Cardiologists earn a median of $496,010 per year ($238.47/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.8% through 2035, with about 500 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Doctoral or professional degree.
- SOC 29-1212
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Cardiologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $496,010a year, or $238.47/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $107KTop 10% $712K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.8%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 50018,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202518.5K
- Projected 203519.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 18.5K Projected 2035 19.4K - Typical education
- Doctorateneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Pay
How much do Cardiologists make?
Every cardiologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$496,010
Middle half earn $274,280 to $610,060
- 10th
- $107,190
- 25th
- $274,280
- 75th
- $610,060
- 90th
- $712,130
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $107,190 |
| 25th | $274,280 |
| Median | $496,010 |
| 75th | $610,060 |
| 90th | $712,130 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $496,010
- Median hourly wage
- $238.47/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $454,940
- People employed
- 17,290
Versus all US occupations
At $496,010, Cardiologists earn 873% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $445,030 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 383% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $712,130 or more while the bottom 10% earn $107,190, a gap of 6.6×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 100% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Washington posts the highest raw median ($656,330), but once local prices are taken into account Nebraska leads at $717,290 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Cardiologists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Washington | $656,330 | $613,318 | 200 |
| 2Missouri | $648,070 | $713,600 | 150 |
| 3Nebraska | $646,300 | $717,290 | 170 |
| 4Wisconsin | $636,580 | $676,529 | 200 |
| 5Tennessee | $610,080 | $664,069 | 560 |
| 6Georgia | $610,070 | $633,556 | 1,150 |
| 7Indiana | $588,890 | $630,983 | 140 |
| 8Pennsylvania | $579,120 | $593,531 | 640 |
| 9Kentucky | $558,180 | $619,106 | N/A |
| 10Alabama | $519,480 | $584,849 | 130 |
Job outlook
Is Cardiologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Cardiologists | +4.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Cardiologists to change 4.8% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 500 openings are projected each year, 2.7% of the 18,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of physicians and surgeons is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of physicians and surgeons varies by occupation (see table). An increasing number of older adults, who are more likely than younger people to experience health problems and to need complex care, is expected to drive overall employment growth for physicians and surgeons.
In addition, increasing rates of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease, will result in continued reliance on physicians and surgeons by large numbers of people seeking medical care.
Getting in
How to become a Cardiologist
Physicians and surgeons typically need a bachelor’s degree as well as a degree from a medical school, which takes an additional 4 years to complete. Depending on their specialty, they also need 3 to 9 years in internship and residency programs. Subspecialization includes additional training in a fellowship of 1 to 3 years.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Doctoral or professional degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Internship/residency
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Cardiologist do?
Diagnose, treat, manage, and prevent diseases or conditions of the cardiovascular system. May further subspecialize in interventional procedures (e.g., balloon angioplasty and stent placement), echocardiography, or electrophysiology.
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests. They often counsel patients on diet, hygiene, and preventive healthcare. Surgeons operate on patients to treat injuries, such as broken bones; diseases, such as cancerous tumors; and deformities, such as cleft palates.
There are two types of physicians, with similar degrees: M.D. (Medical Doctor) and D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine). Both use the same methods of treatment, including drugs and surgery, but D.O.s place additional emphasis on the body's musculoskeletal system, preventive medicine, and holistic (whole-person) patient care. D.O.s are most likely to be primary care physicians, although they work in all specialties.
Day-to-day tasks
- Administer emergency cardiac care for life-threatening heart problems, such as cardiac arrest and heart attack.
- Advise patients and community members concerning diet, activity, hygiene, or disease prevention.
- Answer questions that patients have about their health and well-being.
- Calculate valve areas from blood flow velocity measurements.
- Compare measurements of heart wall thickness and chamber sizes to standards to identify abnormalities, using the results of an echocardiogram.
- Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
- Conduct exercise electrocardiogram tests to monitor cardiovascular activity under stress.
- Conduct research to develop or test medications, treatments, or procedures that prevent or control disease or injury.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most physicians and surgeons work full time. Some work more than 40 hours per week. Many physicians and surgeons work long shifts, which may include irregular and overnight hours or being on call. Physicians and surgeons may travel between their offices and the hospital to care for patients. While on call, a physician may need to address a patient’s concerns over the phone or make an emergency visit to another location, such as a nursing home.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition.
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Transaction security and virus protection software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Cardiologist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Cardiologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 7 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
- Investigative6.9
- Realistic5.0
- Social4.7
- Conventional4.0
- Enterprising2.3
- Artistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Cardiologist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with cardiologists highlighted
- Cardiologist$496,010
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Cardiologist | $496,010 |
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within cardiologist
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Questions
Cardiologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Cardiologists make?
Cardiologists earn a median of $496,010 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 873% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $238.47/hr. The middle half earn between $274,280 and $610,060. The top 10% earn $712,130 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Cardiologist?
Yes, and beyond a bachelor's: BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry requirement for Cardiologists. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training.
Is Cardiologist a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.8% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Cardiologist do?
Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance. A core O*NET task: administer emergency cardiac care for life-threatening heart problems, such as cardiac arrest and heart attack. Employers most often ask for Medical software.
Which states pay Cardiologists the most?
The highest state medians for Cardiologists are Washington ($656,330), Missouri ($648,070), Nebraska ($646,300) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Nebraska moves to the top at $717,290.
What personality type suits a Cardiologist?
O*NET scores Cardiologists highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Social interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.