Top 4 Accredited Ultrasound Technician Schools in the Bay Area

(found 4 schools, updated in January 2018)

The term “Bay Area” refers to the San Francisco Bay Area in northern California. The U.S. Census includes the counties of San Francisco, Santa Clara, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Mateo, Solano, Napa and Sonoma. Ultrasound technicians have the option of working in a large city like San Francisco or in a more rural area like Napa County. California has been a leader in the national healthcare program implementation, offering enormous opportunities for future growth in sonographer positions.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Education in the Bay Area in 2018

Some of the best ultrasound technician schools in or near the Bay Area, are in Richmond which is 19 miles from San Francisco, and Los Altos Hills which is 39 miles from San Francisco. These are the ideal places to begin a sonography program search because there are sonography schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) in the cities. The accreditation status is an important indication of quality content that prepares students, upon completing training requirements for a sonography diploma, a sonography certificate or a sonography degree program, to take the ARDMS exams and earn certification. Each school has a financial aid office that can help students locate sonography scholarships.

The Bay Area has a thriving student population. There are over 110,000 students attending higher education facilities in the Bay Area counties, and enrollments are likely to continue growing after 2018.

Salary Facts for Sonographers in the Bay Area

The San Francisco Bay Area is large, incorporating 9 counties and a number of cities that include Santa Rosa, San Francisco and San Jose. The whole Bay Area pays excellent annual salaries, and several of the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) and divisions are listed as top paying areas as of May 2016 per the Bureau of Labor.

The average salaries are similar by MSA. For example, The Santa Rosa, CA MSA has an average annual salary of $97,480 or $46.87 per hour for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. The highest paying area in the Bay Area is the San Francisco-Redwood City-South San Francisco, CA MSA with average annual salaries of $116,480 or $56.00 per hour. All average salaries for sonographers in the Bay Area are close to or over $100,000. | See Job Openings

Career Outlook for Sonographers in the Bay Area

There are 1,790 sonographers working in the Bay Area. Projected employment growth by county for the 2010-2020 period for sonographers is excellent, ranging from 27 percent to 50 percent per the May 2013 federal occupational survey. Sonographers can expect to find ultrasound jobs in a variety of health care settings. | See Job Openings

A List of Accredited Sonography Schools in or Near the Bay Area

School Name: Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences
Address: 938 Marina Way South, Richmond, CA 94804
Website: www.kpsahs.org
2 Cardiac Sonography Programs: Certificate and Bachelors Degree
2 General Sonography Programs: Certificate and Bachelors Degree
CAAHEP Accredited: Yes
ARRT Recognized: Yes

School Name: Community Regional Medical Center
Address: 2823 Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93721
Website: www.communitymedical.org
Cardiac Sonography Program: Certificate
General Sonography Program: Certificate
Pediatric Cardiac Sonography Program: Certificate
Vascular Sonography Program: Certificate
CAAHEP Accredited: Yes

School Name: Foothill College
Address: 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
Website: www.foothill.edu
General Sonography Programs: Certificate and Associates Degree
CAAHEP Accredited: Yes

School Name: Merced College
Address: 3600 M Street, Merced, CA 95348
Website: www.mccd.edu
General Sonography Program: Certificate
CAAHEP Accredited: Yes

If you are looking for other accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography schools in California or in nearby states, visit this accredited sonography schools directory in 2018.