Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Jobs in San Diego, CA: Pay and Who's Hiring

In San Diego, the May 2025 median for sonographers is about $129.6K, 34% over the U.S. median. The middle half runs from $103.9K to $147.2K.

Pay

The median is the middle of sonographers already employed, not a starting wage. The 25th is the lower quarter of that group. The 75th is what the upper quarter already earns.

Percentile	Metro	CA	U.S.
25th	$103,870	$99,510	$80,430
Median	$129,630	$128,530	$96,590
75th	$147,180	$160,580	$106,930

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

Hiring difficulty and demand

Hiring difficulty

5.0

Metro employment

720

National growth, 2025 to 2035

13.9%

National openings a year

6.0 thousand

This is the same score as the free check.

Who's hiring

Mcalister Institute For Treatment & Education, 9 campuses
Physiotherapy Associates, 9 campuses
Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, 8 campuses
Crash, 6 campuses
Select Cal Physical Therapy, 4 campuses
Apex Recovery, 3 campuses

Campuses on file in the provider extract, not live job ads.

License and training

Most states do not license sonographers. Employers usually want an ARDMS credential such as RDMS, or a CCI credential for cardiac or vascular work. A small number of states license sonography, so confirm the rule in your state.

Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, diagnostic medical sonographers

The work

You read the order, scan, and adjust until the image shows what the reader needs. Then you send a study with clear measurements and notes.

Hospital roles add call, portable scans, and the emergency patient who cannot hold still. Outpatient work is steadier but keeps a tight schedule.

Nearby metros

Riverside, CA · 79 miles
Los Angeles, CA · 111 miles
Oxnard, CA · 153 miles
Lake Havasu City, AZ · 200 miles

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers hiring pages

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Questions

Who hires sonographers in San Diego?

Hospitals and imaging centers hire sonographers in San Diego. Organizations on file in the provider extract include Mcalister Institute For Treatment & Education, Physiotherapy Associates, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego.

Does California license sonographers?

Most states do not. Check the California rule, then the registry your employer in San Diego expects.

What should an imaging center in San Diego weigh when hiring?

Ask about exam types and studies per day. San Diego has roughly a fifth fewer of these workers than a typical metro. This metro is within 3 percent of the California median.