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The differences between 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 sonographer and an echocardiographer. Additionally, a sonographer has an average salary of $85,898, which is higher than the $79,111 average annual salary of an echocardiographer.
The top three skills for a sonographer include patients, sonography and ARDMS. The most important skills for an echocardiographer are patients, echocardiography, and BLS.
| Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Yearly salary | $85,898 | $79,111 |
| Hourly rate | $41.30 | $38.03 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 14,117 | 8,100 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Sonographer performs diagnostic procedures using sonographic equipment. Their duties include preparing patients, explaining the exam, and performing the procedure.
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.
Sonographers and echocardiographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Average salary | $85,898 | $79,111 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $125,000 | Between $45,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Medical City Arlington | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a sonographer and an echocardiographer in terms of educational background:
| Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between sonographers' and echocardiographers' demographics:
| Sonographer | Echocardiographer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0% | 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% |