Ultrasound technicians are finding their skills in increasing demand around the United States as ultrasound becomes more popular as a non-invasive diagnostic test. Pay rates, however, are not growing at the same rate nationwide. Oregon is among the top states for ultrasound technician salaries. Let’s look at how Oregon ultrasound techs fare economically compared to other areas and the factors that led to this.
Supply and Demand
Oregon has slower than expected rates of hiring due to relative lack of supply of ultrasound technicians. This constraint is why Oregon sonogram techs earn more than those in states like Florida, Tennessee and New Jersey. The fact that there aren’t as many sonogram tech training schools constraining new talent entering the field, also raises wages.
Competition
The fact that many sonogram technicians from Oregon can earn as much – or more – in California also drives up wages. California has the most medical openings for medical sonographers out of any state in the nation. This is due in part to its very high population, but its younger population and fast growth is another factor. That’s why California is hiring many more sonographers than similarly sized New York, though Texas is a close second. Florida came in third based on the number of open sonographer positions.
Cost of Living
California has the highest average salary for ultrasound technicians, ringing in at $93,350 in 2017. This is far higher than the average pay rate of $71,750. Because of the higher cost of living in the Pacific Northwest and competition for ultrasound techs in the area being in California’s factor, this pulled up wages for surrounding states.
This is why Washington had the second highest pay rate for ultrasound techs in the country in 2017, while Oregon came in third. Colorado came in fourth, partially due to its rapidly increasing cost of living. Massachusetts ranked fifth in pay, but New Hampshire outranked it on quality of life surveys. If you’re considering moving somewhere based on the pay rate, note that different metropolitan areas pay rates that may differ significantly from the state average. You can check ultrasound technician salaries on Salary Site to learn more.
And know that rural areas almost always pay less than urban areas, though there are rare cases like Native American health clinics and federal facilities that pay a lot more to attract medical staff to underserved, rural areas. States like West Virginia actually have the lowest ultrasound tech pay rates because most of their workforce are in rural areas.
When you compare pay rates to cost of living, you’ll have a far better quality of life living and working in Oregon over California. For example, you’ll need a job that pays on average $6,000 more to have a similar quality of life in suburban California, assuming you’re well away from the Bay Area, as you would in suburban Oregon.
Oregon should be receiving a flood of applicants, since you earn more than the national average and keep more of it, too. When you factor in the cost of living, Oregon offers a much better deal since you don’t spend nearly as much just to pay for a place to live and get to enjoy higher than average income too.
