Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Associate's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
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Cardiovascular technologists and technicians support the diagnosis and treatment of heart and blood vessel conditions, combining patient-focused work with technical skills. Nationally, this occupation employs about 65,000 people with a median annual salary of $67,260. The role shows projected employment growth of 3.0%, with about 4,000 openings each year, suggesting a steady flow of opportunities from both new and replacement positions. Successful professionals in this field tend to be detail oriented, comfortable with science, and able to use mechanical and computer-based equipment. Strong interpersonal and customer service skills are also important, since the work involves direct patient contact. Physical strength and stamina, fine motor skills, and adaptability help individuals handle both the technical and physical demands. For those interested in patient care, technology, and applied science, cardiovascular technology can offer a focused path within healthcare. Similar career paths include radiologic technologists and technicians, diagnostic medical sonographers, and other specialized imaging and health technologist roles.
The national median annual salary for cardiovascular technologists and technicians is $67,260, but pay can vary considerably by location. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, median salaries range from $78,170 in California to $105,580 in Massachusetts. New York reports a median of $89,570, Colorado $94,190, and Washington $83,790. At the metro level, some areas stand out with even higher median earnings, such as Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $107,000 and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $103,060. Other high-paying metros include Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $93,030 and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $97,590. These figures suggest that relocating or targeting specific regions could significantly influence earning potential for this occupation, especially in certain major metropolitan areas and high-opportunity states.
Cardiovascular technologists and technicians currently hold about 65,000 jobs nationwide. Projected employment growth for this occupation is 3.0%, indicating that the overall number of positions is expected to increase over the projection period. The occupation is also expected to offer about 4,000 annual openings. These openings reflect both new job creation and the need to replace workers who change occupations, retire, or leave the labor force. This combination of projected growth and annual openings suggests consistent hiring activity across the field rather than rapid expansion or contraction. Job seekers may find that opportunities are distributed across a range of healthcare settings and regions, with some areas offering particularly strong opportunity scores and higher salaries. Individuals comparing this path with similar careers—such as diagnostic medical sonographers, MRI technologists, or nuclear medicine technologists—can use the projected growth and annual openings as one factor in evaluating long-term employment prospects.
Location plays a major role in both opportunity and pay for cardiovascular technologists and technicians. Among states, California has the highest CareerGPS opportunity score at 67.38, with a median salary of $78,170 and employment of 5,570. Massachusetts stands out for compensation, with a median salary of $105,580 and an opportunity score of 65.87, while New York offers a median of $89,570 and employment of 3,540. Colorado and Washington also rank among the top states, with median salaries of $94,190 and $83,790 and opportunity scores of 56.97 and 56.29, respectively. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest opportunity score at 77.42, while New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ closely follows at 77.27 and offers the largest employment among the listed metros at 4,180. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA provide some of the highest median salaries, at $107,000 and $103,060, highlighting notable regional differences.
The typical education requirement for cardiovascular technologists and technicians is an associate’s degree. This level of education supports the blend of scientific knowledge, technical ability, and patient interaction needed in the role. Key skills for success include being detail oriented and strong in science, which contribute to working accurately with clinical information and specialized procedures. Interpersonal and customer service skills are essential for working effectively with patients and healthcare teams. Technical strengths are also important, including mechanical aptitude and comfort with computers and information technology. Fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina help with the hands-on and physical aspects of the job. Adaptability and critical and analytical thinking round out the skill profile, enabling professionals to adjust to different situations and thoughtfully interpret information. Together, the associate’s degree foundation and these skills provide a pathway into a specialized healthcare career focused on cardiovascular diagnostics and procedures.
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