Ultrasound Technician Schools in Massachusetts (Top Sonography Programs)

Ultrasound Technician Schools in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is a small state and also one with the highest salaries, and this includes the medical field.

Care-giving and medical facilities are looking for more personnel for their ultrasound investigations.

All this means that now it’s the time to train as a sonographer technician, as even an Associate’s degree will have a good income.

Annual Salary Range:
$68K
$83K
$99K
10%
50%
90%
Annual Salary by Location:
Location Avg. Annual Salary
Boston $86,195
Worcester $80,414
Springfield $79,803
Cambridge $86,195
Lowell $83,240
Brockton $82,705
New Bedford $80,491
Lynn $86,195
Quincy $86,195
Fall River $80,491

Regional Salary in Massachusetts

Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Barnstable Town, MA80$104,710$50.34$116,090$91,020
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH1,660$103,570$49.79$126,080$83,060
New Bedford, MA60$93,640$45.02$113,900$68,480
Springfield, MA-CT110$88,870$42.73$99,270$77,170
Worcester, MA-CT200$95,690$46.01$105,670$84,970
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, OCC Code 29-2032, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Becoming Licensed

Holding a license as an ultrasound technician in Massachusetts is not currently mandatory.

Becoming certified or earning a degree in the field are good options as they increase both the chances of getting hired and your salary from the start.

The first step of getting licensed is to enroll in a training program that received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health.

The training program for a simple certificate lasts for about 1 year.

Those interested in certification can also attempt to take the test organized by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

These are held at the Pearson Vue testing centers.

If the program was not accredited, the candidate needs to prove:

  • 60 semester hours,
  • an internship
  • 12 months of employment

Earning a Degree

To earn a degree like an Associate’s, candidates have to enroll in a special educational program that also includes practice hours in a clinic setting.

The practice time lasts for about 6 months from the total duration of the program.

Some of the subjects could be:

  • Vascular ultrasound,
  • Pathophysiology,
  • Ultrasound physics.

To earn an Associate’s degree, students need to spend 2 years in school.

Those who want a higher degree, like a Bachelor’s, need to study for 4 years.

The practice time is needed because the technicians use a series of devices and methods and they don’t only need to learn how to manipulate the machines, they also need to learn how to interpret the results.

However, some of the schools offering such programs might require their students to first meet certain criteria.

In some cases, better knowledge concerning the following topics might be needed:

  • Medical terminology,
  • Anatomy
  • Physiology
School Name Address
Branford Hall Career Institute 189 Brookdale Dr, Springfield, MA 01104
Bunker Hill Community College 250 New Rutherford Ave Boston, MA 02129
Cape Cod Community College 2240 Iyannough Rd, West Barnstable, Massachusetts 02668
Lincoln Technical Institute 5 Middlesex Ave, Somerville, MA 02145
Massasoit Community College One Massasoit Boulevard, Brockton, Massachusetts 02302
MCPHS University 179 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115
Middlesex Community College Springs Road – Building 6 Bedford, MA 01730
Mildred Elley 100 West St, Pittsfield, MA 01201,
Regis College 235 Wellesley Street Weston, MA 02493
Salter College 184 W Boylston St, West Boylston, MA 01583,
Springfield Technical Community College One Armory Square, Suite 1 PO Box 9000 Springfield, MA 01102
The Salter School 2 Florence St, Malden, MA 02148

Specializations

The sonography field has several specializations, and they’re pretty different from the other.

These specializations are:

  • MRI – used to take 3D images of organs
  • Sonography – used for diagnosing purposes
  • Ultrasound – used for many types of investigations
  • Radiology – mostly used to analyze the bones
  • Vascular sonography – used to have a look at the patients’ blood vessels
  • Echocardiography – used to record data about the heart

Additionally, each of these areas may have the technicians specialize in a specific task, such as:

  • Obstetrics and gynecology,
  • Breast sonography,
  • Abdominal sonography,
  • Cardiovascular sonography,
  • Neurosonography

Those interested in the vascular sonography or breast sonography specializations need to earn a diploma from The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.

This is possible after working for 2 years in non-invasive cardiovascular sonography and then attempting to earn the diploma through the Cardiovascular Credentialing International.

This credential must be renewed every 2 years after completing 24 continuing education credits.

USA Ultrasound Technicians by State


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