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The differences between cardiac technicians and sonographers 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 sonographer. Additionally, a sonographer has an average salary of $85,898, 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 sonographer are patients, sonography, and ARDMS.
| Cardiac Technician | Sonographer | |
| Yearly salary | $39,698 | $85,898 |
| Hourly rate | $19.09 | $41.30 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 50,689 | 14,117 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| 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.
A Sonographer performs diagnostic procedures using sonographic equipment. Their duties include preparing patients, explaining the exam, and performing the procedure.
Cardiac technicians and sonographers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cardiac Technician | Sonographer | |
| Average salary | $39,698 | $85,898 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $50,000 | Between $58,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fargo, ND | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | Medical City Arlington |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a cardiac technician and a sonographer in terms of educational background:
| Cardiac Technician | Sonographer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Emory University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between cardiac technicians' and sonographers' demographics:
| Cardiac Technician | Sonographer | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% | Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0% |
| 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, 4.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |