How Much Does a Sonographer Make in Chesapeake, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers in Chesapeake, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area
A typical Sonographer in Chesapeake, North Carolina earns $41.65 per hour, or $86,630 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $7,219 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,620, and the top 10% of earners make over $104,770.
That pay is 1% above the North Carolina figure of $86,010 and 10% below the national figure of $96,590. Chesapeake ranks 4th of 12 metro areas in North Carolina for Sonographer pay. About 370 Sonographers work in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area. Chesapeake is part of the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Norfolk share these figures.
Sonographer pay in Chesapeake at a glance
- Typical pay is $41.65 an hour, or $86,630 a year.
- That is 1% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 4th of 12 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,620; the top 10% make over $104,770.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in Chesapeake?
Pay in Chesapeake runs from entry-level positions at around $36.36 an hour to more than $50.37 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Sonographer pay by career stage in Chesapeake
| Career stage | Chesapeake | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $75,620$36.36 an hour | $67,070$32.25 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $80,970$38.93 an hour | $77,620$37.32 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $86,630$41.65 an hour | $86,010$41.35 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $96,870$46.57 an hour | $100,130$48.14 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $104,770$50.37 an hour | $105,530$50.74 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk area as BLS defines it
How Chesapeake compares with other North Carolina cities
Greensboro pays Sonographers the most in North Carolina at $98,890 a year, $12,260 more than Chesapeake. The lowest-paying area in the state is Greenville at $76,380.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chesapeake | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greensboro metro incl. High Point | $98,890 | $47.54 | +14% | 150 |
| 2 | Charlotte | $98,650 | $47.43 | +14% | 730 |
| 3 | Winston metro incl. Salem | $87,220 | $41.93 | +1% | 250 |
| 4 | Chesapeake metro incl. Norfolk | $86,630 | $41.65 | this city | 370 |
| 5 | Cary metro incl. Raleigh | $86,130 | $41.41 | -1% | 430 |
| 6 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $84,520 | $40.64 | -2% | 40 |
| 7 | Lenoir | $83,510 | $40.15 | -4% | 50 |
| 8 | Rocky Mount | $82,530 | $39.68 | -5% | 30 |
| 9 | Asheville | $81,920 | $39.39 | -5% | 120 |
| 10 | Wilmington | $81,480 | $39.17 | -6% | 170 |
| 11 | Fayetteville | $78,860 | $37.92 | -9% | 70 |
| 12 | Greenville | $76,380 | $36.72 | -12% | 120 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Sonographer wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $86,010
Is Chesapeake a good place to work as a Sonographer?
Sonographers in Chesapeake earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $86,630 a year, 10% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Virginia Beach · Chesapeake · Norfolk 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 Chesapeake, NC?
- A typical Sonographer in Chesapeake earns $86,630 a year, or $41.65 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $75,620 and the top 10% earn over $104,770.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in Chesapeake?
- Typical hourly pay for Sonographers in Chesapeake is $41.65. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $36.36, and the top 10% earn over $50.37 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in Chesapeake?
- Entry-level Sonographer positions in Chesapeake typically offer around $36.36 an hour, or $75,620 a year.
- Is Sonographer pay in Chesapeake higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Chesapeake pay is 1% above the North Carolina figure of $86,010 a year, ranking 4th of 12 metro areas in the state. Greensboro pays the most in North Carolina at $98,890.