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Electrocardiograph Technology

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of physicians and nurses, to administer EKG and ECG diagnostic examinations and report results to the treatment team. Includes instruction in basic anatomy and physiology, the cardiovascular system, medical terminology, cardiovascular medications and effects, patient care, EKG and ECG administration, equipment operation and maintenance, interpretation of cardiac rhythm, patient record management, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Electrocardiograph Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Electrocardiograph Technology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	9
Associate’s Degree	29
Bachelor’s Degree	1
Master’s Degree	283

What Electrocardiograph Technology Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Electrocardiograph 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

The skill set emphasized by a Electrocardiograph 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 Electrocardiograph 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, Electrocardiograph 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 Electrocardiograph Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Diagnostic image review software	Medical software	—
Smart Digital Holter Monitor	Medical software	—
Electronic medical record EMR software	Medical software	—
Hypertext preprocessor PHP	Web platform development software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Practice management software PMS	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Electrocardiograph Technology graduates include:

• Echo Technologist (Echocardiogram Technologist)
• Electrocardiograph Technician
• Electrocardiogram Technician (EKG Tech)
• Cardiology Technologist
• Cardiovascular Radiologic Technologist
• Travel Echo Technician (Travel Echocardiogram Technician)
• Computed Tomography Technologist (CTT)
• Vascular Technologist
• Laboratory Technologist (Lab Technologist)
• Cardiology Technician
• Travel Echo Tech (Travel Echocardiograph Technician)
• Cath Lab Radiological Technologist (Catheterization Laboratory Radiological Technologist)
• Cardiovascular Technologist (CVT)
• Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist
• Electrophysiology Technician (EP Tech)

What Can You Do With a Electrocardiograph Technology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Electrocardiograph 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 Electrocardiograph 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 Electrocardiograph Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 85.8% of Electrocardiograph Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	581	85.8%
Men	96	14.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	277	40.9%
Asian	57	8.4%
Hispanic or Latino	119	17.6%
Black or African American	165	24.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	2	0.3%
Two or More Races	20	3.0%
Race Unknown	28	4.1%
International Students	6	0.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Electrocardiograph Technology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Electrocardiograph Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 Electrocardiograph Technology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Electrocardiograph 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
Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist	1,540
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.