WA · Tacoma · Updated October 15, 2026

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer jobs in Tacoma, WA

Pay for diagnostic medical sonographers in the Tacoma area centers on $55.87 per hour, or about $116,210 a year. The lower quarter earns under $47.62 and the upper quarter over $63.67. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in Tacoma. That ranks 16th of 267 U.S. metro areas for diagnostic medical sonographer pay, and 33rd of 248 once local prices are factored in. The free report below lists employers near Tacoma and what they pay.

Open Diagnostic Medical Sonographer roles in Tacoma

PermanentPosted 16 days ago

Echo Sonographer

Seattle Children's · Tacoma, WA

$56.30–$91.12/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req R262480
Top 25% pay
View role
PermanentPosted 21 days ago

Sonographer

CommonSpirit Health · Tacoma, WA

$54.76–$90.35/ hour
  • Part Time
  • Req 101098351136
Top 25% pay
View role

More open Diagnostic Medical Sonographer roles in Tacoma

1 more open role from employers in Tacoma. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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Named employers near Tacoma, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring diagnostic medical sonographers near Tacoma

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
MultiCare7$66.92
Seattle Children's1$73.71
CommonSpirit Health1$72.55

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer pay in Tacoma, WA

The metro median is 8% above the Washington statewide median of $51.62 per hour. Nationally the median is $42.95 per hour. BLS counts about 1,090 diagnostic medical sonographers employed in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.94).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$24.84$51,67042% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$47.62$99,05011% above U.S. median
Median$55.87$116,21030% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$63.67$132,43048% above U.S. median
Top 10%$72.31$150,40068% above U.S. median

How Tacoma ranks

  • 16th of 267 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 33rd of 248 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 7 Washington metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SOC 29-2032), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Tacoma

  • Overall prices in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue run 11% above the U.S. average (index 111.1, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 51% above the U.S. average (index 151.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $55.87 median hour buys what $50.27 buys at the national price level, 17% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Tacoma paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$2,011
  • Per year: $100,566
  • Per month: $8,380
  • Washington has no state income tax on wages.

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Tacoma

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$136
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,554
13-week assignment$20,202

Travel diagnostic medical sonographer assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Tacoma

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Tacoma, 0 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of diagnostic medical sonographers.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
St Joseph Medical Center
Tacoma, WA
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Tacoma General Allenmore Hospital
Tacoma, WA
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Mary Bridge Children's Hospital
Tacoma, WA
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital
Tacoma, WA
PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Lakewood, WA7 mi$55.87/hr62,709
Federal Way, WA7 mi$55.87/hr100,252
Lacey, WA21 mi$49.18/hr58,644
Olympia, WA25 mi$49.18/hr56,271

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer jobs in Washington · Diagnostic Medical Sonographer jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Washington

ARDMS or equivalent credential (RDMS, RDCS, RVT). Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Washington requires for your role with the Washington licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Washington does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Washington state guide

Other healthcare roles in Tacoma

Tacoma city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do diagnostic medical sonographers make in Tacoma, WA?

Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area have a median pay of $55.87 per hour, about $116,210 a year. The middle half earn between $47.62 and $63.67 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Tacoma a good place for diagnostic medical sonographers once cost of living is counted?

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue ranks 33rd of 248 metro areas for diagnostic medical sonographer pay after adjusting for local prices, and 16th of 267 before adjusting. Overall prices run 11% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring diagnostic medical sonographers in Tacoma?

We list 9 open roles with published pay from 3 employers in Tacoma. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Tacoma.

Do I need a Washington license to work in Tacoma as a diagnostic medical sonographer?

ARDMS or equivalent credential (RDMS, RDCS, RVT). Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Washington requires for your role with the Washington licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Tacoma?

The federal per diem benchmark in Tacoma is $136 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,554 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place diagnostic medical sonographers in Tacoma?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Tacoma and across Washington. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Tacoma.

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What do employers near Tacoma pay diagnostic medical sonographers? Get the report.

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

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    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

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Pay report · Sonographer near Tacoma, WA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Sonographer pay reportTop-paying hospitals shown · your Washington list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • MultiCareTacoma, WA · 23 postings$64.09/ hr$41–$91
  • Seattle Children'sSeattle, WA · 5 postings$73.71/ hr$56–$91
  • MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 3 postings$71.30/ hr$57–$99
  • CommonSpirit HealthOXNARD, CA · 5 postings$69.06/ hr$58–$83

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Washington list

2What they are offering now

Low$48Median$66.30High$89

29 Sonographer postings with published pay in Washington, 22 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 29 Sonographer roles

  1. Vascular Ultrasound TechnologistPermanent
    $49.99–$82.61/ hour
    MultiCare · Olympia, WA · posted yesterday
  2. Ultrasound Technologist Registered (Weekend Shift) - Rockwood ClinicPermanent
    $41.06–$59.10/ hour
    MultiCare · Spokane, WA · posted 3 days ago

+ 27 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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