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Sonography technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a sonography technician. Sonography technicians usually study medical technician, general studies, or international business. 53% of sonography technicians hold a associate degree, and 20% hold an diploma. We analyzed 30 real sonography technician resumes to see exactly what sonography technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for sonography technicians are the Eastwick College and the Eastwick College.

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

What education do you need to become a sonography technician?

What degree do you need to be a sonography technician?

The most common degree for sonography technicians is associate degree, with 53% of sonography technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are diploma degree at 20% and diploma degree at 13%.
  • Associate, 53%
  • Diploma, 20%
  • Bachelor's, 13%
  • Doctorate, 7%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a sonography technician?

You should major in medical technician to become a sonography technician. 53% of sonography technicians major in medical technician. Other common majors for a sonography technician include general studies and international business.

Most common colleges for sonography technicians

Sonography technicians often get their degrees at Eastwick College, Gulf Coast State College, and Sonoma State University. Here are the most common colleges for sonography technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Sonography technician common collegePercentages
Eastwick College14.29%
Gulf Coast State College14.29%
Sonoma State University14.29%
West Coast Ultrasound Institute14.29%
Midwestern State University14.29%

Best majors for sonography technicians

Best colleges for sonography technicians

The best colleges for sonography technicians are Northwestern University, New York University, and University of Southern California.

A sonography technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for sonography technicians. 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 sonography technicians.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

3. New Mexico State University

Las Cruces, NM • Private

In-state tuition

$6,686

Enrollment

11,139

4. Youngstown State University

Youngstown, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$8,967

Enrollment

10,030

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

7. University of Colorado Denver

Denver, CO • Private

In-state tuition

$9,283

Enrollment

11,892

8. Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR • Private

In-state tuition

$8,607

Enrollment

8,623

9. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

10. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce

Mercedita, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,914

Enrollment

4,155

20 best online courses for sonography technicians

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Top 10 most affordable universities for sonography technicians

The most affordable schools for sonography technicians are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and university of south florida.

If the best universities for sonography technicians 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 sonography technicians.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. Trident University International

Cypress, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,240

Cost of attendance

17,912

9. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

10. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Cost of attendance

24,514

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for sonography technicians

The hardest universities for sonography technicians to get into are Northwestern University, New York University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for sonography technicians 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 sonography technicians 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. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

5. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

9%

SAT average

1,516

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

10. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for sonography technicians

The easiest schools for sonography technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, d'youville college, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a sonography technician 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 sonography technicians.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

7. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

8. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

9. University of Maine at Fort Kent

Fort Kent, ME • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

1,005

10. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

Average sonography technician salary by education level

Sonography technicians with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $88,204 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, sonography technicians earn a median annual income of $78,378 compared to $71,252 for sonography technicians with an Associate degree.
Sonography technician education levelSonography technician salary
Master's Degree$88,204
Bachelor's Degree$78,378
Some College/ Associate Degree$71,252

Sonography technician 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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