Are you looking for the best sonography programs in Houston? If yes, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll share some information about the top ultrasound schools in Houston.
Houston has become a major hub for medical tourism. The city is home to several hospitals and clinics offering high-quality healthcare services at affordable prices. As a result, the demand for sonographers has increased significantly over the years.
Sonography programs offer students a chance to gain hands-on experience and develop their skills. Students who complete these programs get certified and are able to practice their trade anywhere they want.
There is a huge need for ultrasound technologists in Texas because it is home to some of the biggest and best medical facilities in the nation.
A career as an ultrasound technician is the best option for you if you want to earn a very good living with only an associate degree, have excellent job stability, and have the chance to improve the lives of people all over Texas.
The first step is finishing a program, therefore to assist you in choosing the best sonography school in Houston, a comprehensive list has been made below.
How to Become a Sonographer in Texas
- Create a Stable Foundation
- Optional Month Degrees
- Start right away
Create a Stable Foundation
A solid background in science, math and English will help you get ready for the demanding course of study that lies ahead.
Many programs have prerequisite courses that must be completed and passed with a passing grade (usually C or above) in order to apply.
In many circumstances, it is possible to complete these course requirements while still a high school student or while enrolled in a nearby community college.
Optional Month Degrees
Prospective students regularly ask us how long it will take to finish a sonography degree. The type of degree you want to pursue and the amount of education you have already completed will determine the response.
Many programs provide one-year certificate options for students who already hold an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree.
There are additional sonography schools that grant AAS or BS degrees after two to four years of full-time study. Depending on the requirements of a given program, program lengths may change.
Start right away
We’ll assist you in getting started if you’ve been thinking about a career in healthcare and want to apply to one of the sonography colleges in Texas, Houston.
This article will help you find the information you need to learn more about the field of medical imaging, the licensure and certification requirements in Texas, and authorized programs in your area.
The List of Accredited Sonography Programs in Houston
Each of these institutions has successfully completed a series of program reviews, including a self-study review and a site visit, in order to meet the CAAHEP DMS Accreditation Standards and Guidelines. As of 2021, they are all compliant and accredited.
1. Lone Star College – Cypress
Accreditation: CAAHEP
Program Type: Associate and certificate
Lone Star College provides sonography training that enables you to break into the diagnostic medical imaging industry. The college’s suburban campus is surrounded by lovely natural wetlands, native grasses, lakes, ponds, and prairie trees.
Currently, this Texas ultrasound technician school provides two sonography programs:
Associate: It will take you two years to finish this full-time, 60-credit program. It is divided into four semesters of core courses and required study.
After graduating, you can sit for the ARDMS credentialing exam to become a registered sonographer with a focus on the abdomen and gynecological/obstetrics.
Certificate: The Non-Invasive Vascular Technology certificate program lasts six months and consists of 16 credits. Only after earning your associate’s degree in DMS or echocardiography with a GPA of at least 2.0 are you qualified for this program.
You can take the Registered Vascular Technologist test offered by ARDMS or the Registered Vascular Specialist exam offered by CCI after completing this certificate program.
2. Alvin Community college
Students have a choice between two pathways at Alvin Community College (ACC). Adult echocardiography, pediatric echocardiography, and vascular sonography are among the specializations offered in the two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.
If you already hold a degree in a healthcare-related profession, you can complete a condensed degree program and earn an Advanced Technical Certificate in DMS as your diploma.
Students who are interested in enrolling must complete the ultrasound student assessment exam and attend an admissions session with the college.
3. Pima Medical Institute
In order to give students greater training and practical experience before entering the field, Pima Medical Institute now offers a Diagnostic Medical Sonography associate degree program.
Students who complete the 22-month curriculum are prepared to work as ultrasound technologists. They produce ultrasonic scans of various bodily regions to assist medical professionals in making diagnoses and formulating treatment plans.
Consider enrolling in PMI’s 22-month, 86-credit associate degree program if you want to become an ultrasound technician in Texas. It consists of 510 hours of lab instruction, 675 hours of theoretical study, and 1080 hours of clinical externship.
Your training in diagnostic medical imaging will be centered on a variety of specialties, including vascular, gynecology, obstetrics, and abdominal imaging.
