EKG Salaries – What to Expect
In addition to job growth, job openings for cardiovascular technologists and technicians will arise from replacement needs as individuals transfer to other jobs or leave the labor force. Job prospects will be best for those with multiple professional credentials, trained to perform a wide range of procedures. Those willing to relocate or work irregular hours also will have better job opportunities.
It is not uncommon for cardiovascular technologists and technicians to move between the specialties within the occupation by obtaining certification in more than one specialty. Technologists with multiple credentials will be the most marketable to employers.
Median annual wages of cardiovascular technologists and technicians were $47,010 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $32,800 and $61,580. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $25,510, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,760. Median annual wages of cardiovascular technologists and technicians in 2008 were $48,590 in offices of physicians and $46,670 in general medical and surgical hospitals.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for clinical lab workers, including EKG technicians, is expected to grow 26 percent by 2016 due to the increasing aging population and the higher percentage of the aging population having heart-related disease or problems. For those interested in pursuing a career as an EKG technician, schools and courses are available around the country.
As in any professional career field, there are particular variables that come into play when considering the average annual salary for that job. The same is true with EKG technician salaries. Some of these variables that play a vital role in salary variances are that of schooling, experience, demand and location.
The average salary range for EKG technicians is around $24,000 per year. Taking certain variables into play such as location, experience, job demand and extended training you can expect to see an EKG technician salary be as high as $30,000 per year and be as low as $22,000 per year.
Choosing any career in the medical field is often times a wise decision. However, with RN’s and nursing aides being taught in hospitals how to perform basic EKG procedures, job opportunities for technicians who only specialize in the EKG field may have fewer job opportunities. If you are considering pursuing a career as an EKG technician, keep in mind that technicians who seek further training and can perform Holter monitoring and stress tests will have higher prospects in finding jobs and keeping them.
