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The differences between pulmonary function technicians and monitor 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 pulmonary function technician and a monitor technician. Additionally, a pulmonary function technician has an average salary of $50,458, which is higher than the $35,460 average annual salary of a monitor technician.
The top three skills for a pulmonary function technician include patients, respiratory care and patient care. The most important skills for a monitor technician are patients, EKG, and BLS.
| Pulmonary Function Technician | Monitor Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,458 | $35,460 |
| Hourly rate | $24.26 | $17.05 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 50,955 | 56,963 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A monitor technician works in hospitals and other health care centers that provide treatment relating to heart health. They are also known as cardiac monitor technicians, who assist physicians and nurses with diagnosing and interpreting conditions related to the heart through several methods of monitoring and testing. Most of their work includes using machines and other medical technology in tracking patients' heart performance and check for any possible abnormalities. They monitor irregular heartbeats, arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest. They also use this technology to perform various tests on the heart but typically do not provide treatment.
Pulmonary function technicians and monitor technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pulmonary Function Technician | Monitor Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,458 | $35,460 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $75,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Medford, OR |
| Highest paying state | - | Utah |
| Best paying company | - | MLK Community Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a pulmonary function technician and a monitor technician in terms of educational background:
| Pulmonary Function Technician | Monitor Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between pulmonary function technicians' and monitor technicians' demographics:
| Pulmonary Function Technician | Monitor Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.0% Female, 48.0% | Male, 34.7% Female, 65.3% |
| 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% |