Ultrasound Technician Schools in Alabama (Top Sonography Programs)

Ultrasound Technician Schools in Alabama

In Alabama, there are more and more job openings in the healthcare industry, and the demand for ultrasound technicians is also on the rise.

Ultrasound Technician License Requirements

Alabama doesn’t yet require its ultrasound technicians to hold a license, however, the situation might change, and many employers do prefer licensed or certified candidates.

The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) offers the certification that is most in demand, and candidates obtain it by passing the exam organized by this organization.

There are 2 ways to qualify to take this exam:

  1. Accumulate 12 months of clinical work experience
  2. Complete a training program, that received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)

Ultrasound Technician Salary

The accumulated experience and possible certifications earned will have a say in how much a professional will earn.

Additionally, each specialty will also influence how much the technician will earn.

Annual Salary Range:
$59K
$71K
$85K
10%
50%
90%
Annual Salary by Location:
Location Avg. Annual Salary
Birmingham $72,304
Montgomery $68,486
Huntsville $72,242
Mobile $70,691
Tuscaloosa $71,597
Dothan $67,569
Auburn $68,460
Decatur $70,035
Madison $72,242
Florence $65,855

Regional Salary in Alabama

Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL30$49,450$23.77$68,030$30,090
Birmingham-Hoover, AL430$65,390$31.44$80,850$47,420
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL50$59,540$28.62$77,550$31,780
Dothan, AL60$55,690$26.77$68,640$42,700
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL30$52,270$25.13$73,930$36,150
Huntsville, AL120$64,700$31.1$78,420$49,010
Mobile, AL110$59,480$28.59$77,120$36,020
Montgomery, AL80$57,410$27.6$78,410$37,420
Tuscaloosa, AL70$65,260$31.37$81,480$51,680
* Salary information based on the May 2022 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, OCC Code 29-2032, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Most jobs are available in hospitals, while the University of Alabama in Birmingham is the state’s largest employer.

Ultrasound Technician Training Programs

The sonography field has many specialties and as a result, there are several types of training programs available as well.

This influences their duration, usually between 1 and 2 years and the type of diploma the student will obtain upon completion.

The programs will teach about how specific inner organs work as well as how to operate the machines.

Clinical practice usually lasts between 100 and 500 hours.

The ultrasound programs should cover:

  • Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation
  • Foundations of Sonography
  • Sonographic Anatomy
  • Obstetrical Sonography

Sonographer courses should include:

  • Gynecological Sonography
  • Abdominal Pathology
  • Superficial Sonography
  • Introduction to Advanced Sonography

The images taken by this professional are used either to diagnose a patient or to see how their body responds to treatment.

These images are more clear than the ultrasound ones.

The MRI classes need to include:

  • Radiographic Procedures
  • Clinical Education
  • Imaging Equipment
  • Exposure Principles
  • Patient Care

The MRI machine takes multiple pictures of the body of a person, to create a 3D image.

Candidates should study the following for a vascular sonography career:

  • Vascular Sonography Principles and Procedures
  • Registry Review
  • Clinical Sonography

Here, the professionals will take images of the patient’s blood vessels.

It’s important for the training for this field to have plenty of practice hours.

As a future echo technician, you should study the following:

  • Ultrasound Physics
  • Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology
  • Cardiovascular Hemodynamics
  • Vascular Clinic
  • Echocardiography Clinic

In this field, the technician will work with cardiovascular specialists and use the machinery to take pictures of a person’s heart.

Future radiology technicians would have to learn about:

  • Radiographic Procedures
  • Imaging Equipment
  • Radiation Protection and Biology
  • Image Evaluation and Pathology

In this field, the professional will help patients who undergo radiation therapy treatments.

Training Schools

All the programs will also include important knowledge on how to document patient records, as well as aspects related to patient privacy and medical ethics.

School Name Address
Cardiac & Vascular Institute of Ultrasound 2936 N. McVay Drive Mobile, AL 36606
Fortis College 100 London Parkway Suite 150,Birmingham,AL,35211
Fortis College 3736 Atlanta Highway Mongtomery,AL,36109
Fortis College 200 Vulcan Way Dothan,AL,36303
Fortis College 7033 Airport Blvd. Mobile,AL,36608
Fortis College 200 East Laurel Avenue Foley,AL,36535
Fortis College 3470 Eastdale Circle Montgomery, AL 36117
H. Council Trenholm State Technical College Diagnostic Medical Sonography 1225 Air Base Blvd PO Box 10048 Montgomery , AL 36108
Institute of Ultrasound Diagnostics Institute of Ultrasound Diagnostics One Timber Way, Ste 102 Spanish Fort, AL 36527
Lurleen B Wallace Community College 1708 North Main Street PO Box 910 Opp, AL 36467
Remington College 828 Downtowner Loop W, Mobile, AL 36609
Trenholm State Trenholm Campus: 1225 Air Base Blvd Montgomery, Alabama 36108
Trenholm State Patterson Campus: 3920 Troy Highway Montgomery, Alabama 36116
Virginia College 488 Palisades Blvd., Birmingham, Alabama 35209
Wallace State Community College 801 Main Street NW PO Box 2000 Hanceville, AL 35077

Future technicians in this field should know that there are a handful of aspects these programs won’t cover and they will have to be learned on-the-job, such as how to interact with the doctors and nurses.

USA Ultrasound Technicians by State


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