Ultrasound Technician Schools in Colorado

Guide to Colorado Ultrasound & Sonographer Degree Programs

Are you interested in pursuing a career in the healthcare field, but are not quite sure you would able to handle giving shots, taking blood, and dealing with the other bodily fluids that go along with being a doctor or nurse?  Do you like helping others, but want to interact with patients in a comfortable, lower stress environment?  Are you compassionate, caring, and good at communicating with and listening to people?  If you answered yes to all of these questions, then a rewarding career as an ultrasound technician or a sonographer may be in your future.

The main job of the ultrasound technician is to perform ultrasounds on patients. This painless and non-invasive procedure uses sound wave technology to create images of various parts of the body.  Those images are then used by physicians to help in diagnosing internal issues without the patient having to go under the knife.  The ultrasound technician plays a key role in providing quality care for patients.

If you live in the state of Colorado, you have several quality options to earn your certificate or degree as a sonographer.  Most programs will take anywhere from one to four years to complete, so you can be on the job relatively quickly.  You may choose to extend your education and become a registered diagnostic medical sonographer or a registered diagnostic vascular sonographer.  There are other specialty areas within this field as well.  As with other areas in healthcare, the higher degree of specialized care you are able to provide, the more valuable you will be to employers.

Colorado Ultrasound & Sonographer Job Outlook and Salary

The outlook for the employment in the healthcare industry in Colorado mirrors that of the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the opportunities for employment as a diagnostic medical sonographer will continue to increase at a rate of 19 percent through the year 2016.  The working conditions for an ultrasound technician are usually clean and orderly.  Due to the type of equipment needed to perform this job, sonographers need to be able to stand for long periods of time and be able to move heavy equipment on wheels. Sonographers are most often employed by hospitals, but work is also available in physician’s offices, private and public clinics, and mobile imaging services.

Once you complete your education, you can expect to make an annual salary as a full-time sonographer that ranges between $54,000 and $75,000.  The salary you earn will be dependent on the area you live and the employment setting, meaning those working in Denver at a major hospital can expect to earn more than a sonographer at a private practice in a rural town.  Salaries are also dependent on the experience, education, and specialization of the sonographer.  Some areas of specialization that may garner a higher salary are vascular, obstetrics and gynecology, and neurosonology.