Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
As a perfusionist, your role is crucial in managing cardiopulmonary bypass during surgical procedures. The average salary for a perfusionist is approximately $118,459 per year, reflecting the significant demand for skilled professionals in this field. Factors influencing salary include geographical location, years of experience, and the healthcare facility type.
Perfusionists can expect varying salaries across the United States. For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand in urban areas. Additionally, specialized roles within cardiac surgery may command elevated salaries.
To enhance your career as a perfusionist, consider pursuing advanced certifications and staying updated with industry advancements. Zippia provides valuable insights into job listings tailored to your skills and experience, allowing you to navigate your career path effectively. By leveraging these resources, you can find positions that not only match your qualifications but also offer competitive salaries.
Let Zippia find your next perfusionist job
Let Zippia find your next perfusionist job
The highest-paying states for perfusionists are Minnesota, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The lowest average perfusionist salary states are California, Colorado, and Alaska.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $127,290 | $61.20 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $133,577 | $64.22 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $123,066 | $59.17 |
| 4 | South Carolina | $125,344 | $60.26 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $131,753 | $63.34 |
| 6 | Ohio | $129,994 | $62.50 |
| 7 | Indiana | $120,494 | $57.93 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $130,826 | $62.90 |
| 9 | South Dakota | $119,426 | $57.42 |
| 10 | New York | $126,560 | $60.85 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $132,005 | $63.46 |
| 12 | Alabama | $118,967 | $57.20 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $122,341 | $58.82 |
| 14 | Maine | $127,283 | $61.19 |
| 15 | Vermont | $131,704 | $63.32 |
| 16 | Illinois | $119,083 | $57.25 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $115,717 | $55.63 |
| 18 | Maryland | $125,506 | $60.34 |
| 19 | Louisiana | $119,048 | $57.23 |
| 20 | Oregon | $111,495 | $53.60 |
| 21 | Michigan | $114,820 | $55.20 |
| 22 | Florida | $117,314 | $56.40 |
| 23 | Kansas | $107,215 | $51.55 |
| 24 | Georgia | $108,040 | $51.94 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $111,872 | $53.78 |
| 26 | Iowa | $113,907 | $54.76 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $112,454 | $54.06 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $107,889 | $51.87 |
| 29 | Virginia | $112,732 | $54.20 |
| 30 | Montana | $109,949 | $52.86 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $103,742 | $49.88 |
| 32 | Washington | $108,711 | $52.26 |
| 33 | Missouri | $104,653 | $50.31 |
| 34 | Texas | $107,151 | $51.51 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $106,888 | $51.39 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $104,189 | $50.09 |
| 37 | Delaware | $101,875 | $48.98 |
| 38 | Arizona | $106,891 | $51.39 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $103,181 | $49.61 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $103,813 | $49.91 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $107,548 | $51.71 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $103,437 | $49.73 |
| 43 | Nevada | $96,727 | $46.50 |
| 44 | Idaho | $105,024 | $50.49 |
| 45 | California | $99,769 | $47.97 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $100,746 | $48.44 |
| 47 | Alaska | $97,587 | $46.92 |
| 48 | Rhode Island | $103,546 | $49.78 |
| 49 | Nebraska | $94,033 | $45.21 |
| 50 | Colorado | $98,592 | $47.40 |
| 51 | Utah | $89,153 | $42.86 |
The highest-paying cities for perfusionists are Rochester, MN, Boston, MA, and New Haven, CT.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochester, MN | $137,027 | $65.88 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $135,783 | $65.28 |
| 3 | New Haven, CT | $134,961 | $64.89 |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC | $134,850 | $64.83 |
| 5 | Poughkeepsie, NY | $129,303 | $62.16 |
| 6 | Lebanon, PA | $129,293 | $62.16 |
| 7 | Wausau, WI | $127,561 | $61.33 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $127,335 | $61.22 |
