Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of diagnostic medical sonographers to grow 13.9% from 2025 to 2035 (about 12,900 more jobs), with about 6,000 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $96,590 a year ranks 158th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +13.9%
- Openings a year
- 6,000
- Median pay
- $96,590
- Pay rank
- 158th of 825
Is employment of diagnostic medical sonographers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of diagnostic medical sonographers to rise 13.9% (about 12,900 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the +8.0% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 71 healthcare practitioners and technical occupations with a projection. That change ranks 28th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 92,200 |
| Employment, 2035 | 105,100 |
| Projected change | +13.9% |
| Openings a year | 6,000 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 92,200 jobs here differ from the 90,160 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 6,000 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 349th most of 830 occupations. About 79% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,290 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for diagnostic medical sonographers rank?
The median of $96,590 a year ranks 158th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: associate's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | +3.7% | 3,400 | $74,310 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | +5.0% | 13,000 | $80,110 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | +5.9% | 12,400 | $50,290 |
| Radiation Therapists | +2.8% | 700 | $105,310 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | +7.7% | 2,300 | $95,480 |
| Surgical Technologists | +5.0% | 7,100 | $64,650 |
| Nuclear Medicine Technologists | +4.4% | 800 | $101,370 |
| Surgical Assistants | +6.1% | 1,400 | $66,800 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.