Texas, the largest of the 48 contiguous states, is also the second most populated state in the nation. The Lone Star State is home to several of the nation’s largest cities – Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso, and Austin. Much of the state’s economy is dependent on industries such as agriculture, aeronautics, energy, tourism, and health care. The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world, and is located in southwest Houston. The medical center acts as a complex, housing the University of Texas Health Science Center, which includes one of the top programs in cancer research and treatment – The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. As of 2012, there were approximately 4,370 diagnostic medical sonographers employed in Texas. It is expected that by 2020, total employment of ultrasound technicians in the state will reach 5,410.
Diagnostic medical sonographers in Texas earn a median salary wage that is just below the national average. The industry is growing as the state’s population grows, and total employment is expected to increase 52% from 2010 to 2020, a rate higher than the national average.
Ultrasound Tech Programs in Texas
Ultrasound programs are offered both online and in the classroom and are available in many forms including a certificate, associate, or bachelor’s degree option. As an ultrasound student you will learn about medical terminology, and human anatomy. You will also learn how to communicate with patients and how to use medical imaging equipment. Program specializations may also be available if you with to pursue a career in pediatrics, cardiovascular technology, or musculoskeletal sonography. Clinical internships may also be provided to gain hands-on experience.
Certification Requirements in Texas
Certification is not a requirement for prospective ultrasound technicians in Texas. There are 19 total public and private schools in Texas, presenting students with the option of a two-year Associate or four-year Bachelor’s degree from a program accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Less than 2 year certificate programs may also be available to students in Texas. Though certification is not required, it is often preferential, and can be acquired through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, or ARDMS.
Ultrasound Technician Salary in Texas
The annual median salary for a diagnostic medical sonographer in Texas was $65,600 in 2013, which was only $800 shy of the national median salary of $66,400. The top 10% of earners in Texas earned an average salary of $89,000, while earners in the bottom 10% averaged a salary of $46,200. Ultrasound technicians who received an hourly wage in Texas earned a median hourly wage of $31.53 in 2013.
The Texas Workforce Commission anticipates a 52% growth in employment from 2010, bringing total employment numbers to 5,410 diagnostic medical sonographers in Texas by 2020. Projected annual job openings are set at 240 per year due to net replacement and growth.
Texas Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Salary by Local Area:
| Local Area | Median Hourly Wage | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Texas (all) | $31.53 | $65,600 |
| Abilene, TX | $30.04 | $62,500 |
| Amarillo, TX | $35.82 | $74,500 |
| Austin – Round Rock – San Marcos, TX | $30.86 | $64,200 |
| Beaumont – Port Arthur, TX | $26.32 | $54,700 |
| Brownsville – Harlingen, TX | $30.31 | $63,000 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $26.71 | $55,600 |
| Dallas – Plano – Irving, TX | $33.25 | $69,200 |
| El Paso, TX | $28.96 | $60,200 |
| Fort Worth – Arlington, TX | $32.75 | $68,100 |
| Houston – Sugar Land – Baytown, TX | $32.59 | $67,800 |
| Killeen – Temple – Fort Hood, TX | $26.69 | $55,500 |
| McAllen – Edinburg – Mission, TX | $31.16 | $64,800 |
| San Angelo, TX | $31.68 | $65,900 |
| San Antonio – New Braunfels, TX | $29.56 | $61,500 |
| Texarkana, TX | $26.87 | $55,900 |
| Tyler, TX | $27.30 | $56,800 |
Source: Texas Wage Information (2013)
Recommended Programs
More Ultrasound Schools in Texas
Other diagnostic medical sonography schools in Texas include:
| School Name | School Address |
|---|---|
| Alvin Community College | 3110 Mustang Rd, Alvin, Texas 77511 |
| Amarillo College | 2011 S. Washington, Amarillo, Texas |
| Angelina College | 3500 South First, Lufkin, Texas 75902 |
| Austin Community College District | 5930 Middle Fiskville Rd, Austin, Texas 78752 |
| Baptist Health System School of Health Professions | 8400 Datapoint Dr, San Antonio, Texas 78229 |
| Cardiotech Ultrasound School | 12135 Bissonnet Ste E, Houston, Texas 77099 |
| College of Health Care Professions – Northwest | 240 Northwest Mall, Houston, Texas 77092 |
| Del Mar College | 101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi, Texas 78404 |
| El Centro College | 801 Main Street, Dallas, Texas 75202 |
| El Paso Community College | 9050 Viscount Blvd, El Paso, Texas 79925 |
| Hill College | 112 Lamar Dr, Hillsboro, Texas 76645 |
| Houston Community College | 3100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77002 |
| Lamar Institute of Technology | 855 E Lavaca, Beaumont, Texas 77705 |
| Lone Star College System | 5000 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, Texas 77381 |
| Midland College | 3600 N Garfield, Midland, Texas 79705 |
| Pima Medical Institute – Houston | 10201 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024 |
| San Jacinto Community College | 8060 Spencer Hwy, Pasadena, Texas 77501 |
| Southwest University at El Paso | 1414 Geronimo, El Paso, Texas 79925 |
| St Philip’s College | 1801 Martin Luther King Dr, San Antonio, Texas 78203 |
| Temple College | 2600 S 1st St, Temple, Texas 76504 |
| The College of Health Care Professions – Austin | 6505 Airport Blvd, Suite 102, Austin, Texas 78752 |
| The College of Health Care Professions – San Antonio | 4738 N. W. Loop 410, San Antonio, Texas 78229 |
| The University of Texas at Brownsville | One West University Boulevard, Brownsville, Texas 78520 |
| Tyler Junior College | 1400 East Fifth Street, Tyler, Texas 75701 |
| Virginia College – Austin | 6301 E Highway 290, Austin, Texas 78723 |
| Weatherford College | 225 College Park Drive, Weatherford, Texas 76086 |