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Sonographer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a sonographer. Sonographers usually study medical technician, nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies, or business. 57% of sonographers hold a associate degree, and 29% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 5,496 real sonographer resumes to see exactly what sonographer education sections show.

The most common colleges for sonographers are the Keiser University and the Keiser University.

There are also many online sonographer courses to help get the education required to be a sonographer.

There are certain sonographer certifications that you should consider. These sonographer certifications include Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer - Abdomen (RDMS) and Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS).

What education do you need to become a sonographer?

What degree do you need to be a sonographer?

The most common degree for sonographers is associate degree, with 57% of sonographers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 29% and bachelor's degree degree at 4%.
  • Associate, 57%
  • Bachelor's, 29%
  • Diploma, 4%
  • Master's, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 8%

What should I major in to become a sonographer?

You should major in medical technician to become a sonographer. 78% of sonographers major in medical technician. Other common majors for a sonographer include nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies and business.

Most common colleges for sonographers

Sonographers often get their degrees at Keiser University, West Coast Ultrasound Institute, and Austin Community College. Here are the most common colleges for sonographers in the US based on their resumes.
Sonographer common collegePercentages
Keiser University13.41%
West Coast Ultrasound Institute13.13%
Austin Community College8.94%
Rochester Institute of Technology6.42%
Thomas Jefferson University5.87%

Best majors for sonographers

Best colleges for sonographers

The best colleges for sonographers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.

A sonographer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for sonographers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become sonographers.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

3. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$53,430

Enrollment

5,963

4. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$54,104

Enrollment

7,089

8. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

In-state tuition

$49,816

Enrollment

6,840

9. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

10. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,382

Enrollment

5,597

20 best online courses for sonographers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for sonographers

The most affordable schools for sonographers are Brigham Young University, minot state university, and florida international university.

If the best universities for sonographers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for sonographers.

1. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

2. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

3. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Augusta University

Augusta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$8,604

Cost of attendance

20,618

7. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,283

Cost of attendance

22,243

8. Maine College of Health Professions

Lewiston, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$12,245

Cost of attendance

18,826

9. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Cost of attendance

24,718

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Cost of attendance

13,476

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for sonographers

The hardest universities for sonographers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.

Some great schools for sonographers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for sonographers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

3. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

4. Tufts University

Medford, MA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,461

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,304

7. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

59%

SAT average

1,367

8. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,326

9. Yale University

New Haven, CT • Private

Admissions rate

6%

SAT average

1,517

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sonographers

The easiest schools for sonographers to get into are AdventHealth University, life university, and d'youville college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a sonographer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for sonographers.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

3. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

4. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

7. Aultman College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Canton, OH • Private

Admissions rate

75%

SAT average

1,085

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

10. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

Average sonographer salary by education level

According to our data, sonographers with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $103,037 annually. Sonographers with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $94,072.
Sonographer education levelSonographer salary
Master's Degree$103,037
Bachelor's Degree$94,072
Some College/ Associate Degree$87,409

Sonographer education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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