Wage Trends by Industry

-2.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate

Historical wage growth trends by industry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Geographic Distribution

Employment and wage information by geographic location for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).

Top States by Employment

Top States by Employment:

  • CA: 8,520 employees, $123,539 avg wage

Top 10 states by employment for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Top Metropolitan Areas

Top Metropolitan Areas:

  • Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 2,550 employees, $108,089 avg wage
  • Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 920 employees, $103,858 avg wage
  • Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA: 840 employees, $108,244 avg wage
  • Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 670 employees, $148,984 avg wage
  • Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 590 employees, $147,585 avg wage
  • San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 570 employees, $125,254 avg wage
  • San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 490 employees, $165,971 avg wage
  • San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 430 employees, $157,865 avg wage
  • Fresno MSA: 300 employees, $115,290 avg wage
  • Bakersfield-Delano MSA: 190 employees, $107,997 avg wage

Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Diversity

Demographic information on Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the US.

Gender and Age

The workforce of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in 2023 was 9,240 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.

Gender and age distribution for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Races

Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.

Race and ethnicity distribution for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices and required skills for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Majors

The most common majors achieved by Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in 2023 were Health Sciences, Biology, Mathematics.

Common majors for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Education Levels

The main educational levels achieved by Diagnostic Medical Sonographers workers.

Education level distribution for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Skills

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers need many skills, but most especially Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring.

Required skills for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Knowledge & Abilities

Knowledge areas and abilities required for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Knowledge Areas

The most important knowledge areas for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers include Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Physics, Medicine and Dentistry, Administrative.

Knowledge areas required for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Abilities

Key abilities needed for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers include Oral Comprehension, Written Comprehension, Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression, Near Vision.

Required abilities for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Work Activities

Common work activities performed by Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Daily Activities

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers spend their time on activities such as Assisting and Caring for Others, Getting Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Documenting/Recording Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates.

Most important work activities for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

About

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

The average yearly wage for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers was $122,183 in 2023.

SOC Code

29-2032 - Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Insights and Analysis

High earnings profile: Diagnostic Medical Sonographers reports an average salary of $122,183, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.

Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 9,240 workers, indicating sustained demand.

Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 4.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.

Data Sources

This page uses data from the following sources:

  • College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
    • Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
    • Employment and wage data by occupation
    • Latest data: May 2024
    • Source: bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
    • Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
    • Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
    • Source: onetcenter.org
  • IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
    • Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
    • Data years: 2015-2024
    • Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
  • Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
    • Demographic and workforce data
    • Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
    • Source: census.gov/acs

Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.

Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.

Methodology

Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.

All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.