| 9 | South Bend, IN | $124,224 | $59.72 |
| 10 | Hackensack, NJ | $124,166 | $59.70 |
| 11 | McHenry, IL | $121,740 | $58.53 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge, LA | $120,428 | $57.90 |
| 13 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $119,658 | $57.53 |
| 14 | Waterloo, IA | $117,746 | $56.61 |
| 15 | Royal Oak, MI | $115,981 | $55.76 |
| 16 | Charlottesville, VA | $113,564 | $54.60 |
| 17 | Springfield, OR | $113,175 | $54.41 |
| 18 | Dallas, TX | $109,400 | $52.60 |
| 19 | Atlanta, GA | $108,740 | $52.28 |
| 20 | Washington, DC | $108,024 | $51.93 |
A perfusionist's salary ranges from $67,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $209,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $209,000 | $17,417 | $100 |
| 75th Percentile | $159,000 | $13,250 | $76 |
| Average | $118,459 | $9,872 | $57 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
The highest paying types of perfusionists are intensive care unit nurse, critical care nurse, and registered polysomnographic technologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Care Nurse | $76,788 | $6,399 | $36.92 | 594,859 |
| Sleep Technician | $50,458 | $4,205 | $24.26 | 25,502 |
| Polysomnograph Technician | $52,875 | $4,406 | $25.42 | 58,237 |
| EEG Technician | $51,813 | $4,318 | $24.91 | 15,717 |
| Intensive Care Unit Nurse | $79,483 | $6,624 | $38.21 | 611,699 |
Top companies hiring perfusionists now:
Perfusionist salaries at Essentia Health and Sanford Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average perfusionist salary at companies like UC Health and Trinity Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Essentia Health | $342,433 | $164.63 |
| 2 | Sanford Health | $313,314 | $150.63 |
| 3 | UC Health | $268,708 | $129.19 |
| 4 | Trinity Health | $268,205 | $128.94 |
| 5 | BJC HealthCare | $262,802 | $126.35 |
| 6 | Northwestern Medicine | $247,984 | $119.22 |
| 7 | Southern Illinois Healthcare | $243,192 | $116.92 |
| 8 | Piedmont Healthcare | $243,103 | $116.88 |
| 9 | SSM Health | $234,579 | $112.78 |
| 10 | Baylor Scott & White Health | $233,268 | $112.15 |
| 11 | Providence Health & Services | $230,571 | $110.85 |
| 12 | CHRISTUS Health | $229,652 | $110.41 |
| 13 | UnityPoint Health | $227,529 | $109.39 |
| 14 | Atrium Health Floyd | $225,815 | $108.56 |
| 15 | Erlanger Health System | $221,113 | $106.30 |
| 16 | Lehigh Valley Health Network | $218,860 | $105.22 |
| 17 | Sentara Healthcare | $211,672 | $101.77 |
| 18 | Community Medical Center | $210,390 | $101.15 |
| 19 | Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Inc | $209,011 | $100.49 |
| 20 | Kaiser Permanente | $207,487 | $99.75 |
The average perfusionist salary has risen by $9,544 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average perfusionist earned $108,915 annually, but today, they earn $118,459 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for perfusionists over the last decade.
Compare perfusionist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare perfusionist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $118,000 | $56.95 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $115,000 | $55.40 | -0.7% |
| 2024 | $116,000 | $55.80 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $113,000 | $54.35 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $111,000 | $53.40 | -0.5% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memorialcare | Perfusionist | Long Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $189,917 |
| Danbury Hospital | Perfusionist PD | Poughkeepsie, NY | 06/27/2025 | $137,325 |
| Specialtycare | Travel Perfusionist-California Salary Bonus | California, MD | 06/27/2025 | $225,000 |
| Trinity Health Corporation | Cardiac Perfusionist-Per Diem | Syracuse, NY | 06/27/2025 | $166,104 |
| Epic Cardiovascular Staffing | Staff Perfusionist | East Stroudsburg, PA | 06/27/2025 | $140,000 |
| Epic Cardiovascular Staffing | Staff Perfusionist | Fort Myers, FL | 06/27/2025 | $140,000 |
| University of Washington | Perfusionist (Per-Diem) | Seattle, WA | 06/26/2025 | $182,174 |
| Specialtycare | Perfusionist-Torrance, CA Bonus | Torrance, CA | 06/21/2025 | $113,500 |
| Northwell Health | Perfusionist | Manhasset, NY | 06/18/2025 | $152,000 |
| Rush University Medical Center | Perfusionist | Chicago, IL | 06/18/2025 | $145,485 |
Search for perfusionist jobs