How Much Does a Sonographer Make in Chico, CA in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers in Chico, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across California.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chico metro area
A typical Sonographer in Chico, California earns $59.56 per hour, or $123,880 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $10,323 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $93,980, and the top 10% of earners make over $151,360.
That pay is 4% below the California figure of $128,530 and 28% above the national figure of $96,590. Chico ranks 14th of 19 metro areas in California for Sonographer pay. About 80 Sonographers work in the Chico area.
Sonographer pay in Chico at a glance
- Typical pay is $59.56 an hour, or $123,880 a year.
- That is 4% below the California figure, ranking 14th of 19 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $93,980; the top 10% make over $151,360.
- Typical pay rose +60% from 2015 to 2025, against +33% for California as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in Chico?
Pay in Chico runs from entry-level positions at around $45.18 an hour to more than $72.77 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the California and national figures.
Sonographer pay by career stage in Chico
| Career stage | Chico | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $93,980$45.18 an hour | $62,890$30.24 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $109,000$52.41 an hour | $99,510$47.84 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $123,880$59.56 an hour | $128,530$61.79 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $132,380$63.65 an hour | $160,580$77.20 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $151,360$72.77 an hour | $177,780$85.47 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chico area as BLS defines it
Sonographer pay growth in Chico
Typical (median) annual wage for Sonographers in the Chico area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Sonographer pay in Chico was $77,610 a year. By 2025 it had reached $123,880, a change of +60%, compared with +33% for California over the same years.
How Chico compares with other California cities
Santa Clara pays Sonographers the most in California at $173,150 a year, $49,270 more than Chico. The lowest-paying area in the state is Visalia at $99,010.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chico | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara | $173,150 | $83.25 | +40% | 500 |
| 2 | Vallejo | $171,170 | $82.30 | +38% | 140 |
| 3 | Sacramento | $163,220 | $78.47 | +32% | 610 |
| 4 | Santa Rosa metro incl. Petaluma | $161,570 | $77.68 | +30% | 90 |
| 5 | Oakland metro incl. Fremont · San Francisco | $160,270 | $77.05 | +29% | 1,300 |
| 6 | Santa Cruz metro incl. Watsonville | $142,150 | $68.34 | +15% | 40 |
| 7 | Modesto | $141,210 | $67.89 | +14% | 200 |
| 8 | Redding | $133,340 | $64.11 | +8% | 40 |
| 9 | Santa Maria metro incl. Santa Barbara | $132,490 | $63.70 | +7% | 100 |
| 10 | Lodi metro incl. Stockton | $130,210 | $62.60 | +5% | 140 |
| 11 | Carlsbad metro incl. San Diego · Chula Vista | $129,630 | $62.32 | +5% | 720 |
| 12 | Thousand Oaks | $125,750 | $60.46 | +2% | 140 |
| 13 | San Luis Obispo metro incl. Paso Robles | $125,090 | $60.14 | +1% | 40 |
| 14 | Chico | $123,880 | $59.56 | this city | 80 |
| 15 | Long Beach metro incl. Los Angeles · Anaheim | $119,430 | $57.42 | -4% | 3,550 |
| 16 | Bakersfield metro incl. Delano | $108,990 | $52.40 | -12% | 180 |
| 17 | Fresno | $107,750 | $51.80 | -13% | 390 |
| 18 | Ontario metro incl. San Bernardino · Riverside | $105,860 | $50.90 | -15% | 960 |
| 19 | Visalia | $99,010 | $47.60 | -20% | 90 |
Every metro area in California with Sonographer wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · California typical pay $128,530
Is Chico a good place to work as a Sonographer?
Sonographers in Chico earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $123,880 a year, 28% above the national figure. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chico area, about 1.0 are Sonographer positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.5. That makes the local economy more reliant on Sonographers than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Sonographer make in Chico, CA?
- A typical Sonographer in Chico earns $123,880 a year, or $59.56 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $93,980 and the top 10% earn over $151,360.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in Chico?
- Typical hourly pay for Sonographers in Chico is $59.56. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $45.18, and the top 10% earn over $72.77 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in Chico?
- Entry-level Sonographer positions in Chico typically offer around $45.18 an hour, or $93,980 a year.
- Is Sonographer pay in Chico higher than in the rest of California?
- Chico pay is 4% below the California figure of $128,530 a year, ranking 14th of 19 metro areas in the state. Santa Clara pays the most in California at $173,150.