What Degree Should an Ultrasound Technician Have?

Are you daunted by the college education required with becoming an ultrasound technician or a medical sonographer? Depending upon your career desires, you may discover that your degree requirements are no heavier than any other degree required by a specialty program. While most ultrasound clinical programs require the completion of an associate or bachelor degree before acceptance, you may learn that you do not need a four-year degree to open the door to a career in your chosen profession.

Your investment in a college education may have a strong impact on your salary upon graduation. While high school graduates with no college education collect an average weekly salary of $583, that figure jumps nearly fifteen percent to $670 for associate degree holders. Many students enroll at two-year colleges for an associate degree, and this choice often is based upon friendly tuition rates and the ability to further an education down the road. Current average public two-year college tuition comes to a little over $2,000, or roughly equal to the average individual tax refund, according to the IRS.

In comparison, a public four-year college asks for nearly $5,500 annual tuition and private four-year university annual tuition can top $21,000. Fortunately, your choice of becoming an ultrasound technician or diagnostic medical sonographer (DMS) can help. Many community colleges offer associate degrees in diagnostic medical sonography, and some employers prefer candidates registered through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

Through ARDMS, you can learn more about the credentials you need for your career and the examinations you’ll need to take to achieve that goal. You can learn that the least demanding prerequisite is a single two-year allied health education program that is patient-care related. Allied health occupations include, but are not limited to, diagnostic medical sonographer, technologist, respiratory, occupational or physical therapist and registered nurse. In addition, the ARDMS asks for twelve months of full-time clinical ultrasound/vascular experience. If you use your DMS program for the educational requirement, you still have to document an additional twelve months of clinical ultrasound/vascular experience earned outside the two-year program.

On the other hand, you can graduate from a program accredited by an agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), United States Department of Education (USDOE) or Canadian Medical Association (CMA), that specifically conducts programmatic accreditation for diagnostic medical sonography/ diagnostic cardiac sonography/vascular technology. In this case, no additional experience is required.

Once you begin your career with these minimum prerequisites, you always can go on to obtain a higher degree later. The most that the ARDMS requires from their candidates is a bachelor’s degree (any major) or foreign degree equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in the U.S. or Canada, along with twelve months of full-time clinical ultrasound/vascular experience.

So, what are you waiting for? The sooner you begin your educational career, the sooner you can gain employment as an ultrasound technician. It’s up to you to blaze your path to a high-paying job in this field.

Top Online Ultrasound Schools

AS in Healthcare	University of Phoenix — The University of Phoenix is America's largest accredited online university. With their associate's degree in Health Care, Phoenix offers its students a way to prepare for an entry-level position in the ultrasound technician field.
AS in Medical Assisting AS in Health IT	Kaplan University — Kaplan University is one of the largest accredited online colleges, and their associate's degrees in medical assisting or in health information technology can help you gain the education you need to begin your ultrasound career. This is a fast and flexible degree that can provide the foundation you need for your ultrasound technical career.
AS in Medical Office Admin BS in Health Services Mgmt	Virginia College Online — If you want to complete a health-based interdisciplinary studies degree online that will prepare you for ultrasound technology as well as for management, then apply for Virginia College's bachelor's degree in Health Services Management or associate's degree in medical office administration. The tuition for each program includes the cost of every textbook for every course.
AS in Health IT	DeVry University — With their associate's degree in health information technology program, DeVry University prepares students to be HIT leaders in contemporary hospitals, physician's offices, medical clinics, and more.
AS in Medical Assisting	Keiser University — Apply for Keiser's Medical Assisting associate's degree to fast-track your ultrasound technician career. Learn how to use ultrasound, x-ray and EKG equipment with your training here.
AAS in Health IT AAS in Health Administration	Carrington College California — For students interested in learning more about health claims, ultrasound technology, medical coding, insurance billing, and anatomy and medical terminology, consider the AAS degree in health information technology or the AAS degree in healthcare administration from Carrington College California (formerly known as Western Career College). Upon completion of this program, graduates will be prepared for careers in medical offices, hospitals, and more.
AS in Health Administration	Brookline College — Graduates of Brookline College's AS in healthcare administration degree program will have real-world knowledge about ethical, legal, and practical issues related to healthcare and will be able to demonstrate their skills in maintaining medical records and being an administrator in a healthcare environment.
AS in Health Administration	Iowa Central College — Iowa Central Community College offers online associate's degree programs in health care administration and human services. The programs comprise 66 credit hours, which can be completed in two years. Iowa Central College is fully accredited by the Institution of Higher Education.
AAS in Medical Billing	Lincoln College — The AAS in medical billing degree program from Lincoln College Online teaches students the ins and outs of medical administrative work such as billing and insurance coding. This degree is useful for anyone wishing to advance in his/her career within a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, ultrasound clinics, physician offices, and more.
AS in Medical Assisting	San Joaquin Valley College — San Joaquin Valley College's AS degree in clinical medical assisting is designed to prepare its students with the knowledge of technical, ethical, and social issues required to advance their careers in the healthcare industry, and prepares students for careers in ultrasonography.
AS in Health Administration	California Coast University — Students looking for placement in an entry-level healthcare management position soon after graduation need look no further than California Coast University's associate's in health care administration degree program.
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