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The differences between cardiac technicians and pulmonary function technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a cardiac technician and a pulmonary function technician. Additionally, a pulmonary function technician has an average salary of $50,458, which is higher than the $39,698 average annual salary of a cardiac technician.
The top three skills for a cardiac technician include patients, BLS and CPR. The most important skills for a pulmonary function technician are patients, respiratory care, and patient care.
| Cardiac Technician | Pulmonary Function Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,698 | $50,458 |
| Hourly rate | $19.09 | $24.26 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 50,689 | 50,955 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Pulmonary Function Technologists generally pay around $77K per year and require skills in respiratory care, spirometry, RRT, and understanding test results. In addition to a high school diploma, most employers will require anyone who chooses this career to have an associate degree in respiratory therapy or NBRC certification. This will be needed in a career that calls for setting up and running respective patients' respiratory tests for identifying lung diseases or disorders and conducting tests and collaborating with medical staff for possible diagnoses of lung disease.
Cardiac technicians and pulmonary function technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cardiac Technician | Pulmonary Function Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,698 | $50,458 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $50,000 | Between $33,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fargo, ND | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a cardiac technician and a pulmonary function technician in terms of educational background:
| Cardiac Technician | Pulmonary Function Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Emory University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between cardiac technicians' and pulmonary function technicians' demographics:
| Cardiac Technician | Pulmonary Function Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% | Male, 52.0% Female, 48.0% |
| 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, 10.6% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 13.9% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |