The role of a Monitor Technician, also known as an EKG Technician or a Cardiac Monitor Technician, is to observe and examine the heart monitors of various patients and detecting and reporting on abnormalities and inconsistencies, such as irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia.
They are also tasked with setting up the monitors, using them on patients, participating in some simpler medical procedures, using other equipment and medical tools to run tests on a patient's heart, reporting on and helping fix cardiovascular issues, analyzing and informing other medical staff on test results, and training new staff members in the use of heart monitors.
A Monitor Technician hoping to begin work in the industry generally needs to have only a high school diploma or a GED, though earning a diploma or certification linked to the use and handling of EKG monitors is a good idea. Some experience in the same or a similar position might be preferred. A CPR certification and an excellent technical understanding of medical equipment and software are all key qualities to have.
What is a Monitor Technician?
What Does a Monitor Technician Do
There are certain skills that many monitor technicians have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed detail oriented, hand-eye coordination and technical skills.
How To Become a Monitor Technician
If you're interested in becoming a monitor technician, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 32.8% of monitor technicians have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 3.7% of monitor technicians have master's degrees. Even though some monitor technicians have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Monitor Technician Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a monitor technician can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as certified nursing assistant, progress to a title such as licensed practical nurse and then eventually end up with the title registered nurse supervisor.
Average Salary for a Monitor Technician
What Am I Worth?
Top Colleges for Monitor Technicians
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
2. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
3. Yale University
New Haven, CT • Private
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
5. Georgetown University
Washington, DC • Private
6. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
7. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
8. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
10. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Top Skills For a Monitor Technician
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 13.5% of monitor technicians listed ekg on their resume, but soft skills such as detail oriented and hand-eye coordination are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Monitor Technician Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Monitor Technician templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Monitor Technician resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Monitor Technician Demographics
Monitor Technician Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among monitor technicians, 65.3% of them are women, while 34.7% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among monitor technicians is White, which makes up 67.1% of all monitor technicians.
- The most common foreign language among monitor technicians is Spanish at 59.8%.
Online Courses For Monitor Technician That You May Like
Maintaining and troubleshooting sophisticated medical instruments is not an easy task. In order to deliver effective care, the technician requires the knowledge of different aspects of biology and engineering. The different devices work in so many different ways and the literature about repair and troubleshooting is often hard to come by. It can be quite frustrating to search for solutions every time the operator encounters a problem. There is added pressure because the availability of medical...
In this course, you will develop the knowledge and skills to assess and stabilize certain types of patients for transport. By the end of this course, you will be able to: (1) Identify the signs and symptoms associated with a patient in shock, to describe the major categories of shock, to assess a patient with signs of shock and formulate a plan for treatment to stabilize the patient for transport, (2) Identify a patient in cardiac arrest and to describe the components of high performance CPR inc...
A mini course in basic concepts of M & E for development and governance programmes, policies and services...
Best States For a Monitor Technician
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a monitor technician. The best states for people in this position are Utah, North Dakota, Oregon, and California. Monitor technicians make the most in Utah with an average salary of $49,821. Whereas in North Dakota and Oregon, they would average $47,730 and $43,261, respectively. While monitor technicians would only make an average of $42,187 in California, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. North Dakota
$47,730
Avg. Salary
2. Utah
$49,821
Avg. Salary
3. Illinois
$41,500
Avg. Salary
How Do Monitor Technician Rate Their Jobs?
Top Monitor Technician Employers
Most Common Employers For Monitor Technician
| Rank  | Company  | Average Salary  | Hourly Rate  | Job Openings  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare | $37,998 | $18.27 | 22 |
| 2 | PeaceHealth | $37,333 | $17.95 | 43 |
| 3 | BioTelemetry | $37,319 | $17.94 | 21 |
| 4 | Kaiser Permanente | $36,881 | $17.73 | 32 |
| 5 | Mayo Clinic | $36,436 | $17.52 | 28 |
| 6 | St. Luke's Hospital | $36,320 | $17.46 | 27 |
| 7 | EMSI | $36,190 | $17.40 | 25 |
| 8 | Saint Francis Health System | $35,942 | $17.28 | 35 |
| 9 | Houston Healthcare | $35,865 | $17.24 | 27 |
| 10 | Lexington Medical Center | $35,652 | $17.14 | 20 |
Monitor Technician Videos
Becoming a Monitor Technician FAQs
How long does it take to become a cardiac monitor tech?
It takes between three months to two years to become a cardiac monitor tech.
To become a cardiac monitor tech requires a high school diploma and completion of a formal training program in telemetry or cardiac monitoring. Programs vary in length and scope, ranging from a few-month certificate program to a two-year associate's degree program.
How much does a monitor tech make an hour?
A monitor tech makes, on average, $16.84 an hour. The range in how much a monitor tech can make varies from as little as $14 an hour to as much as $36 an hour. Factors such as location and company all impact the hourly earning potential for a monitor tech.