How much does a heart lab technician make?
a year · about $36 an hour
A typical heart lab technician in the United States makes $74,310 a year, about $36 an hour, about 1.5× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They welcome and position patients, attach electrodes, and run an EKG, heart ultrasound, or treadmill test while watching heart rate and blood pressure. Then they record results, check patients’ comfort, and report findings to doctors.
Did you know? Some heart lab technicians help doctors thread a thin tube through an artery all the way to the heart during a catheterization.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $39,000 and $121,350How do you become one?
After high school, study anatomy and physics, then earn an associate degree or certificate with supervised clinical practice. Some states or employers require a license or certification, and CPR training may be needed.
School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience
Good for people who like building and doing and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay can differ with experience and skills, certification or a state license, location, and employer; hospitals, clinics, labs, and outpatient centers have different pay patterns. More complex specialties, hours worked, and night or weekend shifts can also affect total earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Utah ($113,510), lowest in Mississippi ($38,000).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| $39,000 | $74,310 | $121,350 | about 63,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Utah | $113,510 | about 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $105,580 | about 1,000 |
| Oregon | $99,240 | about 550 |
| Connecticut | $94,940 | about 620 |
| Colorado | $94,190 | about 720 |
Official definition: 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.
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/ooh/healthcare/cardiovascular-technologists-and-technicians.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2031.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- cci-online.org/credentials/registered-cardiovascular-invasive-specialist/
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY