Dallas College, El Centro (general) sonography program costs $5,940. Here is how its graduates do.
An AAS, general sonography program in Dallas, About 2 years full time. 29 of its 30 graduates passed their credentialing exams over 2022 to 2024.
Dallas College also runs a cardiac track (100% credential exam rate).
The short version
- Its credential exam rate (96.7%) is above the Texas program median of 93.3%.
- 90.0% of graduates looking for work in the field found a job, by JRC-DMS's measure.
- Its published cost is at or below the median for Texas sonography programs that publish one ($8,743).
- At 10% of the local median wage for diagnostic medical sonographers, the program cost is paid back in about 0.6 years.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
How graduates do
JRC-DMS requires every accredited program to publish the same outcome measures, so they can be compared program to program. 4
| Year | Passed | Took the exam | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| 2023 | 9 | 9 | 100% |
| 2022 | 11 | 12 | 91.7% |
Graduates who passed the ARDMS or CCI credentialing exams for their concentration, as the program reports it to JRC-DMS. Job placement: graduates employed in sonography, as the program reports it to JRC-DMS.
Where the money goes
The school's estimate. Page says the figure covers tuition and most required learning materials; some programs have added costs listed in the health information packets.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Estimated total tuition (in-county) | $5,940 |
| Total 1 | $5,940 |
Not included: prerequisite courses and living costs. Estimated total tuition, in-county (undated, live page).
What diagnostic medical sonographers earn around Dallas
The median yearly wage for diagnostic medical sonographers in the Dallas metro area is $98,810. 3 Payback time sets aside 10% of that each year toward the program cost.
Other sonography programs in the Dallas area
Compare all 6 sonography programs in the Dallas area
| Program | credential exam rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas College, El Centro AAS, cardiac sonography, Dallas | 100% | 100% | $5,940 |
| Dallas College, El Centro (this page) AAS, general sonography, Dallas | 96.7% | 90.0% | $5,940 |
| Collin College, McKinney AAS, general sonography, McKinney | 94.7% | 95.0% | Not published |
| Parker University AAS, general sonography, Dallas | 79.0% | 93.0% | Not published |
| Collin College, McKinney AAS, cardiac sonography, McKinney | Not reported | Not reported | Not published |
| Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital Plano Certificate, adult echocardiography, Plano | Not reported | Not reported | $18,100 |
After you graduate: getting to work in Texas
Texas does not license sonographers. Employers typically require a national credential: ARDMS (the SPI exam plus a specialty exam, for RDMS, RDCS or RVT) or CCI (such as RCS).
| Step | Fee |
|---|---|
| Pass the ARDMS Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam.5 | $275 |
| Pass a specialty exam within five years of the SPI, for example Abdomen for the RDMS (AB).6 | $300 |
| Alternative for cardiac graduates: take the CCI Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) exam as a graduate of an accredited cardiac ultrasound program.7 | $365not counted |
Typical fees to start working: $575. Counts the ARDMS route to the RDMS in abdomen: SPI ($275) plus the abdomen exam ($300). The CCI cardiac route ($365) is an alternative. There is no state fee. ARDMS credentials renew annually ($105 for RDMS, RDCS, RVT) with CME over a three-year cycle; CCI credentials renew for $165 with 36 CEUs per three-year cycle after the first renewal. Full guide: how to become a sonographer in Texas
With Dallas College's published cost, the total to finish school and get credentialed is about $6,515, before prerequisites and living costs.
Program facts
- Credential
- AAS, general sonography
- Length
- About 2 years full time
- Schedule
- In person
- Accreditation
- JRC-DMS, Accredited by CAAHEP on recommendation of JRC-DMS
- Leads to
- ARDMS or CCI credentialing exams
Sources and dates
- Dallas College Diagnostic Medical Sonography program page, Estimated total tuition, in-county (undated, live page).
- Dallas College, El Centro program outcomes page, Updated October 14, 2026. The page shows 11 of 12 for 2022 but labels it 100% and gives a 100% 3-year average. OB/GYN and vascular 100% each year, but OB/GYN test-taker rate was 47% over 3 years. Retention 85%, placement 90%..
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (29-2032), May 2025 estimates.
- Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (programs accredited by CAAHEP) (JRC-DMS), checked Nov. 2026.
- Inteleos/ARDMS SPI Exam, checked Nov 2026.
- ARDMS AB Exam, checked Nov 2026.
- CCI Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS), checked Nov 2026.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or JRC-DMS. Our independence policy