Ultrasound Technician Schools in Arizona (Become a Sonographer)

Due to the fact that the field of medical imaging is growing rapidly, there are more and more people who get interested in this kind of education and profession.

Furthermore, Arizona is one of the top states for employment of ultrasound technicians, making it a perfect choice to attend one of Arizona’s sonography schools and start your way towards this stable and satisfactory career option.

We suggest that you begin this journey by researching the career to find a program to attend in your area and gathering the information you need.

So as to make this research easier, we have made a list of the accredited sonography programs in Arizona and all the data related to what you can expect upon finishing your studies.

Accredited Ultrasound Technician Schools in Arizona

In gaining sonography education it is important to attend schools that have CAAHEP and ARRT Accredited Diagnostic Sonography Programs.

This is the most important factor to keep in mind when searching for a sonography program and you should look for a school that offers the program accredited by most widely recognized accrediting agencies in sonography – the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

This is the best way of getting a certification later on, as graduating from a program accredited by the CAAHEP qualifies you to sit for the certification exam given by the ARDMS.

Plus, if you are accepted to a CAAHEP accredited program, you are also eligible to apply for the UltrasoundSchoolsInfo semi-annual scholarship to help you pay the expenses.

Accredited Sonography School in Arizona is Gateway Community College.

This is the only school accredited by the CAAHEP in Arizona and programs offered at this school are:

• Associate in Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Certificate of Completion in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Certificate of Completion in Diagnostic Medical Sonography: Vascular Technology

Total Estimated Program costs range between $9,569 and $13,572.

Arizona boasts the ARRT accredited medical imaging programs as well:

• Pima Medical Institute – General Sonography
• West Coast Ultrasound Institute – General Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

If you attend an accredited program, scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs are available to many students who meet the qualifications.

We decided to gather this information as well so that our readers can learn about the various scholarships available to those who qualify in Arizona:

• Ultrasound Schools Info – $1,000 twice a year – For aspiring sonographers currently enrolled in/ accepted to a CAAHEP accredited DMS program.
• NIADA Foundation Regional Scholarships – Four $3,500 scholarships – For students who have shown excellent skills in education and community service
• Northern Arizona Healthcare Foundation – Two $1,000 scholarships – For Flagstaff and Verde Valley area graduating high school seniors pursuing a degree in medicine and healthcare.
• Siemens Clinical Advancement Scholarship – $5,000 – For active ASRT member registered with the ARRT.
• Arizona BPW Foundation Scholarship – Amount varies – For women at least 21 years old who are returning to school at a community college to promote their current career.

Ultrasound Tech Certification Requirements in Arizona

For people who want to get a certification or licensure of allied health professionals, which is a kind of demonstration of the proficiency and knowledge of those individuals, it is good to know that the most common certification agency is the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

Statewide licensure is not mandated by the state of Arizona, still many employers do require professional certification.

You ill need to meet the educational requirements for Ultrasound Technician Certification in Arizona, that is, taking and passing their Sonography Principals and Instrumentation (SPI) exam after you have finished the accredited program.

The SPI exam can even be taken while you are still in school, provided you have successfully completed a physics or physics review course.

Medical Imaging Organizations for Arizona

So as to improve your job opportunities and get connected with other professionals in this field, healthcare workers in the state become members of a vast network of societies and organizations whose aim is to support them in their education and professional career endeavors.

Sonographers in Arizona can connect with other local professionals in the field to hear their experiences through several state-specific resources for AZ medical imagers and healthcare workers:

• Arizona Department of Health Services – Medical Radiologic Technology
• Arizona Radiology Society
• Arizona Hospital & Healthcare Association
• Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU)

Ultrasound Techs Salary And Job Outlook In Arizona

Arizona is well known as a retiree destination as its climate attracts high, increasing numbers of elderly retirees.

This situation increases the need for qualified, medically trained personnel which thus, provides a secure job outlook for graduates of ultrasound technician schools in Arizona.

120,000 new jobs are being forecasted by the Arizona Department of Administration in the years to come.

The average salary for sonographers in Arizona is $76246, or $41.69 an hour according to the BLS.

This is higher than the national average, but you should know that many factors influence your salary.

Higher education typically leads to a higher salary, so if you are a sonographer who holds a Bachelor’s Degree, you can expect to earn higher salaries than those holding Associate’s.

You can improve your salary potential by becoming a certified technician, as they often make more than those who do not have a license.

The place where you find work also affects the wages, as outpatient care centers offer the highest salaries, while general and surgical hospitals employ the most sonographers.

Being that there are many different roles in medical imaging, there are various average salaries that you may expect.

If you wonder how much ultrasound techs make and what the expected job prospects are in Arizona you can find out if you keep on reading, as we have gathered the data listed below for several different specialties:

• Ultrasound Technologists – $73,200 per year
• Ultrasound Technician – 23 percent expected job growth, $82,640 median per year
• Echo Tech Salary in Arizona – 17 percent national job growth, $60,820 per year
• Cardiac and Vascular Sonographer Salaries in Arizona – 17 percent national increase, $46,250 mean per year
• MRI Technologist – 14 percent expected national job growth, $77,960 annual mean income
• Radiology Tech Salary in Arizona – 12 percent expected national job growth, $63,990 median per year.

Annual Salary Range:

Regional Salary in Arizona