Cardiac sonographers provide doctors with electronic images of the heart.
Cardiac sonographers, also referred to as echocardiographers, use ultrasound equipment to provide physicians with images of the heart called echocardiograms. Physicians use these images to examine the heart chambers, vessels and valves. The majority of cardiac sonographers work in hospitals.
Requirements
Cardiac sonographers typically earn a two-year associate's degree and become certified by completing a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Professionals (CAAHEP).
Yearly Salary
The median yearly salary for a cardiac sonographer with less than one year experience is $30,837. This figure reflects data taken from surveys conducted by PayScale in July 2010.
Hourly Rate
The same survey data states that in the U.S., the median hourly rate starts at $22.79 per hour. Sonographers who work overtime can increase this rate to $33.25 per hour.
Salary by Location
There is a wide salary range depending on the location of the job. For example, a sonography job in California might pay a starting median hourly rate of $28.81 and in Michigan, the rate is $19.30 per hour.
Salary by Employer
According to PayScale, non-profit organizations are one of the lower paying employers for cardiac sonographers with median hourly rates starting at $18.31. When employed by a hospital, the rate is $22.83 per hour.
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