Whether you’re preparing to graduate from an ultrasound technician program or an experienced sonographer looking to relocate, you have an occupation where you have great prospects almost anywhere in the country.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that the demand for ultrasound technicians will grow exponentially over the next decade, so the 2013 job outlook for sonographers will be strong. In addition, the salary of the ultrasound technician in 2013 is also forecast to increase.

States With The Highest Salaries For Sonographers

Your salary as a sonographer will depend on the level of education you have achieved, the number of years of experience you have, as well as the state you live in and the type of environment you work in. The state that has the highest median salary for an ultrasound technician is California with a median annual salary of $81,750, which is significantly more than the national median annual salary of $65,800. The highest paying states for medical sonographers include:

• California
• Massachusetts
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• Oregon

If you’re considering moving to one of these areas, remember that some of the towns and cities in these states have higher costs of living than other areas of the country.

States with the lowest salaries for ultrasound technicians

It is important to remember that the areas with the lowest salaries for ultrasound technicians often have significantly lower costs of living than other areas. Also, facilities in rural areas will often pay less than facilities in metropolitan areas. Of course, ultrasound technicians just entering the workforce will have lower starting salaries than the salaries experienced technicians earn.

The US state with the lowest sonographer salary is Alabama, with a median annual salary of $49,910. States that are in the lowest pay tier for ultrasound technicians in the country include:

• Alabama
• South Dakota
• West Virginia
• Mississippi
• Tennessee

It is important to note that all of these states are predominantly rural, hence the reason for the low wages. Median annual salaries for sonographers in these states range from $52,000 to $56,000, which is significantly more than the median annual salaries for all jobs in the state.

Where to Find Sonographer Jobs in the United States

According to the BLS, most ultrasound technician jobs are found in hospitals and outpatient centers. The states that have the most openings for medical sonographers are California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas. When searching for sonographer positions, you’ll likely find most openings in metropolitan areas. (Top 5 Careers for Sonographers)

Best States to Live in the United States and Salaries for Medical Sonographers

According to CNBC.com, the top states with the best quality of life include New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Minnesota. New Hampshire ranked first due to its great environment and low crime rate. The average annual salary for a sonographer is $73,380, which is slightly above the national average. This balances the fact that the cost of living in New Hampshire is slightly higher than the national average according to Sperling’s Best Places.

Burlington, Vermont is ranked as the best green city in the county. Also, the state of Vermont has a very low crime rate and is one of the healthiest states in the country. Its cost of living is slightly higher than the rest of the country, but so is the median hourly wage for ultrasound technicians working in Vermont.

Maine offers its residents an environment with an abundance of natural beauty, along with the lowest crime rate in the country. The cost of living in Maine is above average with the rest of the county. The median annual salary for an ultrasound technician in Maine is $68,170, slightly higher than the national median annual salary.

The three best places in the country to live in 2013 if you are an ultrasound technician

Based on Bloomberg’s Business Week rankings, as well as cost of living and medical sonographer salaries, the top three places to live if you’re an ultrasound technician include the following:

Larimer County, Colorado, located in the north central part of the state, is home to Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado State University. The two main cities in the county include Fort Collins and Loveland.

In Oregon, Benton County offers affordable housing in Corvallis, where Oregon State University is located. The cost of living is relatively low, however, Oregon ranks near the top of the states with the highest salaries for ultrasound technicians.

Orange County, California offers residents more than 40 miles of coastline, three harbors, and a wide variety of urban and natural parks. Anaheim and Irvine are the most affordable areas in Orange County, while California offers the highest ultrasound salary in the country.

One of the benefits of being an ultrasound technician is the assurance that you will be able to earn a comfortable salary with the flexibility to find work in most parts of the United States.