How Much Does a Sonographer Make in Columbia, MO in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers in Columbia, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Missouri.
BLS OES May 2025 · Columbia metro area
A typical Sonographer in Columbia, Missouri earns $42.57 per hour, or $88,540 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,378 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,590, and the top 10% of earners make over $97,960.
That pay is 12% below the Missouri figure of $100,130 and 8% below the national figure of $96,590. Columbia ranks 4th of 7 metro areas in Missouri for Sonographer pay. About 50 Sonographers work in the Columbia area.
Sonographer pay in Columbia at a glance
- Typical pay is $42.57 an hour, or $88,540 a year.
- That is 12% below the Missouri figure, ranking 4th of 7 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $64,590; the top 10% make over $97,960.
- Typical pay rose +39% from 2015 to 2025, against +51% for Missouri as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in Columbia?
Pay in Columbia runs from entry-level positions at around $31.05 an hour to more than $47.10 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Missouri and national figures.
Sonographer pay by career stage in Columbia
| Career stage | Columbia | Missouri | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $64,590$31.05 an hour | $76,820$36.93 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $76,720$36.89 an hour | $81,980$39.41 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $88,540$42.57 an hour | $100,130$48.14 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $94,100$45.24 an hour | $102,410$49.23 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $97,960$47.10 an hour | $106,090$51.00 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Columbia area as BLS defines it
Sonographer pay growth in Columbia
Typical (median) annual wage for Sonographers in the Columbia area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Sonographer pay in Columbia was $63,860 a year. By 2025 it had reached $88,540, a change of +39%, compared with +51% for Missouri over the same years.
How Columbia compares with other Missouri cities
Kansas City pays Sonographers the most in Missouri at $100,450 a year, $11,910 more than Columbia. The lowest-paying area in the state is Cape Girardeau at $81,430.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Columbia | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City | $100,450 | $48.30 | +13% | 660 |
| 2 | St. Louis | $98,990 | $47.59 | +12% | 730 |
| 3 | St. Joseph | $96,240 | $46.27 | +9% | 40 |
| 4 | Columbia | $88,540 | $42.57 | this city | 50 |
| 5 | Joplin | $81,990 | $39.42 | -7% | 70 |
| 6 | Springfield | $81,490 | $39.18 | -8% | 130 |
| 7 | Cape Girardeau | $81,430 | $39.15 | -8% | 40 |
Every metro area in Missouri with Sonographer wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Missouri typical pay $100,130
Is Columbia a good place to work as a Sonographer?
Sonographers in Columbia earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $88,540 a year, 8% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Columbia area, about 0.5 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.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Sonographer make in Columbia, MO?
- A typical Sonographer in Columbia earns $88,540 a year, or $42.57 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $64,590 and the top 10% earn over $97,960.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in Columbia?
- Typical hourly pay for Sonographers in Columbia is $42.57. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $31.05, and the top 10% earn over $47.10 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in Columbia?
- Entry-level Sonographer positions in Columbia typically offer around $31.05 an hour, or $64,590 a year.
- Is Sonographer pay in Columbia higher than in the rest of Missouri?
- Columbia pay is 12% below the Missouri figure of $100,130 a year, ranking 4th of 7 metro areas in the state. Kansas City pays the most in Missouri at $100,450.