How Much Does a Sonographer Make in District of Columbia in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers in District of Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with pay by city, the ten-year trend, and how the state compares.
BLS OES May 2025 · District of Columbia · typical annual pay from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth
A typical Diagnostic Medical Sonographer in the District of Columbia earns about $53.86 per hour, or $112,020 per year, according to the latest government wage data (May 2025). Broken down further, that works out to roughly $9,335 a month and $2,154 a week, both calculated from the annual figure. That places sonography among the higher-paid allied health roles in the district.
That figure sits 16% above the national figure of $96,590 a year, or $46.44 an hour nationally. The District of Columbia ranks 5th among all 51 states and territories for Sonographer pay. About 160 Sonographers work in the district, a small workforce that still posts some of the highest pay figures in the country.
Sonographer pay in District of Columbia at a glance
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the District of Columbia typically earn $53.86 an hour, or about $112,020 a year, according to May 2025 wage data.
- That's 16% above the national figure of $96,590, ranking the district 5th among all 51 states and territories.
- Washington, the district's only metro area, reports an annual figure of $105,290 for Sonographers.
- Entry-level positions typically start around $93,590 a year, while the top 10% of earners make over $135,280.
- Pay has climbed 26% over the past decade, up from $89,240 in 2015 to $112,020 in 2025.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in District of Columbia?
Sonographer pay by career stage in District of Columbia
| Career stage | District of Columbia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $93,590$44.99 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $104,520$50.25 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $112,020$53.86 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $126,660$60.89 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $135,280$65.04 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · starting out is the 10th percentile, first years the 25th, typical the median, experienced the 75th, top 10% the 90th
Sonographer pay by experience level in District of Columbia
Entry-level positions in the District of Columbia typically offer around $44.99 an hour, or about $93,590 a year, for Sonographers just starting out. That's meaningfully lower than the district's overall figure of $53.86 an hour, reflecting the early stage of a sonographer's career. Pay tends to move toward the district's typical figure within the first several years on the job, as new sonographers gain experience and additional certifications.
Experienced Sonographers in the district often earn upwards of $60.89 an hour, or $126,660 a year, according to the same data. The top 10% of earners make over $65.04 an hour, or $135,280 a year, the highest tier tracked. The gap between entry-level and top pay runs $41,690, a spread shaped mostly by years of experience, work setting, and which part of the district a sonographer works in.
Sonographer pay growth in District of Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Sonographers in District of Columbia · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
District of Columbia Sonographers saw pay climb from $89,240 in 2015 to $112,020 in 2025, a gain of $22,780 over the decade. That works out to a 26% rise, tracked through annual government wage data collected each year since 2015. The climb wasn't perfectly steady; pay dipped in a couple of years before resuming its upward path.
Nationally, Sonographer pay rose 40% over the same ten years, outpacing the district's climb. Even so, District of Columbia sonographers are earning substantially more in dollar terms today than they were a decade ago. Someone starting a sonography career in the district now enters a field where pay has moved upward over time, though no future gains are guaranteed.
Sonographer salary by city in District of Columbia
Washington, the district's sole metro area for wage-reporting purposes, is where nearly all District of Columbia Sonographers work, posting an annual figure of $105,290 and an hourly figure of $50.62. That's about 6% below the statewide figure of $112,020, a gap that can occur when local metro-area sampling differs slightly from the broader state calculation. Since the District of Columbia is itself a single metro area, there isn't a second city to compare pay against.
Because Washington accounts for the entirety of the district's Sonographer workforce, listed at 1,550 workers, pay is fairly uniform across the District of Columbia rather than varying by neighborhood or submarket. There's no lower-paying city to compare, since Washington is the only metro area the government tracks separately here. Living costs in the district run high, which factors into how these figures compare with pay in less expensive parts of the country.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs District of Columbia | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $105,290 | $50.62 | -6% | 1,550 |
Each row is one BLS metro area; cities that share a metro share its figures · BLS OES May 2025 · District of Columbia typical pay $112,020
How District of Columbia compares with nearby states
District of Columbia Sonographers earn more than their counterparts in both neighboring states. Maryland's figure comes in at $99,210 a year, about 11% lower than the district. Virginia sits lower still at $95,660, about 15% below the District of Columbia. Sonography licensure earned in one jurisdiction can often be transferred or endorsed into a neighboring one, making moves across the region relatively straightforward for those willing to commute or relocate.
| State | Typical pay | Vs District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $112,020 | baseline |
| Maryland | $99,210 | -11% |
| Virginia | $95,660 | -15% |
Bordering states, ranked by typical Sonographer pay · BLS OES May 2025
Is District of Columbia a good state for Sonographers?
Sonographers in District of Columbia earn a strong wage by national standards: typical pay is $112,020 a year, 16% above the national figure and the 5th highest of 51. For every 1,000 jobs in District of Columbia, about 0.2 are Sonographer positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.6. That makes Sonographers a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates. Taken together, District of Columbia is one of the better-paying states for Sonographers.
Summary
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the District of Columbia typically earn $112,020 a year, or $53.86 an hour, and that figure has climbed 26% over the past decade. For details on licensing and registry requirements, check the District of Columbia's medical board or ARDMS registry pages. For pay specific to Washington and nearby metro areas, the city-level pages on this site break down local figures in more detail.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Sonographer make in District of Columbia?
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the District of Columbia typically make **$53.86 an hour**, or about $112,020 a year, according to May 2025 government wage data. That's well above the national figure of $96,590 a year, reflecting the district's overall pay levels for skilled health care roles.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in District of Columbia?
- Sonographers in the District of Columbia typically earn **$53.86 an hour**. Entry-level pay starts around $44.99 an hour, while the top 10% of earners make over $65.04 an hour, according to the latest government wage data.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in District of Columbia?
- Entry-level Sonographers in the District of Columbia typically start around **$44.99 an hour**, or about $93,590 a year. Pay tends to rise toward the district's typical figure of $112,020 a year within the first several years, as sonographers gain experience and additional certifications.
- Which city in District of Columbia pays Sonographers the most?
- Washington is the only metro area tracked separately in the District of Columbia, so pay is fairly uniform across the district rather than varying by city. Washington's Sonographers report an annual figure of **$105,290** and are home to the district's entire tracked workforce, at 1,550 workers.
- Is Sonographer pay in District of Columbia higher than the national rate?
- Yes. Sonographer pay in the District of Columbia runs **16% above** the national figure of $96,590 a year, with a typical figure of $112,020 a year locally. The district ranks 5th among all 51 states and territories for Sonographer pay.