You can pursue a career as an ultrasound technician or a diagnostic medical sonographer after completing this program.
4. Del Mar University
At Del Mar university, students can pursue an Associate in Applied Science degree with specializations in general or cardiac sonography. Graduates will be ready to take the ARDMS exam and be qualified for entry-level sonography careers.
Every year in the summer, the 2-year ultrasound technologist program at Del Mar’s West Campus begins. It consists of core coursework and prerequisite classes, which are split up into five semesters.
This 65-credit program combines classroom learning with practical experience in clinical settings where you may put the knowledge you’ve learned from lectures and lab exercises to use.
Graduates will be qualified to sit for the ARDMS registry exam, which will increase their employment prospects.
5. Weatherford College – Weatherford
With its student-friendly learning environment and emphasis on career readiness, Weatherford College upholds high standards in education.
Its highly experienced faculty works to provide the best educational experience by fusing exceptional hands-on learning with theory.
You will need 22 months to finish the 65-credit associate degree program at Weatherford college, which starts every August. It is broken up into five semesters of core study after the 24-credit prerequisite course.
A clinical practicum, lab training, and classroom lectures are used to teach the demanding curriculum.
You’ll need to show up to classes and/or clinical five days a week during the day. After completing this program, which has been approved by CAAHEP, you will be fully equipped to carry out all the tasks required of a general and vascular sonographer.
6. The College of Health Care
After completing The College of Health Care Professions Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and abilities required to secure a position as an entry-level
A transducer is used by a diagnostic medical sonographer, commonly referred to as an ultrasound technologist, to send sound waves across particular body sections.
Images, commonly referred to as sonograms, are created from inside the body by sound waves that reverberate and reflect back to the transducer. Sonograms are utilized to draw attention to interior problems that would not otherwise be seen.
You must be able to use ultrasound equipment correctly, provide kind patient care, and always act professionally if you want to be a good sonographer.
7. Angelina College
A points-based system is used to rank applicants to Angelina College‘s DMS program. Points are determined, among other things, by an interview, sonography lab hours, and overall GPA. Those applicants who already hold a degree receive bonus points.
Once every two years (even years), students are accepted to this program after finishing the necessary prerequisite courses by the conclusion of the second session—the summer semester.
Only ten of the twenty top-ranked applicants are chosen for interviews; admissions are determined by a point value system.
8. El Centro College – Dallas
El Centro College is dedicated to upholding the highest possible educational standards through well-equipped facilities and overall sonography student grooming through personal and professional development activities.
The College provides a variety of sonography education programs, including:
- A 65-credit Associate of Applied Science program in DMS will require you to complete it in five semesters.
- A 48-week Adult Cardiac Sonography Technical Certificate program with a heart-focused curriculum.
- A 48-week technical certificate in pediatric cardiac sonography that focuses on the sonography of young children’s hearts.
- 48-week Advanced Technical Certificate program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
9. Midland College – Midland
The 224-acre campus of Midland College, which was established in 1972, is located in Midland, Texas.
The college offers a stimulating environment that aids sonography students in achieving both their academic and professional goals.
Small class sizes and a committed faculty guarantee that students receive effective mentoring throughout their academic careers.
You must attend classes once a week to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Sonography from the college. Three days a week are designated for clinical training.
To graduate, you must pass all required classes as well as four semesters of core study. Sonography of various body areas, ultrasound physics, and clinical practicum sessions are all included in this 61-credit program.
10. Tyler Junior College – Tyler
One of the biggest community colleges in Texas is Tyler Junior College (TJC). Its Health Sciences Center, a recently renovated building with the newest instructional tools and equipment, offers its sonography program.
You will receive training as a sonography student from knowledgeable teachers, who share their years of personal and professional learning experiences for the benefit of the students.
Since 1997, TJC has provided a DMS AAS degree program that is accredited. Graduates of the 16-month, the full-time curriculum will be prepared to take the ARDMS exams in general physics, abdominal sonography, and obstetric sonography. To pass, all courses must have a “C” or higher.
11. Texas Southmost University
Students who complete Texas Southmost’s university AAS degree program are prepared for entry-level jobs at clinics, hospitals, and outpatient care facilities, among other places.
