Cardiac technician vs patient care technician

The differences between cardiac technicians and patient care technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cardiac technician has an average salary of $39,698, which is higher than the $32,806 average annual salary of a patient care technician.

The top three skills for a cardiac technician include patients, BLS and CPR. The most important skills for a patient care technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.

Cardiac technician vs patient care technician overview

	Cardiac Technician	Patient Care Technician
Yearly salary	$39,698	$32,806
Hourly rate	$19.09	$15.77
Growth rate	10%	9%
Number of jobs	50,689	167,520
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Average age	45	34
Years of experience	2	-

What does a cardiac technician do?

Cardiac or cardiovascular technicians are healthcare professionals who participate in saving the lives of patients with a heart attack by helping physicians diagnose and treat cardiac and peripheral vascular ailments. These technicians are experts in conducting electrocardiogram (ECG) tests that measure the electrical activity of a patient's heart. They prepare patients and position them for the medical procedure while setting up the necessary diagnosing and monitoring equipment. Cardiac technicians must also assist cardiovascular surgeons in interpreting the reports for their patients.

What does a patient care technician do?

Patient care technicians are medical workers who work in clinics, hospitals, or other medical facilities under the supervision of doctors or other health professionals. They provide assistance to health professionals and patients. They help patients with mobility concerns get into hospital beds, bathrooms, wheelchairs, and more. They also help patients with their physical therapy sessions and other physical needs. They handle patient concerns and communicate these to attending physicians. They may be assigned to administer basic medical procedures such as checking vital signs and collecting samples from patients, among others.

Cardiac technician vs patient care technician salary

Cardiac technicians and patient care technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Cardiac Technician	Patient Care Technician
Average salary	$39,698	$32,806
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $50,000	Between $24,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	Fargo, ND	Rochester, NH
Highest paying state	California	Vermont
Best paying company	Brigham and Women's Hospital	Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between cardiac technician and patient care technician education

There are a few differences between a cardiac technician and a patient care technician in terms of educational background:

	Cardiac Technician	Patient Care Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 27%
Most common major	Medical Technician	Nursing
Most common college	Emory University	Emory University

Cardiac technician vs patient care technician demographics

Here are the differences between cardiac technicians' and patient care technicians' demographics:

	Cardiac Technician	Patient Care Technician
Average age	45	34
Gender ratio	Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6%	Male, 19.0% Female, 81.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	15%

Differences between cardiac technician and patient care technician duties and responsibilities

Cardiac technician example responsibilities.

Assist with placement and manage intra-aortic balloon pumps.
Receive and edit electrocardiogram (ECG) data in order to and formulate sound clinical judgments.
Provide technical phone-base support and customer service in a call center environment to LifeWatch cardiac patients.
Enter data in the EMR.
Train in first aid, CPR, deliberation and shock techniques.
Complete test relate paperwork and enter into EMR according to HIPAA compliance.

Patient care technician example responsibilities.

Manage care and prepare medical records, transcription and supply orders.
Manage daily care of high acuity patients with neurological trauma/disorders and post-surgery.
Qualify to perform patient care responsibilities on catheter patients.
Transport patients using wheelchairs and stretchers and assist patients to ambulate safely.
Assist with transferring patients in and out of wheelchairs, recliners, and stretchers.
Apply protective restraints safely and appropriately, assist in the admission, discharge and transfer of patients as needed.

Cardiac technician vs patient care technician skills

Common cardiac technician skills

Patients, 23%
BLS, 9%
CPR, 5%
Acls, 5%
Cardiology, 4%
ECG, 4%

Common patient care technician skills

Patients, 24%
Vital Signs, 9%
Phlebotomy, 7%
CPR, 6%
Direct Patient Care, 5%
Customer Service, 5%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Cardiac Technician
Cardiac Technician vs Patient Care Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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