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The differences between diagnostic medical sonographers and echocardiographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a diagnostic medical sonographer and an echocardiographer. Additionally, a diagnostic medical sonographer has an average salary of $85,607, which is higher than the $79,111 average annual salary of an echocardiographer.
The top three skills for a diagnostic medical sonographer include patients, ARDMS and patient care. The most important skills for an echocardiographer are patients, echocardiography, and BLS.
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,607 | $79,111 |
| Hourly rate | $41.16 | $38.03 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 58,800 | 8,100 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer uses ultrasound high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal body tissues. Some typical duties include preparing patients, explaining the exams, and reporting the results to the patients or a physician.
An echocardiographer has knowledge acquired through years of studying. They assist doctors in diagnosing diseases by producing two- or three-dimensional images of the heart. Non-invasively, they send sonic waves to the heart, where waves bounce on heart's structures, showing areas of high pressures, plaques, and other abnormalities. They bear good communication skills to explain the procedure to the patients. Thus, echocardiographers assist doctors to come up with the best treatment plans for the patient.
Diagnostic medical sonographers and echocardiographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Average salary | $85,607 | $79,111 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $139,000 | Between $45,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eureka, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | St. Mary's Health Inc. | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a diagnostic medical sonographer and an echocardiographer in terms of educational background:
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between diagnostic medical sonographers' and echocardiographers' demographics:
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.4% Female, 86.6% | Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |