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Cardiopulmonary Technologist

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of physicians and nurses, to perform both cardiovascular and pulmonary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Includes instruction in cardiopulmonary pharmacology; anatomy and physiology of the heart, peripheral vascular system, and lungs; pulmonary and cardiovascular disease and dysfunction; peripheral vascular Doppler procedures; invasive and non-invasive cardiology; pulmonary function tests; blood gas analysis; echocardiograph procedures; bronchoscopy; patient management; patient history taking and record-keeping; applications to clinical research; and emergency procedures.

Types of Degrees Cardiopulmonary Technologist Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Cardiopulmonary Technologist can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	10
Associate’s Degree	13
Bachelor’s Degree	20

What Cardiopulmonary Technologist Majors Need to Know

Studies in Cardiopulmonary Technologist develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Cardiopulmonary Technologist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Cardiopulmonary Technologist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Cardiopulmonary Technologist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cardiopulmonary Technologist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development software	—
Electronic medical record EMR software	Medical software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates include:

• Medical Technologist
• Vascular Technician
• Perfusionist
• Polysomnographic Technologist
• Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist (CVOR Technologist)
• Laboratory Technologist (Lab Technologist)
• EEG Tech (Electroencephalogram Technician)
• Access Representative
• Intake Specialist
• Patient Service Representative
• Patient Service Specialist
• Patient Access Coordinator
• Patient Resource Worker
• Patient Services Representative
• Patient Care Representative (Patient Care Rep)

What Can You Do With a Cardiopulmonary Technologist Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Cardiopulmonary Technologist commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	24.1%
Postsecondary certificate	18.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	17.6%
Bachelor’s degree	13.0%
Master’s degree	11.4%
Some college courses	7.5%
Doctoral degree	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.6%
Post-doctoral training	2.2%
First professional degree	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cardiopulmonary Technologist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 86.7% of Cardiopulmonary Technologist degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	39	86.7%
Men	6	13.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	24	53.3%
Asian	3	6.7%
Hispanic or Latino	9	20.0%
Black or African American	4	8.9%
Two or More Races	2	4.4%
Race Unknown	3	6.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cardiopulmonary Technologist Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$67,845
4 years	$61,295
5 years	$69,015

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $69,015 — roughly 2% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Cardiopulmonary Technologist Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Cardiopulmonary Technologist graduates earn a median of $61,295 four years after completion — roughly 61% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	90,379
Emergency Medical Technology/Technician (EMT Paramedic)	29,337
Physician Associate/Assistant	13,046
Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiographer	11,777
Surgical Technology/Technologist	7,626
Respiratory Care Therapy/Therapist	6,686
Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist	4,111
Athletic Training/Trainer	3,132
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist	1,540
Electrocardiograph Technology/Technician	677
Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist	596

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.