Ultrasound cost without insurance
The median cash price for Abdominal ultrasound is $627.16 across 1,484 US hospitals that publish a self-pay price. Most hospitals (the middle 80%) charge between $184.14 and $1,506.16.
Ultrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, to make live pictures of organs, blood vessels and the heart. The price depends on the body area and on whether the exam is complete or limited, and the reading by a radiologist or cardiologist is often billed separately from the scan.
Collected Sep 25, 2026 One price per hospital, from each hospital's own price file
Ultrasound prices by type
A 'complete' code such as 76700, used in the state table, looks at all the organs of the upper abdomen, while a 'limited' code such as 76705 checks one organ, often the gallbladder or liver. Vascular studies (93880 for the neck arteries, 93971 for the veins of one arm or leg) and the heart echo (93306) have their own codes, and pregnancy ultrasounds are on the pregnancy and birth page.
| Procedure | Hospitals | Most charge | Median | Medicare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abdominal ultrasound Ultrasound of the abdomen, complete · code 76700 | 1,484 | $184.14–$1,506.16 | $627.16 | $106.81median 5.9× |
| Gallbladder or liver ultrasound Limited abdominal ultrasound of one organ or area, such as the gallbladder · code 76705 | 1,490 | $141.90–$1,129.28 | $477.10 | $106.81median 4.5× |
| Pelvic ultrasound Pelvic ultrasound through the belly, complete (not pregnancy) · code 76856 | 1,481 | $140.12–$1,287.00 | $517.60 | $106.81median 4.8× |
| Transvaginal ultrasound Transvaginal pelvic ultrasound · code 76830 | 1,454 | $133.00–$1,058.40 | $462.20 | $106.81median 4.3× |
| Kidney ultrasound Complete ultrasound of the back of the abdomen, such as both kidneys · code 76770 | 1,471 | $169.73–$1,261.70 | $560.92 | $106.81median 5.3× |
| Thyroid or neck ultrasound Ultrasound of the soft tissues of the head and neck, such as the thyroid · code 76536 | 1,477 | $135.44–$1,085.50 | $478.40 | $106.81median 4.5× |
| Breast ultrasound Breast ultrasound, complete, one breast · code 76641 | 1,204 | $128.88–$939.58 | $383.10 | $106.81median 3.6× |
| Testicular ultrasound Ultrasound of the scrotum and testicles · code 76870 | 1,468 | $155.20–$1,144.61 | $517.86 | $106.81median 4.8× |
| Carotid ultrasound Carotid artery ultrasound (duplex), both sides of the neck · code 93880 | 453 | $317.05–$1,795.72 | $793.58 | $243.77median 3.3× |
| Leg or arm vein ultrasound Vein ultrasound (duplex) of one arm or leg, or a limited study · code 93971 | 1,435 | $168.27–$1,295.71 | $586.00 | $106.81median 5.5× |
| Echocardiogram Echocardiogram through the chest wall, complete, with Doppler · code 93306 | 1,446 | $501.99–$3,633.31 | $1,601.57 | $558.25median 2.9× |
| Leg vein ultrasound (both legs) Duplex ultrasound of the leg veins, both legs · code 93970 | 520 | $291.92–$2,065.85 | $864.63 | $243.77median 3.5× |
| Leg artery ultrasound (both legs) Duplex ultrasound of the leg arteries, both legs · code 93925 | 463 | $267.78–$1,676.99 | $789.25 | $243.77median 3.2× |
| Breast ultrasound (limited) Breast ultrasound, limited (one breast or one area) · code 76642 | 1,281 | $102.72–$660.24 | $337.50 | $88.91median 3.8× |
| Pelvic ultrasound (limited) Pelvic ultrasound (not pregnancy), limited or follow-up · code 76857 | 1,471 | $106.81–$767.52 | $339.20 | $106.81median 3.2× |
| Limited pregnancy ultrasound Pregnancy ultrasound, limited (heartbeat, position, fluid) · code 76815 | 1,438 | $111.42–$730.98 | $367.29 | $106.81median 3.4× |
“Most charge” is the middle 80% of hospitals (10th to 90th percentile), so one mistyped line in a hospital file cannot stretch it. Each hospital counts once, at its lowest outpatient cash price for the code. “Medicare” is Medicare's 2026 national base rate for the same service outside a hospital stay, including the patient's share (the hospital outpatient, lab or hospital clinic rate); “median 3×” means the median cash price is three times that rate.
Abdominal ultrasound: median by state
States with at least two hospitals, cheapest median first. Pick a state for its ultrasound prices and cheapest hospitals.
- New Jersey$141.90
- Tennessee$266.56
- Louisiana$305.34
- Mississippi$313.53
- New York$329.05
- Rhode Island$365.20
- Arizona$371.07
- Minnesota$405.89
- Colorado$432.98
- Idaho$441.00
- West Virginia$442.50
- Montana$468.00
- Arkansas$501.90
- Connecticut$504.63
- Hawaii$507.60
- North Dakota$512.19
- Indiana$520.20
- Nebraska$524.58
- Oklahoma$530.27
- Wisconsin$552.22
- Iowa$557.27
- Ohio$567.78
- Oregon$585.85
- Maryland$628.47
- Washington$630.24
- Pennsylvania$632.49
- New Hampshire$650.62
- Vermont$653.66
- Michigan$664.80
- North Carolina$665.35
- New Mexico$681.48
- Massachusetts$687.80
- Maine$731.85
- Georgia$732.03
- Kansas$733.28
- Nevada$739.88
- Missouri$749.45
- Alabama$781.55
- Texas$785.55
- Illinois$829.40
- Virginia$867.00
- South Carolina$930.80
- Utah$940.60
- Kentucky$942.66
- South Dakota$965.60
- California$991.20
- Wyoming$1,000.21
- Delaware$1,092.84
- Alaska$1,209.00
- Florida$1,479.40
Paying cash: what to do
- Check whether your order is for a complete or a limited exam; they are different codes with different prices.
- Ask whether a Doppler blood-flow study will be added, since it is often billed under its own code.
- Ask whether the exam and the reading are billed together or separately, and get both prices before the appointment.
Questions
Do I need a doctor's order for an ultrasound?
A medical ultrasound at a hospital or imaging center requires an order from a licensed provider. Keepsake pregnancy scans sold by some businesses are not diagnostic exams and do not replace a medical ultrasound.
What is the difference between a complete and a limited ultrasound?
A complete exam covers every organ in the code's definition, such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys and aorta for 76700. A limited exam covers one organ or area, or follows up an earlier finding.
Is an echocardiogram an ultrasound?
Yes. An echocardiogram (93306) is an ultrasound of the heart that shows its size, pumping strength and valves, and it is usually read by a cardiologist rather than a radiologist.