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Cardiovascular technologist: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$74,310median pay per year, or $35.73 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $39,000lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,89025th percentile
  3. $74,310median
  4. $98,11075th percentile
  5. $121,350top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

A cardiovascular technologist had a median pay of $74,310 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, close to the 3.5% rate for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.7%[2]
Openings per year
3,400[6]
Typical entry education
Associate's degree[7]

How much do cardiovascular technologists make?

The median wage for cardiovascular technologists and technicians was $74,310 a year, or $35.73 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was $76,940 a year, or $36.99 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,000, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $47,890[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $98,110, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $121,350[4]. BLS does not publish a starting salary. It publishes percentile wages, which are boundaries in the pay range[9].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses outside regular production pay or the cost of benefits[10].

Measure Hourly Annual
10th percentile[11][4] $18.75 $39,000
25th percentile[11][4] $23.02 $47,890
Median[1] $35.73 $74,310
75th percentile[11][4] $47.17 $98,110
90th percentile[11][4] $58.34 $121,350

Pay by state and city

Utah had the highest state median at $113,510, followed by Hawaii at $111,730 and Massachusetts at $105,580[12]. Mississippi had the lowest published median, at $38,000[12]. Data is published for 50 states and DC[12].

Texas had the most jobs at 6,140, then Florida at 5,640, California at 5,570, Pennsylvania at 3,630 and New York at 3,540[13]. Texas had a median of $53,000, well below the national median[12][1].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14], Salt Lake City-Murray, UT had the highest median at $224,280. Urban Honolulu, HI came next at $111,730, then Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA at $107,710[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs among listed metros, at 4,180, with a median of $87,210[15].

Show median pay in 50 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Utah[12]$113,5101,250
Hawaii$111,730140
Massachusetts$105,5801,110
Rhode Island$104,000260
Idaho$100,100220
District of Columbia$99,380280
Oregon$99,240550
Connecticut$94,940620
Colorado$94,190720
New York$89,5703,540
Delaware$87,640290
Maryland$86,440970
Wyoming$84,14060
Washington$83,7901,110
New Hampshire$83,100150
Montana$82,850190
New Jersey$82,7102,440
Maine$82,050220
Michigan$80,6502,070
Indiana$79,3801,380
Ohio$79,2702,140
Alaska$79,040160
Iowa$78,850380
California$78,1705,570
Georgia$78,0702,580
Florida$77,1405,640
Virginia$76,8802,410
Tennessee$76,6501,030
Arizona$74,9001,450
Arkansas$74,800410
Wisconsin$74,380900
Missouri$73,680850
Minnesota$71,520950
Nevada$71,240380
Vermont$69,62050
Kansas$69,060540
South Dakota$67,290200
North Dakota$65,890120
Illinois$61,8701,710
Kentucky$60,980940
Nebraska$60,000330
South Carolina$59,170890
Pennsylvania$58,0903,630
North Carolina$55,4601,990
Texas$53,0006,140
Louisiana$50,050890
Alabama$47,650930
New Mexico$47,340400
West Virginia$45,910350
Oklahoma$44,900830
Mississippi$38,000590

How to become a cardiovascular technologist

BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry education, with no work experience or on-the-job training needed[7].

Entry-level EKG technician jobs may be open to people with a high school diploma or an equivalent. EKG technician certificate programs are generally completed in under a year[22].

In an O*NET survey of 40 workers, 63% said an associate's degree was required, 13% a post-secondary certificate, 10% a high school diploma and 8% some college courses[23].

What cardiovascular technologists do

They run tests on the heart and blood vessels, and sometimes the lungs, for diagnosis, treatment or research[24]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

Cardiovascular technologists work in healthcare settings and are part of a team with physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists[26][27]. Hospitals were the largest employer in 2025, at 77%[28]. The work can involve standing for long periods and lifting or turning patients[26].

BLS says most work full time, though part-time work is common. Facilities that are always open can mean evening, weekend or overnight shifts[29]. About 1.2% were self-employed in 2025[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.7%[2] from 2025 to 2035, from about 64,500 to 66,900 jobs[2]. That is a gain of 2,400 jobs[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[3].

About 3,400 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 2.5% move to another occupation[31].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job that typically needs an associate's degree and pays above the all-occupation median[7][1][5]. Growth is close to the national rate[2][3]. Pay varies by state, from $38,000 in Mississippi to $113,510 in Utah[12]. The work can mean long periods on your feet, lifting patients and shifts outside weekday hours[26][29].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[32].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cardiovascular technologist make an hour?
The median was $35.73 an hour in May 2025[1].
How much does a cardiovascular technologist make a year?
The median was $74,310 a year, and the average was $76,940[1][8].
What degree do you need to be a cardiovascular technologist?
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry education[7].
Is cardiovascular technology in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].
What is the highest paying state for cardiovascular technologists?
Utah had the highest median at $113,510 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians in the US was $74,310 per year and $35.73 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians is projected to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 64,500 to 66,900 jobs (a change of +2,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians: 10th percentile $39,000, 25th percentile $47,890, 75th percentile $98,110, 90th percentile $121,350. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 3,400 openings for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians was $76,940 per year and $36.99 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians: 10th percentile $18.75, 25th percentile $23.02, 75th percentile $47.17, 90th percentile $58.34. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians jobs: Texas 6,140; Florida 5,640; California 5,570; Pennsylvania 3,630; New York 3,540. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians (areas with at least 100 jobs): Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $224,280; Urban Honolulu, HI $111,730; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $107,710; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $107,000; Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $104,050; Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $104,000; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $103,060; Boise City, ID $100,100. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 4,180 (median $87,210); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,600 (median $66,090); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,880 (median $73,380); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,660 (median $50,590); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 1,480 (median $60,650); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 1,420 (median $81,120). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 29-2031.00 survey of workers (40 respondents), education level they say is required: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 63%, Post-Secondary Certificate 13%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 10%, Some College Courses 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians. O*NET OnLine
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of cardiovascular technologists and technicians in 2025: Hospitals; state, local, and private 77%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: 1.2% of Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 2.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.