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The differences between echo technicians and cardiovascular sonographers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an echo technician and a cardiovascular sonographer. Additionally, a cardiovascular sonographer has an average salary of $80,456, which is higher than the $75,952 average annual salary of an echo technician.
The top three skills for an echo technician include patients, BLS and echocardiography. The most important skills for a cardiovascular sonographer are patients, BLS, and RDCS.
| Echo Technician | Cardiovascular Sonographer | |
| Yearly salary | $75,952 | $80,456 |
| Hourly rate | $36.52 | $38.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 14,522 | 13,174 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 54% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An echo technician is responsible for operating specialized equipment to develop ultrasound images of patients' hearts, diagnosing possible illnesses, and monitoring their conditions. Echo technicians carefully explain the process to the patients, assist the physicians in data interpretation, and ensuring that the image document was stored and developed properly for reference. They also inspect the machine and equipment's efficiency for operations and immediately call for repairs for any defects and malfunctions that may cause inaccuracies in the results.
A cardiovascular sonographer specializes in operating non-invasive imaging equipment to help physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular issues. They conduct imaging test procedures and assist patients by answering questions, preparing them for the tests, helping them understand the process, providing step-by-step instructions, and making them feel at ease the entire time. They are also responsible for evaluating the images, utilizing their knowledge to sort out abnormalities detected. Moreover, as a cardiovascular sonographer, it is essential to produce accurate results, all while maintaining a transparent and open communication line with physicians and nurses.
Echo technicians and cardiovascular sonographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Echo Technician | Cardiovascular Sonographer | |
| Average salary | $75,952 | $80,456 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $117,000 | Between $55,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Springfield, OR | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | University of Maryland Medical System | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between an echo technician and a cardiovascular sonographer in terms of educational background:
| Echo Technician | Cardiovascular Sonographer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 54% | Associate Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between echo technicians' and cardiovascular sonographers' demographics:
| Echo Technician | Cardiovascular Sonographer | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6% | Male, 23.7% Female, 76.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |