If you have an aptitude for intellectually and technically challenging work and want a health career with high patient contact, consider becoming a diagnostic medical sonographer. Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program is recognized both locally and nationally for its outstanding faculty and exemplary clinical rotations.
What is Diagnostic Medical Sonography?
Diagnostic medical sonography uses high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to visualize internal organs, soft tissue structures and vessels. Sonographers:
- Create sonographic images used by physicians to make a medical diagnosis.
- Use specialized ultrasound equipment, help decide which images to use, summarize technical findings and coordinate work with physicians and other health care team members.
- Have direct and extensive patient contact.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography at a Glance
2.5 years to complete1
$4,158 tuition2
- El Centro3
2 years to complete1
$5,940 tuition2
- El Centro3
What Can I Study?
I Want to Go to Work
Can I Get a Job?
Dallas College offers a variety of certificates and degrees to help you gain the skills you need to start working right away.
- These credentials are often considered Career and Technical Education (CTE).
- These credentials are established with the assistance and cooperation of representatives from local business, to meet local and regional employment needs.
- Higher level certificates and degrees will typically lead to a higher salary in the workforce.
- Workforce (CE) Certificates can often be completed faster than traditional credit certificates but typically do not offer college credit.
- Level 1, Level 2, Enhanced Skills certificates and others, offer college credit and are often stackable to help you build skills as you work towards an Associate Degree.
- Workforce credentials may give you college credit at Dallas College, but they may not transfer to other colleges or universities.
If you're unsure if this is the right path for you, you can talk to a Pathway Specialist for advice.
Pathway Specialist
- 972-669-6400
- PathwaySpecialist@DallasCollege.edu
What Can I Earn? Will There Be Plenty of Jobs?
Provide critical health-care services and care for people as a sonographer. Check out a few of the incredible career opportunities you’ll be ready for. Your future starts here!
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
$46/hr
Median Salary
150
Job Openings
+27%
Projected Outlook
Top Skills:
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Time Management
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Coordination
Radiologic Technologists
$38/hr
Median Salary
387
Job Openings
+16%
Projected Outlook
Top Skills:
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Service Orientation
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Operation and Control
- Coordination
- Operations Monitoring
All jobs data gathered for Dallas/Fort Worth. Source: Dallas College Labor Market Intelligence and Lightcast4.
“My experience at El Centro was wonderful. The program included online classes plus clinicals three or four days a week. We had the flexibility to do our homework at our own convenience, either doing a little every night or doing it all over the weekend, whatever worked best for us.” Read Kristy Sweeney, RDCS's story.
A Look Inside Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Do you have an aptitude for intellectually and technically challenging work and want a health career with high patient contact? Then the Associate of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a perfect fit for you.
As a diagnostic medical sonographer, you'll use high-tech instrumentation to create sonographic images used by physicians for medical diagnosis.
So why choose Dallas College to jumpstart your career? As a student, you will have access to outstanding faculty who care about student success. You will also gain practical experience using ultrasound equipment in the sonography scanning lab and through clinical rotations in area hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Upon graduation, students are eligible to take several registry exams, such as abdomen, OB-GYN, and vascular registries. For more information, visit our website and begin your Dallas College journey.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is located in the Downtown Health Sciences Center (formerly El Centro’s Center for Allied Health and Nursing). The center comprises 55 classrooms and labs that contain some of the most advanced equipment available to educate health care students including:
- Teaching labs that simulate surgical and hospital settings for specific program applications.
- Microphones and cameras in each classroom to capture audio and video instruction.
- Three classrooms with videoconferencing for two-way viewing.
- Two simulation labs with computerized patient mannequins.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program has its own admissions process, timeline and requirements. Visit the School of Health Sciences Information Packets and Sessions page to view Diagnostic Medical Sonography information packets.
Please email the Health Occupations Admissions Office or call 972-669-6400, press 1 for Admissions, followed by 2 for Nursing and Allied Health Admissions, to receive an information packet and information session details.
