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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Part of Health Science, in the Diagnostic Services pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 29-2032.00

What the work is

Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.

On a typical day

  • Decide which images to include, looking for differences between healthy and pathological areas.
  • Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required.
  • Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort.
  • Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in medical diagnosis.
  • Operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of the motion, shape, and composition of blood, organs, tissues, or bodily masses, such as fluid accumulations.
  • Select appropriate equipment settings and adjust patient positions to obtain the best sites and angles.

What it pays

$84,340
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $62,320
Experienced workers reach $102,270
  1. $62k10th
  2. $76k25th
  3. $84kMedian
  4. $98k75th
  5. $102k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $62,320, 25th $75,790, Median $84,340, 75th $98,240, 90th $102,270

About 480 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+24.9%

employment change in the Alamo region, 487 to 608 jobs · U.S. +13%

39

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 5,800

487

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 90,000

Typical entry education: Associate's degree

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Active Listening4.0
  2. Reading Comprehension3.9
  3. Speaking3.6
  4. Social Perceptiveness3.1
  5. Critical Thinking3.5
  6. Monitoring3.3
  7. Time Management3.3
  8. Active Learning3.1

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. Certificate19%
  2. Associate degree47%
  3. Bachelor's degree17%
  4. Doctoral or professional17%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • St. Philip's
  1. Cardiac Sonography

    Certificate · Health & Biosciences

  2. Diagnostic Medical Sonography

    Degree · Health & Biosciences

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