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Boston Career Explorer

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

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.

Also called: Cardiac Cath Lab Technologist (Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Technologist), Cardiac Catheterization Technician, Cardiac Technician, Cardio Tech (Cardiovascular Technician), Cardiology Technician, Cardiopulmonary Technician

Compare with my current job (Special Education Teachers, Secondary School)
Median pay in Greater Boston
$107,000
$51.44/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
780
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+1.2%
60 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Associate's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$50,500$75,510$107,000$128,210$155,070

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • 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.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure40 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 44
  • Language-model AIOE 43
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 34

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure for this job is moderate, but observed AI use is little or none. AI tools may help with paperwork such as recording patient information and test results. Running tests, watching patients during procedures, and calming anxious patients still depend on a person in the room.

Likely to change

  • Recording patient histories and test results
  • Organizing test data

Still relies on people

  • Monitoring patient safety during tests
  • Explaining procedures and easing patient worry

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

2 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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