Drug Testing and Criminal Background Check
All students enrolled in allied health programs are required by Dallas/Fort Worth Hospital Council member facilities to undergo drug testing and a criminal background check after admission to the program.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Effectiveness Data
- Institution name: Dallas College
- Concentrations CAAHEP Accredited: Abdomen-Extended, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Explanation of Graphic
Student Retention:
- In 2023, of the 12 students who were enrolled, 9 graduated, resulting in a 75% graduation rate, including Vascular.
- In 2022, of the 12 students who were enrolled, 12 graduated, resulting in a 100% graduation rate, including Vascular.
- In 2021, of the 12 students who were enrolled, 12 graduated, resulting in a 100% graduation rate.
- The 3-Year Average Retention Rate is 92%.
Job Placement:
- In 2023, of the 9 graduates, 8 were employed within 6 months of graduation, resulting in a 89% job placement rate, including Vascular.
- In 2022, of the 12 graduates, 12 were employed within 6 months of graduation, resulting in a 100% job placement rate, including Vascular.
- In 2021, of the 12 graduates, 12 were employed within 6 months of graduation, resulting in a 100% job placement rate.
- The 3-Year Average Job Placement Rate is 96%.
Test Takers Rate:
- Of the 9 graduates, 9 took the Abdomen-Extended exam, resulting in a 100% test taker rate.
- Of the 9 graduates, 1 took the Obstetrics & Gynecology exam, resulting in an 11% test taker rate.
- Of the 9 graduates, 8 took the Vascular exam, resulting in an 89% test taker rate.
- The Vascular exam was taken in 2022 and 2023, but not 2021, since the Vascular was a new concentration offered.
Credential Success Rate:
- In 2023, of the 9 Abdomen-Extended test takers, 9 passed and successfully earned the RDMS(AB) credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- In 2022, of the 11 Abdomen-Extended test takers, 11 passed and successfully earned the RDMS(AB) credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- In 2021, of the 11 Abdomen-Extended test takers, 11 passed and successfully earned the RDMS(AB) credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- The 3-Year Average Success Rate for the Abdomen/Extended concentration is 100%.
- In 2023, the 1 Obstetrics and Gynecology test taker passed and successfully earned the RDMS(OB/GYN) credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- In 2022, of the 10 Obstetrics and Gynecology test takers, 10 passed and successfully earned the RDMS(OB/GYN) credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- In 2021, of the 7 Obstetrics and Gynecology test takers, 7 passed and successfully earned the RDMS(OB/GYN) credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- The 3-Year Average Success Rate for the Obstetrics and Gynecology concentration is 100%.
- In 2023, of the 8 Vascular test takers, 8 passed and successfully earned the RVT(VT) or RVS credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- In 2022, of the 10 Vascular test takers, 10 passed and successfully earned the RVT(VT) or RVS credential, resulting in a 100% success rate.
- There is not a 3-Year Average Success Rate, yet, as Vascular was taken in 2023 and 2022, but not in 2021.
Find Out More About Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Sign up to receive additional information about Diagnostic Medical Sonography or call 972-669-6400.
School of Health Sciences
- 972-669-6400
- AskSOHS@DallasCollege.edu
Dallas College
- 972-669-6400
- Text College to 214-978-6457
- StudentHelp@DallasCollege.edu
1Length of time is based on catalog degree plans. Prerequisites may be required, which are not included in this estimate. For most programs, full-time student status is assumed, a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester.
2Cost is based on tuition rates for program hours for Dallas County residents. The price of most required learning materials (books, software, supplies, etc.) is included with the price of tuition. Visit our Paying for College site to learn more about cost, financial aid, scholarships and more.
3Each location offers a unique combination of certificate and degree options. Not all degree and certificate offerings are available for admission/start at all campuses every semester.
4A portion of Lightcast’s data comes from O*NET Online by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Lightcast has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
HB1508 Notice
This program may lead to an occupational license for which a prior criminal history may make a student ineligible.
For more information, please visit dallascollege.edu/hb1508.