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The differences between sonographers and mammography technicians 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 a mammography technician. Additionally, a sonographer has an average salary of $85,898, which is higher than the $64,362 average annual salary of a mammography technician.
The top three skills for a sonographer include patients, sonography and ARDMS. The most important skills for a mammography technician are patients, ARRT, and patient care.
| Sonographer | Mammography Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $85,898 | $64,362 |
| Hourly rate | $41.30 | $30.94 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 14,117 | 52,998 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 71% |
| 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.
A mammography technician is primarily in charge of operating an imaging machine to detect and diagnose breast diseases. Their responsibilities include greeting patients, reviewing their identification and request documentation, explaining the extent of procedures, answering inquiries, operating machines, performing adjustments, and conducting the study in adherence to the protocols, making sure the patients feel comfortable every step of the way. Furthermore, as a mammography technician, it is essential to practice every safety technique during the procedures, all while enforcing the facility's policies and regulations.
Sonographers and mammography technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Sonographer | Mammography Technician | |
| Average salary | $85,898 | $64,362 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $125,000 | Between $35,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Medical City Arlington | Stability Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a sonographer and a mammography technician in terms of educational background:
| Sonographer | Mammography Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Duke University | Texas A&M University |
Here are the differences between sonographers' and mammography technicians' demographics:
| Sonographer | Mammography Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0% | Male, 3.6% Female, 96.4% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 73.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |