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The state of New Mexico has two colleges that offer accredited sonography tech training: Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) in Albuquerque and Dona Ana Community College (DACC) in Las Cruces. Both two-year institutions of higher learning serving their respective communities, Central New Mexico and Dona Ana are accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in collaboration with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS). CNM offers its program through its School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety, while DACC offers its own through its Health and Public Services Division.
SONOGRAPHY EDUCATION
At Central New Mexico or Dona Ana, aspiring sonographers can enroll in the two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. However, students at the latter can opt for a certificate program instead; this takes about a year to complete, and it consists of 55 credits. Also, while the A.A.S. sonography program at CNM consists of 70 credits, the one at DACC requires at least 88 or 89 credits for completion. Students at either institution need to take certain prerequisites, which can be in subjects such as English, biology, algebra, physics, communications, computer science, or psychology. Of the two choices, DACC offers the more elaborate program. Worthy of note at Dona Ana is the four units of the Clinical Internship Advanced & Seminar course, designed to prepare students for a professional life in hospitals and clinics.
[qs_listing areaofinterest=”MEDICAL-ASSISTING” state=”NM” multidealer=”yes”]
SALARIES FOR MEDICAL SONOGRAPHERS
According to a 2012 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), diagnostic medical sonographers in New Mexico made a median yearly income of $68,100, or $32.74 per hour. The bottom 10 percent of sonographers in the state took home $42,200 ($20.29 per hour), while the top 10 percent earned $88,000 ($42.29 per hour) in 2012. Generally, the salary numbers for diagnostic medical sonographers in New Mexico are higher than the national numbers. Also, the BLS expects a 36 percent jump in the number of sonographers in the state between 2010 and 2020, thus bringing the number from 470 to 650.
LIST OF DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY PROGRAMS
Central New Mexico Community College (Albuquerque, NM) Dona Ana Community College (Las Cruces, NM)
Medical Sonography Classes in New Mexico
| NAME | ADDRESS | WEBSITE |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico State University – Dona Ana (NMSU) | 3400 S Espina Las Cruces, New Mexico 88003 United States |
www.dabcc.nmsu.edu |
| Central New Mexico Community College | 525 Buena Vista SE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106 United States |
www.cnm.edu |
| Dona Ana Community College | 3400 S Espina St, MSC 3DA, PO Box30001, Las Cruces 88003 | dabcc.nmsu.edu |