How To Become A Cardiac Sonographer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cardiac sonographer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

A cardiac sonographer specializes in using ultrasound technology to produce images of a patient's heart. They work alongside physicians to assist in diagnosing and monitoring heart conditions and abnormalities. A cardiac sonographer conducts echocardiograms, stress tests, and diagnostic procedures to generate images of the heart's structure and function. They also analyze and interpret the results and communicate findings to physicians for evaluation and treatment. Overall, a cardiac sonographer helps physicians diagnose and manage heart conditions.

ScoreCardiac SonographerUS Average

Salary

6.2

Avg. Salary $79,641

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

8.0

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.26%

Asian 8.77%

Black or African American 4.17%

Hispanic or Latino 10.39%

Unknown 4.43%

White 71.98%

Gender

female 69.20%

male 30.80%

Age - 42

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42

Stress level

8.0

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.2

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a cardiac sonographer?

Pros

High job demand
Good salary
Variety in daily tasks
Advancement opportunities
Flexible work schedule

Cons

Exposure to infectious diseases
Emotional toll of working with critically ill patients
Potential for repetitive motion injuries
High levels of responsibility and accountability
Requires ongoing education and certification maintenance

Key steps to become a cardiac sonographer

Explore cardiac sonographer education requirements

Most common cardiac sonographer degrees

Associate

55.4 %

Bachelor's

29.2 %

Certificate

5.5 %

Start to develop specific cardiac sonographer skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	15.46%
Registry	8.21%
RDCS	7.42%
ARDMS	7.42%
Echocardiogram	7.03%

Complete relevant cardiac sonographer training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cardiac sonographers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cardiac sonographer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cardiac sonographer resumes.

Gain additional cardiac sonographer certifications

Cardiac sonographer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific cardiac sonographer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for cardiac sonographers include Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer - Adult Echocardiography (RDCS) and Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS).

More About Certifications

Research cardiac sonographer duties and responsibilities

Manage and operate the daily operations and supervision of the radiology ultrasound departments.
Perform diagnostic testing including echocardiograms, stress echocardiograms, bubble studies, carotid dopplers and venous dopplers.
detect blood clots (deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the major veins of the legs or arms.
Experience with m-mode , 2D, Doppler calculations.

Prepare your cardiac sonographer resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cardiac sonographer resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cardiac sonographer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable cardiac sonographer resume templates

Build a professional cardiac sonographer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your cardiac sonographer resume.