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Staff sonographer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a staff sonographer. Staff sonographers usually study medical technician, nuclear and industrial radiologic technologies, or health sciences and services. 56% of staff sonographers hold a associate degree, and 26% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 834 real staff sonographer resumes to see exactly what staff sonographer education sections show.
The most common colleges for staff sonographers are the Rochester Institute of Technology and the Rochester Institute of Technology.
There are also many online staff sonographer courses to help get the education required to be a staff sonographer.
There are certain staff sonographer certifications that you should consider. These staff sonographer certifications include Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer - Abdomen (RDMS) and Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS).
What education do you need to become a staff sonographer?
What degree do you need to be a staff sonographer?
- Associate, 56%
- Bachelor's, 26%
- Master's, 4%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 12%
What should I major in to become a staff sonographer?
- Medical Technician, 72%
- General Studies, 3%
- Other Majors, 15%
Most common colleges for staff sonographers
| Staff sonographer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Rochester Institute of Technology | 9.26% |
| Tyler Junior College | 7.41% |
| Austin Community College | 7.41% |
| Jackson College | 5.56% |
| Oregon Institute of Technology | 5.56% |
Best majors for staff sonographers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medical Technician | 72.4% |
| 2 | Nuclear And Industrial Radiologic Technologies | 7.2% |
| 3 | Health Sciences And Services | 2.5% |
| 4 | General Studies | 2.5% |
| 5 | Business | 2.2% |
Best colleges for staff sonographers
The best colleges for staff sonographers are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.
A staff 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 staff 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 staff 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 staff sonographers
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Top 10 most affordable universities for staff sonographers
The most affordable schools for staff sonographers are Brigham Young University, minot state university, and florida international university.
If the best universities for staff 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 staff 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 staff sonographers
The hardest universities for staff sonographers to get into are Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, and University of Tulsa.
Some great schools for staff 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 staff 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 staff sonographers
The easiest schools for staff 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 staff 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 staff 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 staff sonographer salary by education level
| Staff sonographer education level | Staff sonographer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $107,050 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $95,842 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $87,658 |
Staff sonographer education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025