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The differences between diagnostic medical sonographers and medical technologists 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 a medical technologist. Additionally, a diagnostic medical sonographer has an average salary of $85,607, which is higher than the $53,249 average annual salary of a medical technologist.
The top three skills for a diagnostic medical sonographer include patients, ARDMS and patient care. The most important skills for a medical technologist are patients, clinical laboratory, and ASCP.
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Medical Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $85,607 | $53,249 |
| Hourly rate | $41.16 | $25.60 |
| Growth rate | 10% | - |
| Number of jobs | 58,800 | 116,495 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| 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.
A medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid. The produced results will be crucial to a patient's diagnosis and further treatments. It is also essential for medical technologists to keep a precise record of data and coordinate with fellow team members and physicians to ensure the fast and efficient delivery of results. Furthermore, a medical technologist can choose to work in different establishments such as a hospital, laboratory, or private clinic.
Diagnostic medical sonographers and medical technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Medical Technologist | |
| Average salary | $85,607 | $53,249 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $139,000 | Between $41,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eureka, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | St. Mary's Health Inc. | Children's Hospital Colorado |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a diagnostic medical sonographer and a medical technologist in terms of educational background:
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Medical Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between diagnostic medical sonographers' and medical technologists' demographics:
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | Medical Technologist | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.4% Female, 86.6% | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |