Healthcare Practitioners
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
Also called: Cardiac Cath Lab Technologist (Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Technologist), Cardiac Catheterization Technician, Cardiac Technician, Cardio Tech (Cardiovascular Technician)
US median pay
$74,310
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+3.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
3,400
64,500 employed
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
Conduct tests on pulmonary or cardiovascular systems of patients for diagnostic, therapeutic, or research purposes. May conduct or assist in electrocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations, pulmonary functions, lung capacity, and similar tests.
What they do day to day
- Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, stress testing, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
- Explain testing procedures to patients to obtain cooperation and reduce anxiety.
- Monitor patients' blood pressure and heart rate using electrocardiogram (EKG) equipment during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures to notify the physician if something appears wrong.
- Obtain and record patient identification, medical history, or test results.
- Monitor patients' comfort and safety during tests, alerting physicians to abnormalities or changes in patient responses.
- Prepare and position patients for testing.
- Attach electrodes to the patients' chests, arms, and legs, connect electrodes to leads from the electrocardiogram (EKG) machine, and operate the EKG machine to obtain a reading.
- Adjust equipment and controls according to physicians' orders or established protocol.
- Check, test, and maintain cardiology equipment, making minor repairs when necessary, to ensure proper operation.
- Supervise or train other cardiology technologists or students.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring3.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6/5
- Service Orientation3.2/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.2/5
- Operation and Control3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Instructing3.0/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service4.3/5
- Medicine and Dentistry3.9/5
- English Language3.9/5
- Computers and Electronics3.3/5
- Education and Training3.3/5
- Mathematics2.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Associate's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Associate's degree63%
- Post-secondary certificate13%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.