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Cardiovascular Technology

A program that prepares individuals to perform invasive, noninvasive, and peripheral examinations of the cardiovascular system at the request of physicians to aid in diagnoses and therapeutic treatments. Includes instruction in reviewing and recording patient histories and clinical data, patient care, investigative and examination procedures, diagnostic procedures, data analysis and documentation, physician consultation, equipment operation and monitoring, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Cardiovascular Technology Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Cardiovascular Technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	297
Associate’s Degree	1,045
Bachelor’s Degree	88
Master’s Degree	102

What Cardiovascular Technology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Cardiovascular Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Cardiovascular Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Cardiovascular Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cardiovascular Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.8 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cardiovascular Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development software	—
Internet or intranet image distribution software	Medical software	—
Diagnostic image review software	Medical software	—
Structured data entry software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Electronic medical record EMR software	Medical software	—
Practice management software PMS	Medical software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cardiovascular Technology graduates include:

• Laboratory Technologist (Lab Technologist)
• Cardio Tech (Cardiovascular Technician)
• Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist
• Travel Echo Technician (Travel Echocardiogram Technician)
• Cardiovascular Radiologic Technologist
• Pulmonary Function Technologist
• Echo Technologist (Echocardiogram Technologist)
• Cardiac Catheterization Technician
• Travel Echo Tech (Travel Echocardiograph Technician)
• Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist (CVOR Technologist)
• Catheterization Laboratory Technician (Cath Lab Tech)
• Computed Tomography Technologist (CTT)
• Monitor Technician
• Electrocardiogram Technician (EKG Tech)
• Cath Lab Radiology Technologist (Catheterization Laboratory Radiology Technologist)

What Can You Do With a Cardiovascular Technology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Cardiovascular Technology 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 Cardiovascular Technology 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)	38.2%
Master’s degree	15.3%
Doctoral degree	10.6%
Postsecondary certificate	8.6%
Post-doctoral training	8.1%
Bachelor’s degree	6.9%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.7%
Some college courses	4.5%
First professional degree	2.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cardiovascular Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 81.3% of Cardiovascular Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	1,252	81.3%
Men	288	18.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Cardiovascular Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	725	47.1%
Asian	80	5.2%
Hispanic or Latino	436	28.3%
Black or African American	150	9.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	6	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	6	0.4%
Two or More Races	52	3.4%
Race Unknown	72	4.7%
International Students	13	0.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cardiovascular Technology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Cardiovascular Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 Cardiovascular Technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Cardiovascular Technology 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
Electrocardiograph Technology/Technician	677
Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist	596
Electroneurodiagnostic/Electroencephalographic Technology/Technologist	374

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.