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Cardiovascular Technology

Types of Degrees Cardiovascular Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Cardiovascular Technology have the option of earning 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

Coursework for Cardiovascular Technology develop 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

Coursework in 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

The skill set developed in 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 Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Diagnostic image review software	Medical software	—
Pyxis MedStation software	Inventory management software	—
Structured data entry software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Information systems integration software	Information retrieval or search software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
JavaScript	Web platform development 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:

• Cardiovascular Technologist (CVT)
• Travel Echo Technologist (Travel Echocardiogram Technologist)
• Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS)
• Cardiopulmonary Technologist
• Electrocardiographic Technician
• Special Procedures Technologist (SPT)
• Cardiovascular Interventional Technologist
• Echocardiography Technologist
• Cardiology Technologist
• Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• Travel Echo Technician (Travel Echocardiogram Technician)
• Cardiovascular Radiologic Technologist
• Pulmonary Function Technologist
• Echo Technologist (Echocardiogram Technologist)
• Cardiac Catheterization Technician

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
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	-0.3%	$36,739	$30,005–$43,473

^{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?

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

Strictly by 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
Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician	7,272
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
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology/Technician	1,055
Electrocardiograph Technology/Technician	677

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.