To graduate, you must complete 60 credits and receive a “C” or above in every class. Numerous requirements must be satisfied, and admission is competitive.
Together with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) has given the program national accreditation (JRC-DMS).
After completing the program, graduates are qualified to sit for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) exams in the disciplines of Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, Abdomen, and Obstetrics and Gynecology
12. San Jacinto College – Central
In order to prepare ultrasound technologists for a rewarding future in the healthcare industry, San Jacinto College places a strong emphasis on teaching transferable skills that include both hands-on learning and clinical experiences.
Partnerships with the industry assist in creating a lesson plan that adheres to their demands.
This 18-student, 63-credit associate degree in sonography program, which begins in the fall of each year, has a stringent admissions process.
The abdomen, pelvis, superficial tissues, and obstetrics are the main topics of ultrasound imaging that are covered in the curriculum.
13. El Paso Community College – El Paso
In “The Lone Star State,” El Paso Community College (EPCC) is well regarded for providing high-quality instruction at reasonable costs. EPCC presently provides two different sonography programs to teach students how to use ultrasound technology to identify medical issues.
Associate: It will take two years to finish this 65-credit program.
Certificate: For those looking to switch careers and enter the profession of diagnostic medical sonography, a one-year certificate program is available.
14. Austin Community College
In 1990, Austin Community College ACC got its initial accreditation from CAAHEP for general sonography. They provide students with a demanding program that will get them ready for entry-level jobs in general, cardiac, or vascular sonography.
Students who complete the program are qualified to take the ARDMS SPI exam. With the use of the Sonography Programs Applicant Ranking Worksheet, a points system is used to determine admission.
Sonographers make images of internal organs, tissues, or blood flow using high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) for diagnostic purposes.
Graduates get employment at medical facilities including clinics or hospitals. At Austin Community College ACC, you can specialize in a number of fields, such as Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography, and Vascular Technology.
15. Harris Health System
The sonography program at Harris Health System (HHS) aims to train the following generation of sonographers for entry-level jobs at neighboring clinics and hospitals. Abdominal and OB/GYN sonography are taught to students.
Ben Taub Hospital, LBJ Hospital, and Smith Clinic are a few of the places where clinical labs and rotations are assigned.
Candidates must already have an Associate’s degree or have finished a program in a healthcare-related discipline. Each year, the program starts in July.
Other Sonography Programs in Houston
| Houston community college | Visit the school’s website |
| Houston International College | Visit the school’s website |
| Parker University | Visit the school’s website |
| St. Phillips college | Visit the school’s website |
| Tarrant Country College | Visit the school’s website |
| Temple College | Visit the school’s website |
Houston’s Certification Requirements
In Houston, is certification necessary to work as a sonographer?
The state of Texas does not mandate certification. Nevertheless, obtaining certification in your area is worthwhile because it demonstrates your knowledge and commitment to your work.
The majority of employers demand American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography accreditation (ARDMS).
Take the ARDMS certification exam.
The ARDMS exam must be taken and passed to get certified by them. Graduation from a course certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs is the simplest way to be eligible to take the exam (CAAHEP).
If not, you’ll need to satisfy one of their other conditions, such as having completed 12 months of full-time clinical work before taking their test.
What is the typical ultrasound technician’s salary in Houston?
Given that a two-year associate degree is the bare minimum education needed for this career, the average yearly ultrasound tech pay in Texas is an amazing $72,020.
This gives you the ability to support yourself and your family in the Lone Star State and is comparable to $34.63 an hour or $6,000 per month. Remember that your earning potential increases with your level of education and experience.
How Long Does it Take to Study Sonography in Houston?
Completing a 2- or 4-year curriculum will certify you. Bypassing the ARDMS sonography exams, you can get a certificate.
Is Sonography a Rewarding Profession?
The profession of sonography was ranked as the #5 Best Health Support Jobs by U.S. News and Money.
Within the next ten years, the employment of diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to expand by 19.5%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sonographers often earn a median salary of $72,510.
Conclusion
Houston is one of the most affordable places to study a program like sonography and the environment is conducive for undergraduate and even graduate because of the wide job opportunities available.
A comprehensive list of accredited Sonography Programs in Houston has been listed above.