How Much Does a Sonographer Make in Rochester, NY in 2026?
Typical pay for Sonographers in Rochester, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across New York.
BLS OES May 2025 · Rochester metro area
A typical Sonographer in Rochester, New York earns $39.46 per hour, or $82,070 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $6,839 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,530, and the top 10% of earners make over $102,780.
That pay is 21% below the New York figure of $103,920 and 15% below the national figure of $96,590. Rochester ranks 11th of 11 metro areas in New York for Sonographer pay. About 400 Sonographers work in the Rochester area.
Sonographer pay in Rochester at a glance
- Typical pay is $39.46 an hour, or $82,070 a year.
- That is 21% below the New York figure, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $75,530; the top 10% make over $102,780.
- Typical pay rose +20% from 2015 to 2025, against +50% for New York as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Sonographer make in Rochester?
Pay in Rochester runs from entry-level positions at around $36.31 an hour to more than $49.41 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the New York and national figures.
Sonographer pay by career stage in Rochester
| Career stage | Rochester | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $75,530$36.31 an hour | $79,630$38.28 an hour | $67,820$32.60 an hour |
| First years | $78,240$37.61 an hour | $93,140$44.78 an hour | $80,430$38.67 an hour |
| Typical Sonographer | $82,070$39.46 an hour | $103,920$49.96 an hour | $96,590$46.44 an hour |
| Experienced | $97,020$46.64 an hour | $119,850$57.62 an hour | $106,930$51.41 an hour |
| Top 10% | $102,780$49.41 an hour | $127,120$61.12 an hour | $129,370$62.20 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Rochester area as BLS defines it
Sonographer pay growth in Rochester
Typical (median) annual wage for Sonographers in the Rochester area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Sonographer pay in Rochester was $68,510 a year. By 2025 it had reached $82,070, a change of +20%, compared with +50% for New York over the same years.
How Rochester compares with other New York cities
New York pays Sonographers the most in New York at $107,250 a year, $25,180 more than Rochester. The lowest-paying area in the state is Rochester at $82,070.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Rochester | Sonographers employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $107,250 | $51.56 | +31% | 7,020 |
| 2 | Kingston | $105,580 | $50.76 | +29% | 40 |
| 3 | Ithaca | $102,660 | $49.35 | +25% | 50 |
| 4 | Newburgh metro incl. Poughkeepsie · Kiryas Joel | $98,160 | $47.19 | +20% | 200 |
| 5 | Syracuse | $97,910 | $47.07 | +19% | 210 |
| 6 | Rome metro incl. Utica | $97,720 | $46.98 | +19% | 80 |
| 7 | Binghamton | $97,390 | $46.82 | +19% | 60 |
| 8 | Buffalo metro incl. Cheektowaga | $97,310 | $46.78 | +19% | 360 |
| 9 | Albany metro incl. Troy · Schenectady | $97,040 | $46.65 | +18% | 290 |
| 10 | Glens Falls | $96,890 | $46.58 | +18% | 40 |
| 11 | Rochester | $82,070 | $39.46 | this city | 400 |
Every metro area in New York with Sonographer wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · New York typical pay $103,920
Is Rochester a good place to work as a Sonographer?
Sonographers in Rochester earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $82,070 a year, 15% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Rochester area, about 0.8 are Sonographer positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 0.6. 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 Rochester, NY?
- A typical Sonographer in Rochester earns $82,070 a year, or $39.46 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $75,530 and the top 10% earn over $102,780.
- How much does a Sonographer make an hour in Rochester?
- Typical hourly pay for Sonographers in Rochester is $39.46. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $36.31, and the top 10% earn over $49.41 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Sonographer in Rochester?
- Entry-level Sonographer positions in Rochester typically offer around $36.31 an hour, or $75,530 a year.
- Is Sonographer pay in Rochester higher than in the rest of New York?
- Rochester pay is 21% below the New York figure of $103,920 a year, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state. New York pays the most in New York at $107,250.