Contents
EKG Technician Salary
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $13.38 | $17.76 | $25.04 | $32.46 | $38.84 |
| Annual Wage | $27,800 | $36,900 | $52,100 | $67,500 | $80,800 |
How much does an EKG technician make? EKG technicians are trained to perform electrocardiograms which are tests that monitor the heartbeat of patients. The EKG technician applies electrodes to the patient’s body in order to perform the test, and then operates the EKG machine. Technicians often perform the tests while the patient is lying down or during a stress test where the patient walks on a treadmill. In order to become an EKG technician, prospective students must have a high school diploma or equivalency, and then complete an accredited EKG technician program and become certified. The other option for EKG technicians is to complete on the job training. A breakdown of the full process of becoming an EKG technician can be found here.
Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide the salary specifically for EKG technicians. Instead, they group EKG technicians into the category of cardiovascular technologists and technicians. For these workers, the median salary in 2012 was $52,070 per year. Those in the lowest 10 percent of the field made $27,830 or less. Those in the top 10 percent commanded a salary of $80,790 or higher.
Variables Impacting Salary
Years of experience will always have an impact on salary in this industry, as well as the facility where an EKG technician is employed. Those working for a doctor often receive better compensation than EKG technicians employed by hospitals.
Geographic Impact on Salary
In some areas of the United States, an EKG tech salary is better than others. The highest paying states are Alaska, Washington, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
Schedule and Work Environment
The majority of EKG technicians work full time and most are employed by hospitals. Since their services are often needed around the clock, EKG techs can expect to have a varied schedule. Many will work evenings, overnight hours, weekends, and holidays. Other EKG techs who are employed in doctors’ offices or diagnostic laboratories can expect to work regular business hours and possibly evenings and weekends depending on the schedule of the office or facility.
Job Outlook
The job outlook for cardiovascular technologists and technicians is excellent. It is expected that there will be a growth of 30% in the field from 2012-2022. In the coming years, many more jobs are expected outside of hospitals in doctors’ offices and outpatient care facilities. In addition, there will be more positions in the field due to the aging of the baby boomers and their need for diagnostic cardiovascular care. Also, more people in the United States now have access to health insurance due to new laws, and this will create a demand for a greater number of services in all areas of diagnostic medicine.
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Employment | % of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean salary |
| Offices of Dentists | – | – | $34.04 | $70,790 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 250 | 0.03 | $29.14 | $60,600 |
| Offices of Physicians | 7,540 | 0.31 | $28.23 | $58,720 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 100 | <.005 | $27.99 | $58,220 |
| Employment Services | 400 | 0.01 | $27.12 | $56,400 |
Salary By State
| State | 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Jobs (2010) | Jobs (2020) | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $28,400 | $37,100 | $49,600 | $60,000 | $70,300 | 1,140 | 1,500 | +32% |
| Alaska | $43,500 | $64,100 | $83,400 | $100,700 | $114,600 | 50 | 70 | +33% |
| Arizona | $29,600 | $35,700 | $53,800 | $73,400 | $88,500 | 960 | 1,320 | +38% |
| Arkansas | $23,400 | $31,100 | $49,600 | $62,800 | $72,600 | 330 | 370 | +12% |
