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The differences between respiratory therapists and cardiovascular technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a respiratory therapist, becoming a cardiovascular technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a cardiovascular technician has an average salary of $62,986, which is higher than the $55,617 average annual salary of a respiratory therapist.
The top three skills for a respiratory therapist include patients, respiratory care and BLS. The most important skills for a cardiovascular technician are patients, BLS, and patient care.
| Respiratory Therapist | Cardiovascular Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $55,617 | $62,986 |
| Hourly rate | $26.74 | $30.28 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 33,980 | 37,036 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.33 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 70% | Associate Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A Respiratory Therapist is responsible for the healthcare of a patient's Cardiopulmonary system. A Respiratory Therapist specializes in assessing, recommending procedures or precautionary measures, and treating infections, diseases, and even viruses that can cause dysfunction to a patient's breathing. Most duties will depend on the workplace or the condition of a patient. However, they must have extensive expertise, passion, and presence of mind as they work with patients of all ages, and the daily tasks are vital and unpredictable.
A cardiovascular technician is responsible for monitoring and administering treatment plans for patients with cardiovascular illnesses. Cardiovascular technicians operate various equipment and machinery to ensure the accuracy of diagnosis and determine the medical procedures to take. They also assist the doctors in performing medical operations, observing the patients' condition, and explaining the test findings to the patients. A cardiovascular technician keeps a record of medical charts for reference, as well as providing progress updates to the doctors and the patients' families.
Respiratory therapists and cardiovascular technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Respiratory Therapist | Cardiovascular Technician | |
| Average salary | $55,617 | $62,986 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $91,000 | Between $43,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lancaster, CA | Davis, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Heartland Home Health Inc. | Heartland Home Health Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a respiratory therapist and a cardiovascular technician in terms of educational background:
| Respiratory Therapist | Cardiovascular Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 70% | Associate Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between respiratory therapists' and cardiovascular technicians' demographics:
| Respiratory Therapist | Cardiovascular Technician | |
| Average age | 46 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 35.5% Female, 64.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 9% | 8% |