Diagnostic Medical Sonographers Salary
The median pay for a diagnostic medical sonographers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL is $82,120/year ($39.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $101K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $81,396 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,977/month, about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $82K get you in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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
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What this looks like in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater
Pay for diagnostic medical sonographers in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $97K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,977/month, which is 35.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for diagnostic medical sonographerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for diagnostic medical sonographers in metros near Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $86K | $76K |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $83K | $82K |
| Jacksonville | $84K | $85K |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $83K | $83K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
Entry-level diagnostic medical sonographers (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $101K or more, a $38K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track diagnostic medical sonographers salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a diagnostic medical sonographer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 35.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,977/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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new diagnostic medical sonographers typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,790/month. At HUD’s $1,977/month FMR, rent would take 52% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $82K here vs. $97K nationally.
How does Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater compare to the national average for diagnostic medical sonographers?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $97K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — below the national median.
How much do diagnostic medical sonographers make in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL?
The median is $82,120 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $63,160, and experienced diagnostic medical sonographers can clear $101,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,513/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,977/month, which eats 35.9% 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater?
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median diagnostic medical sonographers salary is worth about $81,396 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.