How much does a heart doctor make?
a year · about $238 an hour
A typical heart doctor in the United States makes $496,010 a year, about $238 an hour, about 9.7× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
At a clinic, a heart doctor hears patients’ concerns, checks ECGs or heart-ultrasound results, and explains a treatment plan. In the hospital, they may visit admitted patients, respond to urgent heart problems, or perform procedures.
Did you know? Some newborns with heart problems need a pacemaker within days of birth; U.S. doctors helped adapt one about a quarter the size of adult models.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $107,190 and $712,130How do you become one?
In the U.S., finish college and medical school, pass USMLE exams, then complete an internal-medicine residency and a cardiology fellowship. Get a state medical license and pass the ABIM heart-specialty exam; many finish in their early 30s.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like figuring things out and building and doing
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can vary with experience, board credentials, employer type, and location. A cardiologist’s subspecialty, how complex the procedures are, and hours or shifts worked can also matter.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($656,330), lowest in California ($185,610).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $107,190 | $496,010 | $712,130 | about 17,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $656,330 | about 200 |
| Missouri | $648,070 | about 150 |
| Nebraska | $646,300 | about 170 |
| Wisconsin | $636,580 | about 200 |
| Tennessee | $610,080 | about 560 |
Official definition: Diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent diseases or conditions of the cardiovascular system. May further subspecialize in interventional procedures (e.g., balloon angioplasty and stent placement), echocardiography, or electrophysiology.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/print/wage-differences.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1212.00
- www.ovid.com/journals/hart/fulltext/10.1136/heartjnl-2022-321401~cardiology-trai
- www.fsmb.org/siteassets/usmle-step3/pdfs/pathway-to-licensure.pdf
- www.abim.org/certification/policies/internal-medicine-subspecialty-policies/card
- newsroom.heart.org/news/tiny-pacemakers-safely-stabilize-newborns-hearts-for-up-
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY