Official annual estimates for the whole country, mapped to the closest published occupation.
United Kingdom · gross annual earnings estimate
25th percentile
£39,854
Median
£48,439
75th percentile
£54,805
This ASHE benchmark covers full-time employee jobs, not self-employed income or part-time jobs. ASHE gross earnings include basic pay, overtime, incentive pay such as bonuses and commissions, shift premiums, and other cash pay. They are before deductions, exclude payments in kind, and are not take-home pay or the whole benefits package. Compare the benchmark with an offer on the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
This is a country-level occupation benchmark, not a local offer estimate. Pay can differ by location, employer, duties, and working pattern.
National median with 25th–75th percentile band, 2002–2025.Band hidden where official percentile estimates were suppressed.
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. Mapped to Medical radiographers; the occupation is broader than the page role. Figures are estimates, not advertised salaries.
Quick interpretation
This national benchmark uses the broader Medical radiographers occupation for full-time employee jobs. It is useful for a sonographer because the role centres on diagnostic imaging work, but it is not a sonographer-only estimate. Compare an offer by its duties, hours and cash-pay terms rather than treating the benchmark as an exact quote for one post.
Benchmark fit
Why this benchmark applies to Sonographer
The Medical radiographers benchmark is useful because sonographers perform diagnostic imaging work with ultrasound equipment. It is a broad occupational comparison rather than a separate salary figure for sonographers.
Overlapping responsibilities
Sonographers produce ultrasound images, distinguish normal and abnormal appearances, and document their findings in written reports.
The work requires safe and accurate operation of ultrasound machines and related equipment.
What the occupation combines
Use the Medical radiographers figure as a broad imaging-occupation benchmark when assessing a full-time employee offer for a sonographer role.
The benchmark does not isolate sonographer posts, clinical specialities or individual duty mixes, so it is not the precise salary for a particular vacancy.
Role scope
What Sonographer work usually includes
Sonographers use ultrasound equipment to screen for and help diagnose medical conditions.
Responsibilities
Adjust ultrasound-machine controls to optimise image quality and obtain diagnostically useful scans. · Assess a patient's clinical condition before, during and after an examination, responding to changing signs. · Adapt communication around barriers so patients can understand and take part in the examination. · The role can include making onward referrals to other healthcare professionals when appropriate. · Some sonographers train other healthcare staff to use specialist ultrasound equipment.
Typical outputs
Diagnostically useful ultrasound scans produced by optimising the machine and its controls. · Written reports documenting findings after normal, normal-variant and abnormal appearances have been distinguished.
Sonographer
A sonographer works specifically with ultrasound examinations and imaging. The salary benchmark groups the role under Medical radiographers.
Read the range
Three points, one pay distribution
When comparing posts, look at the actual scope: an offer may include patient assessment throughout an examination, image interpretation and written reporting, while some roles may also involve referrals or training colleagues. These duties describe the work; they do not assign a salary level.
25th percentile
One quarter of employees earn below this figure.
Median
Half of employees earn below this figure and half above it; it is not the arithmetic midpoint of the displayed range.
75th percentile
One quarter of employees earn above this figure.
Location
Regional salary benchmarks
Supplementary regional medians are available for the listed areas, so the relevant regional figure can add context when comparing an offer with the national benchmark.
Regional 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile salary estimates
Region
25th percentile
Median
75th percentile
East
Not published
£54,804
Not published
East Midlands
Not published
£41,204
Not published
London
Not published
£47,855
Not published
North East
Not published
£48,114
Not published
North West
Not published
£48,985
Not published
Scotland
Not published
£49,189
Not published
South East
Not published
£45,247
Not published
South West
Not published
£50,536
Not published
West Midlands
Not published
£43,629
Not published
Yorkshire and The Humber
Not published
£40,384
Not published
Regional figures are not estimates for individual vacancies. Pay can still differ by employer, duties and working pattern.
Beyond salary
Salary versus total compensation
Compare the offer's stated annual cash pay with the benchmark only after checking whether both use the same hours and annual-pay basis. Separate fixed pay from overtime, bonuses, commissions, shift premiums and other cash payments, then assess benefits on their own terms.
Fixed pay
Confirm the contractual annual amount and the working hours it covers before comparing it with the benchmark.
Conditional cash pay
Ask which overtime, incentive pay, shift premiums or other cash payments are included, and which depend on hours worked or conditions being met.
Benefits
Check the terms of any pension, health cover, leave or equity separately, because payments in kind and the wider benefits package are outside gross earnings.
Offer review
How to evaluate your Sonographer offer
Confirm whether the quoted figure is fixed annual pay or includes expected overtime, shift premiums, bonuses, commissions or other cash payments.The benchmark's gross earnings can include those cash payments, so comparing it with base pay alone can mislead.
Compare contracted hours and the annual-pay basis alongside the salary figure.A like-for-like comparison needs the same working-hours and annual-pay basis.
Ask which examination, reporting, referral and training responsibilities belong to the post.The broad benchmark does not identify a sonographer-only duty mix, so the written role scope is important context for an offer comparison.
Request the terms of any pension, health cover, leave or equity offered.These benefits are not the same as gross earnings and should be considered separately from cash pay.
Questions
Sonographer salary FAQs
Source
About this salary benchmark
Source: ONS, 2025-04-30. The figures cover Medical radiographers (2254) and full time employee jobs. Updated 15 October 2026. This broad occupation benchmark may not match every Sonographer vacancy.
Put the benchmark to work
Build your Sonographer CV for the roles you want.
Use the salary range as context. Tailor your CV around the experience that supports your target level.
