Career comparison
Cardiovascular Technologist vs. Radiologic Technologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Radiologic technologists earn more at the median ($80,110 vs. $74,310), while cardiovascular technologists usually get to work faster (2 years of training). Cardiovascular technologists run heart and blood vessel tests that help doctors diagnose disease. Radiologic technologists take the X-rays and diagnostic images doctors use to find fractures, disease and injuries.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Cardiovascular Technologist | Radiologic Technologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $74,310 ($35.73/hr) | $80,110 ($38.52/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,000 – $121,350 | $55,980 – $118,660 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +3.7% (about as fast as average) | +5.0% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 3,400 | 13,000 |
| Typical entry education | Associate's degree | Associate's degree |
| Training time | 2 years | 2 years |
| Key credential | RDCS | ARRT Radiography (R) |
| Work setting | Technologists work in hospitals, cardiology clinics and imaging centers, including cath labs.. | Technologists work in hospital radiology departments, emergency departments, imaging centers and clinics. |
What each job does
Cardiovascular Technologist
- Perform EKGs and stress tests
- Do echocardiograms
- Scan blood vessels with ultrasound
- Assist in cardiac catheterization
- Monitor patients during procedures
Radiologic Technologist
- Review imaging orders and confirm patient identity
- Explain procedures and answer patient questions
- Position patients and equipment for the correct views
- Set exposure factors and capture diagnostic images
- Apply radiation protection for patients, staff and yourself
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others, hands-on work, indoor work, and teamwork. Both are part of the healthcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose cardiovascular technologist if…
- I’m interested in the heart
- I like technology
- I stay calm in emergencies
Choose radiologic technologist if…
- I’m interested in anatomy and how the body works
- I like technology and equipment
- I can stay calm with patients in pain
Still torn? Take the Cardiovascular Technologist fit quiz and the Radiologic Technologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, cardiovascular technologist or radiologic technologist?
Radiologic Technologists earn more at the median: $80,110 versus $74,310 for cardiovascular technologists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Cardiovascular Technologists typically train faster (2 years) than radiologic technologists (2 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects radiologic technologists to grow +5.0% from 2025–35, compared with +3.7% for cardiovascular technologists.