Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Salary
The median pay for a diagnostic medical sonographers in Charlottesville, VA is $88,700/year ($42.65/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $138K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.15), that's roughly $89,460 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,824/month, about 32.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $89K get you in Charlottesville?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charlottesville’s Regional Price Parity (99.15). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About diagnostic medical sonographers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Charlottesville
Diagnostic medical sonographers pay in Charlottesville tracks closely to the national median, $89K locally vs. $97K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,824/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 99.15) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for diagnostic medical sonographers in metros near Charlottesville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $96K | $98K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $87K | $88K |
| Roanoke | $83K | $89K |
| Lynchburg | $95K | $106K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charlottesville, VA
Entry-level diagnostic medical sonographers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $89K. Top earners bring in $138K or more, a $70K spread from bottom to top.
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Diagnostic Medical Sonographers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $129K | +33% | 10,110 |
| Hawaii | $124K | +29% | 210 |
| Washington | $121K | +26% | 2,190 |
| Oregon | $120K | +24% | 1,210 |
| District of Columbia | $112K | +16% | 160 |
| Colorado | $108K | +12% | 1,430 |
| Massachusetts | $107K | +11% | 2,190 |
| Alaska | $106K | +9% | 140 |
| Vermont | $104K | +8% | 140 |
| New York | $104K | +8% | 6,880 |
| New Hampshire | $104K | +7% | 400 |
| Connecticut | $103K | +7% | 990 |
| New Jersey | $103K | +7% | 3,370 |
| Minnesota | $103K | +6% | 1,710 |
| Wisconsin | $102K | +6% | 1,530 |
| Montana | $101K | +5% | 230 |
| Illinois | $101K | +4% | 3,270 |
| Wyoming | $101K | +4% | 90 |
| Missouri | $100K | +4% | 1,930 |
| Utah | $100K | +4% | 740 |
| Arizona | $100K | +4% | 2,070 |
| Idaho | $100K | +3% | 510 |
| Maryland | $99K | +3% | 1,760 |
| Delaware | $99K | +2% | 220 |
| Kansas | $96K | -0% | 670 |
| Nevada | $96K | -1% | 640 |
| Virginia | $96K | -1% | 2,160 |
| Maine | $95K | -1% | 380 |
| Rhode Island | $93K | -4% | 380 |
| Texas | $93K | -4% | 6,960 |
| Kentucky | $91K | -6% | 940 |
| New Mexico | $87K | -10% | 410 |
| Iowa | $86K | -10% | 740 |
| North Carolina | $86K | -11% | 2,970 |
| Indiana | $85K | -12% | 1,380 |
| North Dakota | $84K | -13% | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $84K | -13% | 1,060 |
| South Carolina | $83K | -14% | 1,340 |
| Georgia | $83K | -14% | 2,700 |
| Florida | $83K | -14% | 6,670 |
| Ohio | $83K | -14% | 3,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $83K | -14% | 2,980 |
| Nebraska | $83K | -14% | 780 |
| Michigan | $82K | -15% | 3,100 |
| Arkansas | $82K | -16% | 640 |
| South Dakota | $81K | -16% | 370 |
| Louisiana | $81K | -16% | 1,150 |
| Tennessee | $81K | -17% | 1,880 |
| West Virginia | $77K | -20% | 780 |
| Mississippi | $77K | -21% | 700 |
| Alabama | $68K | -29% | 1,510 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track diagnostic medical sonographers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charlottesville numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a diagnostic medical sonographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charlottesville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $89K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,824/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for diagnostic medical sonographers in Charlottesville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new diagnostic medical sonographers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,129/month. At HUD’s $1,824/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is diagnostic medical sonographer a high-paying job in Charlottesville?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $89K locally vs. $97K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Charlottesville compare to the national average for diagnostic medical sonographers?
Charlottesville pays $89K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.15), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do diagnostic medical sonographers make in Charlottesville, VA?
The median is $88,700 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,820, and experienced diagnostic medical sonographers can clear $138,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $89K enough to live in Charlottesville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,517/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,824/month, which eats 33.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a diagnostic medical sonographers salary go in Charlottesville?
Charlottesville has a Regional Price Parity of 99.15 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median diagnostic medical sonographers salary is worth about $89,460 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do diagnostic medical sonographers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.