| California | $34,900 | $42,800 | $56,600 | $74,500 | $91,500 | 3,600 | 4,500 | +25% |
| Colorado | $28,700 | $36,100 | $57,600 | $78,100 | $90,100 | 660 | 940 | +42% |
| Connecticut | $38,300 | $51,600 | $63,600 | $75,900 | $89,200 | 410 | 530 | +29% |
| Delaware | $33,400 | $37,700 | $53,600 | $70,400 | $82,100 | 250 | 310 | +27% |
| District of Columbia | $38,400 | $48,300 | $67,100 | $82,300 | $92,300 | 90 | 120 | +34% |
| Florida | $24,600 | $28,700 | $44,000 | $60,200 | $73,200 | 5,980 | 7,490 | +25% |
| Georgia | $27,600 | $40,500 | $54,700 | $66,600 | $74,500 | 1,030 | 1,400 | +36% |
| Hawaii | $35,900 | $43,600 | $64,500 | $84,000 | $92,200 | 140 | 180 | +24% |
| Idaho | $26,500 | $33,900 | $54,300 | $66,700 | $74,100 | 210 | 310 | +50% |
| Illinois | $27,500 | $33,900 | $44,100 | $61,300 | $79,600 | 1,780 | 2,040 | +15% |
| Iowa | $27,700 | $34,200 | $44,000 | $57,900 | $70,600 | 390 | 490 | +26% |
| Kansas | $29,100 | $38,400 | $52,000 | $65,000 | $75,900 | 500 | 630 | +26% |
| Kentucky | $25,300 | $29,900 | $44,400 | $61,100 | $83,200 | 1,380 | 1,760 | +28% |
| Louisiana | $22,100 | $26,500 | $37,800 | $51,100 | $60,200 | 910 | 1,130 | +25% |
| Maine | $29,300 | $41,700 | $56,400 | $68,500 | $76,500 | 260 | 340 | +35% |
| Maryland | $29,300 | $35,200 | $56,300 | $70,900 | $81,200 | 980 | 1,270 | +30% |
| Massachusetts | $35,500 | $49,600 | $66,300 | $82,700 | $94,000 | 1,080 | 1,400 | +30% |
| Michigan | $32,100 | $39,800 | $49,200 | $59,400 | $70,100 | 2,540 | 3,110 | +22% |
| Minnesota | $37,900 | $45,500 | $55,600 | $67,000 | $75,200 | 940 | 1,210 | +29% |
| Mississippi | $22,700 | $27,900 | $39,100 | $53,400 | $63,600 | 640 | 760 | +18% |
| Missouri | $24,000 | $30,100 | $39,200 | $57,300 | $71,800 | 840 | 1,020 | +22% |
| Montana | $28,100 | $35,800 | $56,200 | $69,800 | $85,900 | 100 | 150 | +48% |
| Nebraska | $25,100 | $31,800 | $46,700 | $66,700 | $80,200 | 610 | 700 | +15% |
| Nevada | $29,100 | $39,300 | $57,200 | $79,400 | $90,800 | 420 | 480 | +16% |
| New Hampshire | $37,100 | $49,200 | $62,600 | $79,800 | $90,100 | 210 | 250 | +21% |
| New Jersey | $50,700 | $57,300 | $66,700 | $75,300 | $88,200 | 1,050 | 1,190 | +13% |
| New Mexico | $35,300 | $45,700 | $62,200 | $74,000 | $85,300 | 310 | 400 | +28% |
| New York | $34,200 | $40,900 | $51,500 | $67,000 | $78,700 | 3,000 | 3,590 | +20% |
| North Carolina | $42,800 | $50,400 | $60,000 | $69,800 | $76,000 | 1,300 | 1,600 | +23% |
| North Dakota | $30,200 | $43,800 | $54,400 | $62,000 | $72,300 | 70 | 90 | +28% |
| Ohio | $30,000 | $38,000 | $51,700 | $62,000 | $71,400 | 1,940 | 2,410 | +24% |
| Oklahoma | $22,000 | $26,200 | $36,800 | $55,600 | $68,200 | 580 | 780 | +35% |
| Oregon | $35,300 | $46,200 | $68,800 | $82,800 | $91,600 | 570 | 720 | 0% |
| Pennsylvania | $32,300 | $40,300 | $52,700 | $68,500 | $84,500 | 2,970 | 3,550 | +20% |
| Rhode Island | $36,300 | $46,200 | $65,000 | $83,000 | $94,500 | 150 | 180 | +18% |
| South Carolina | $24,400 | $29,800 | $44,800 | $59,500 | $74,000 | 1,020 | 1,300 | +28% |
| South Dakota | $27,700 | $36,200 | $45,500 | $55,100 | $62,100 | – | – | – |
| Tennessee | $26,000 | $32,800 | $48,200 | $60,900 | $71,400 | 740 | 920 | +24% |
| Texas | $26,400 | $35,200 | $51,000 | $66,400 | $77,400 | 3,260 | 4,580 | +41% |
| Utah | $26,800 | $34,100 | $60,000 | $72,500 | $84,700 | 310 | 410 | +34% |
| Vermont | $26,200 | $28,900 | $35,700 | $54,500 | $80,900 | 50 | 50 | +17% |
| Virginia | $28,000 | $41,300 | $56,800 | $71,300 | $85,000 | 1,510 | 1,910 | +27% |
| Washington | $39,900 | $52,700 | $69,000 | $82,100 | $92,100 | 1,070 | 1,290 | +22% |
| West Virginia | $21,000 | $24,900 | $42,300 | $54,000 | $68,300 | 460 | 590 | +28% |
| Wisconsin | $32,200 | $41,900 | $58,800 | $72,500 | $85,400 | 1,140 | 1,470 | +29% |
| Wyoming | $26,600 | $34,800 | $47,300 | $60,300 | $70,700 | – | – | – |
