Ultrasound Cost in Hawaii (2026)
Among the most expensive states for ultrasound · HI
What Drives Pricing Here
Three factors explain most of why ultrasound costs what it does in Hawaii.
Regional Price Parity
Hawaii's cost-of-living index sits at 116.4 — above the national benchmark (100). This directly scales facility and staffing overhead, which flow through to every procedure price.
Specialist Availability
Limited local facility options in Hawaii can reduce price competition. Consider quotes from neighboring states if the travel is feasible.
Vs. National Benchmark
At +16.4% above the national average ($500), Hawaii sits in premium territory. Likely drivers: high demand, metro concentration, or tier-one facility networks.
Ultrasound in Hawaii: What to Know
Getting an ultrasound in Hawaii can be pricier than the national average, with Honolulu showing a regional median 25% higher. An abdominal ultrasound in Honolulu averages $175 at the median among 19 providers, while ClearHospital reports costs ranging significantly across 8 facilities. The state faces a radiologist and sonographer shortage, leading to backlogs at places like Queen's Medical Center. There's also no sonographer training program in Hawaii, impacting staffing.
For potentially lower costs, explore online marketplaces like MDsave, where out-of-pocket prices for ultrasounds can be found. Additionally, Hawaii Health Systems Corporation and Hawaii Pacific Health offer patient estimator tools and machine-readable files of negotiated charges, which can help you compare prices. Verify current pricing directly with providers.
Estimated Cost Breakdown in Hawaii
Patients in Hawaii face some of the highest ultrasound costs nationwide. Here's how the premium distributes across the bill.
Facility Fee
OR time and hospital staffing
Most significant cost
Radiologist Reading
Technologist Fee
Total Estimated Cost
Hawaii all-in range
Financing Options
Many Hawaii clinics partner with CareCredit or Alphaeon. A typical 24-month, 0% APR term on $582 looks like:
- Soft credit check — no hard pull
- Instant approval decisions
- HSA/FSA eligible for qualifying cases
Prices reflect regional cost-of-living adjustments. How we calculate these numbers →
Ranges adjusted for Hawaii's regional price parity (116.4). See the national percentage breakdown →
Expert Answers for Hawaii Patients
Local regulations, insurance nuance, and surgical standards specific to Hawaii.
Compare Hawaii with any other state
See national pricing, all 50 state comparisons, and detailed cost factors in the main ultrasound cost guide.
View full ultrasound guideWhat is the average price of ultrasound in Hawaii?
Why is ultrasound so expensive in Hawaii?
Does insurance cover ultrasound?
What fees are bundled into ultrasound costs in Hawaii?
How we calculate ultrasound costs in Hawaii
Cost estimates combine procedure-specific pricing data with regional cost-of-living and provider-supply adjustments. Primary sources:
-
•
Hospital pricing transparency files — CMS-required machine-readable data published by hospitals under the CMS Hospital Price Transparency rule (effective January 2021). Provides actual negotiated rates between hospitals and insurers.
-
•
HCUP (Healthcare Cost & Utilization Project) — AHRQ's HCUP databases provide nationally-representative procedure cost data by state, payer, and patient demographics.
-
•
Bureau of Labor Statistics — Healthcare Practitioner Occupational Wages — BLS OEWS data on surgeon, anesthesiologist, and surgical staff wages by state, used to model regional labor-cost differences in procedure pricing.
-
•
BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis state-level price-level indices, used to adjust national procedure averages for Hawaii's cost-of-living relative to the national mean.
-
•
FAIR Health Consumer Cost Lookup — the FAIR Health database aggregates billed and allowed amounts from over 36 billion claim records, providing a check on procedure-cost ranges by ZIP code.
-
•
Medicare Provider Utilization & Payment Data — CMS public-use files on Medicare-allowed amounts and submitted charges by HCPCS/CPT code and state, used as a baseline for procedure-cost ranges.
Estimates are illustrative and reflect typical pricing ranges; actual costs depend on insurance coverage, surgical complexity, anesthesia type, hospital vs. ambulatory setting, and individual patient factors. Always confirm pricing directly with providers and your insurance carrier. See our methodology page for full calculation details.