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Perfusion Technology

A program that prepares individuals, under the supervision of physicians and nurses, to operate extracorporeal circulation and autotransfusion equipment during medical procedures and surgeries where the support or temporary replacement of a patient’s own respiratory or circulatory system is required. Includes instruction in equipment selection and operation, physician and medical team consultation, patient condition monitoring, procedural techniques, and principles of respiratory and circulatory physiology.

Types of Degrees Perfusion Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Perfusion Technology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	156

What Perfusion Technology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Perfusion Technology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Perfusion Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Perfusion 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 Perfusion 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

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Perfusion 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, Perfusion 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 Perfusion Technology professionals:

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

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Perfusion Technology graduates include:

• ARRT Technologist (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Technologist)
• Laboratory Technologist (Lab Technologist)
• Vascular Technician
• Electrocardiograph Operator
• Special Procedures Technologist (SPT)
• Pulmonary Function Technologist
• Telemetry Technician
• Sonographer
• Cardiac Catheterization Special Procedures Technologist
• Cardiology Technician
• Perfusionist
• Medical Technologist (MT)
• Holter Scanning Technician
• Stress Test Technician
• Electrocardiograph Technician

What Can You Do With a Perfusion Technology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Perfusion 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 Perfusion 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 Perfusion Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 55.1% women and 44.9% men among Perfusion Technology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	86	55.1%
Men	70	44.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	111	71.2%
Asian	10	6.4%
Hispanic or Latino	9	5.8%
Black or African American	6	3.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.6%
Two or More Races	7	4.5%
Race Unknown	10	6.4%
International Students	1	0.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Perfusion Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Perfusion Technology 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 Perfusion Technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Perfusion 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
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.