by Updated on | $ Certificate in Sonography: $5,000-$25,000 | $ $ Associate's Degree: $6,000-$40,000 | $ $ $ Bachelor's Degree: $30,000-$48,000+ |
Ultrasonography, also known as sonography, is a diagnostic medical process that creates visual images inside the body by means of high-frequency sound waves.
The resulting image is the ultrasound from the sonograph procedure; however, the ultrasound technicians do not use radiation to capture images and collect data.
At the same time, the ultrasound technologists have more extensive training and certification and may also work with physicians helping in sonograph data analysis, to diagnose and treat patients later.
Typical Costs
A sonography certificate costs between $5,000-$25,000 and the studies are completed in one to two years.
The one-year certificate in sonography from Mercy Medical Center in Canton, OH, for example, costs $13,000.
At the same time, The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, provides a 21-month certificate in sonography for $24,000.
Associate’s degree ultrasound techs programs cost approx. $6,000-$40,000 and can last for two to four years.
Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, for example, offers a two-year associate’s degree in sonography for the sum of $6,800 total for tuition and fees for residents and $16,600 for non-residents.
The associate’s degree program from San Joaquin Valley College in Bakersfield, CA, for example, lasts for 18 months and costs $38,000, including books and fees.
A bachelor’s degree in sonography costs between $30,000-$48,000.
For example, Rush University in Chicago offers a bachelor’s in vascular ultrasound for $44,640 tuition plus fees for a period of seven academic quarters.
At the same time, New York Methodist Hospital offers a bachelor’s degree in coordination with two colleges for the sum of $16,000 per year for the first two years and $8,000 per year for the second two years being in a partnership with the online program of Clarion University of Pennsylvania, reaching the total of about $48,000.
Of course, there are many more online ultrasound training programs out there.
The sonographers’ registration test costs $200 and is administered by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
The annual renewal fee is $60 per year and once an applicant has passed the test and paid registration fees, he or she is allowed to practice as an RDMS (Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer).
The only states with licensing requirements for sonographers are Oregon, New Mexico, West Virginia, and New Jersey.
Oregon has a fee of $125 per year for a sonography license, required to practice in the state, while the license renewal costs $120 for two years.
In states without licensing requirements, sonographers are allowed to practice using their registration as credentials.
What Is Included
The aim of the sonography education is to train students to capture images from all parts of the body, such as the abdomen and breasts, the female reproductive system and prostate, the heart, and blood vessels.
The students have to be familiar with the ability of the technology in order to help detect and treat conditions such as heart disease, heart attack, and vascular disease which can result in a stroke.
Additional Costs
The sum for room, board, books, and uniforms goes between $10,000 and $20,000 per year.
For example, The Mayo Clinic’s additional fees include $700 for books and $540 for lab fees, and at the same time, the room and board at the Mayo Clinic campus can reach $20,000 per year.
Discounts
Sonography scholarships vary from $1,000-$2,500 and are available from groups like the SDMS Foundation and the American Society of Echocardiography.
Shopping for Ultrasound Technician School
- The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs provides a searchable database for accredited programs in diagnostic medical sonography.
- The accreditation is granted by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
- The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography provides information on careers and specializations in sonography.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics secures additional information on careers in diagnostic medical sonography.