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Cardiac technician education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a cardiac technician. Cardiac technicians usually study medical technician, kinesiology, or nursing. 40% of cardiac technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 32% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,309 real cardiac technician resumes to see exactly what cardiac technician education sections show.

The most common colleges for cardiac technicians are the Central State University and the Central State University.

There are also many online cardiac technician courses to help get the education required to be a cardiac technician.

There are certain cardiac technician certifications that you should consider. These cardiac technician certifications include Certified EKG Technician (CET) and Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT).

What education do you need to become a cardiac technician?

What degree do you need to be a cardiac technician?

The most common degree for cardiac technicians is bachelor's degree, with 40% of cardiac technicians earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 32% and associate degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 40%
  • Associate, 32%
  • High School Diploma, 7%
  • Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 16%

What should I major in to become a cardiac technician?

You should major in medical technician to become a cardiac technician. 20% of cardiac technicians major in medical technician. Other common majors for a cardiac technician include kinesiology and nursing.

Most common colleges for cardiac technicians

Cardiac technicians often get their degrees at Central State University, University of Phoenix, and James Madison University. Here are the most common colleges for cardiac technicians in the US based on their resumes.
Cardiac technician common collegePercentages
Central State University9.09%
University of Phoenix7.79%
James Madison University7.79%
Oregon State University6.49%
The University of Tennessee - Chattanooga5.19%

Best majors for cardiac technicians

RankMajorPercentages
1Medical Technician20.1%
2Kinesiology12.3%
3Nursing11.1%
4Business9.1%
5Medical Assisting Services7.2%

Best colleges for cardiac technicians

The best colleges for cardiac technicians are Emory University, Northwestern University, and Northeastern University.

A cardiac technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cardiac technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cardiac technicians.

1. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,306

Enrollment

6,975

2. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

In-state tuition

$15,730

Enrollment

18,830

3. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Ponce

Mercedita, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,914

Enrollment

4,155

4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo

Arecibo, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$5,872

Enrollment

3,553

5. Jefferson College of Health Sciences

Roanoke, VA • Private

In-state tuition

$26,886

Enrollment

774

6. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

7. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

8. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

9. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

New Brunswick, NJ • Private

In-state tuition

$14,974

Enrollment

35,656

10. University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$19,080

Enrollment

19,127

20 best online courses for cardiac technicians

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1. Medical Emergencies: CPR, Toxicology, and Wilderness

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Top 10 most affordable universities for cardiac technicians

The most affordable schools for cardiac technicians are University of Florida, brigham young university, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for cardiac technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cardiac technicians.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. Minot State University

Minot, ND • Private

In-state tuition

$7,064

Cost of attendance

15,576

7. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

8. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cardiac technicians

The hardest universities for cardiac technicians to get into are Emory University, Northwestern University, and Northeastern University.

Some great schools for cardiac technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cardiac technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Emory University

Atlanta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,449

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

4. University of Tulsa

Tulsa, OK • Private

Admissions rate

41%

SAT average

1,321

5. University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA • Private

Admissions rate

26%

SAT average

1,427

6. University of Connecticut

Storrs, CT • Private

Admissions rate

49%

SAT average

1,318

7. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

10. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cardiac technicians

The easiest schools for cardiac technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, barry university, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cardiac technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cardiac technicians.

1. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

2. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

3. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

4. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. Midwestern State University

Wichita Falls, TX • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,033

8. California University of Pennsylvania

California, PA • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,007

9. Thomas More University

Crestview Hills, KY • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

1,099

10. Washington Adventist Hospital

Takoma Park, MD • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

958

Average cardiac technician salary by education level

According to our data, cardiac technicians with a Bachelor's degree earn the highest average salary, at $43,370 annually. Cardiac technicians with a Associate degree earn an average annual salary of $39,082.
Cardiac technician education levelCardiac technician salary
High School Diploma or Less$36,879
Bachelor's Degree$43,370
Some College/ Associate Degree$39,082

Cardiac technician education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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