# Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

US SOC code 29-2031. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/29-2031

Also called: Cardiovascular technologist, Cardiovascular technician, CVT, RCVT, Cardiology technologist.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **62,960** US cardiovascular technologists and technicians, with median pay of **$74,310** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://ethw.org/Electrocardiography) of **5,000** from 1950, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for cardiovascular technologists and technicians: AI patch monitors, 2014 to 2022.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-2031&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **17.1%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1909
- Latest US employment: 62,960 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [5]
- Latest US median pay: $74,310 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [7]
- Outlook: +3.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [23]

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1950 | 5,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., ETHW / Electrocardiography history [1] |
| 1968 | 15,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Cardiovascular Credentialing… [2] |
| 1981 | 25,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., JRC-CVT About Us [3] |
| 2000 | 45,000 (estimate) | $33,000 (estimate) | Est., Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER [4] |
| 2003 | 43,300 | $37,410 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [5] |
| 2004 | 43,540 | $38,690 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [5] |
| 2005 | 43,560 | $40,420 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [5] |
| 2006 | 43,870 | $42,300 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [5] |
| 2007 | 46,980 | $44,940 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [5] |
| 2008 | 48,040 | $47,010 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [5] |
| 2009 | 48,070 | $48,300 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [5] |
| 2010 | 48,720 | $49,410 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [5] |
| 2011 | 50,410 | $51,020 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [5] |
| 2012 | 50,530 | $52,070 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [5] |
| 2013 | 51,010 | $53,210 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [5] |
| 2014 | 51,080 | $54,330 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [5] |
| 2015 | 51,400 | $54,880 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [5] |
| 2016 | 53,760 | $55,570 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [5] |
| 2017 | 56,130 | $55,270 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [5] |
| 2018 | 56,560 | $56,850 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [5] |
| 2019 | 56,110 | $57,720 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [5] |
| 2020 | 55,980 | $59,100 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [5] |
| 2021 | 55,760 | $60,570 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [5] |
| 2022 | 55,750 | $63,020 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [5] |
| 2023 | 55,660 | $66,170 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [5] |
| 2024 | 61,180 | $67,260 | BLS OEWS May 2024 (employment) [5]; BLS OEWS May 2024 (pay) [8] |
| 2025 | 62,960 | $74,310 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [5] |

## Sources (89)

### Employment series

1. [ETHW / Electrocardiography history -- hospital adoption by 1930; EKG technicians emerge in parallel with radiographers in the late 1920s (Engineering and Technology History Wiki)](https://ethw.org/Electrocardiography), Engineering and Technology History Wiki
2. [Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) -- founded 1968 to administer credentialing examinations for cardiovascular professionals; first credentials issued 1968; organization has been credentialing cardiovascular professionals for over 50 years](https://cci-online.org/), Cardiovascular Credentialing International
3. [JRC-CVT About Us -- AMA Council on Medical Education recognized cardiovascular technology as an allied health profession in December 1981; ad hoc committee formed April 29, 1982; first JRC-CVT meeting November 1985](https://www.jrccvt.org/about-us/), Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology
4. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-03 edition -- cardiovascular technologists and technicians employment estimate; archived at FRASER / St. Louis Fed](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/occupational-outlook-handbook-3964), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER
5. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)

### Wage series

6. [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002-03 edition -- cardiovascular technologists wage data; FRASER archive](https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/title/occupational-outlook-handbook-3964), Bureau of Labor Statistics / FRASER
7. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
8. [BLS OOH -- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians: median annual wage $67,260 (May 2024 OEWS)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/cardiovascular-technologists-and-technicians.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Tool eras

9. [PMC / Journal of Arrhythmia -- "A brief review: history to understand fundamentals of electrocardiography": Einthoven string galvanometer 600 lbs (1901); Nobel Prize 1924; US first ECG at Mount Sinai (Alfred Cohn, 1909); portable model Frank Sanborn 50 lbs (1928)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3714093/), PMC / National Library of Medicine
10. [LITFL Medical Eponym Library -- History of the Electrocardiogram: Einthoven, Waller, Wilson, Goldberger; 12-lead standardization milestones](https://litfl.com/history-of-the-electrocardiogram/), Life in the Fast Lane (LITFL)
11. [PMC / Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology -- "The History, Science, and Innovation of Holter Technology": Holter 1949-1961; Del Mar Avionics commercial production 1963; minimonitor 1968; competitive market 1970s](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6932486/), PMC / National Library of Medicine
12. [Smithsonian National Museum of American History -- Holter Monitor artifact record (Norman Holter portable cardiac monitor)](https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_1411224), Smithsonian Institution
13. [Wikipedia -- History of invasive and interventional cardiology: Seldinger technique 1953; Sones accidental selective coronary angiography 1958; Judkins percutaneous transfemoral approach 1967](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_invasive_and_interventional_cardiology), Wikipedia
14. [SCAI -- Melvin P. Judkins, MD (1922-85): developed preformed Judkins catheters for percutaneous femoral coronary angiography; described the technique in 1967; standard approach in virtually all cath labs today](https://www.scai.org/melvin-p-judkins-md-1922-85), Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
15. [The Cardiology Advisor -- "Interventional Cardiology: A Look Back at 4 Decades of Practice-Changing Innovation": Gruentzig first PTCA September 16, 1977; 300,000 annual PTCAs by mid-1980s; angioplasty surpasses bypass as primary revascularization by 1990](https://www.thecardiologyadvisor.com/features/interventional-cardiology-a-look-back-at-4-decades-of-practice-changing-innovation/), The Cardiology Advisor
16. [PMC / JSCAI -- "The Emory-Gruentzig Days -- Birth of a New Field": Gruentzig moves to Emory 1980; Emory CCL as hub of PTCA innovation and training; stiff Teflon guides refined to steerable guide wires](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11330937/), PMC / Journal of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions
17. [Heart Sisters -- "A Fascinating History of Your Coronary Stent": FDA approves Palmaz-Schatz stent 1994; BENESTENT and STRESS trials completed and published 1994; stenting transforms clinical practice in US from 1994](https://myheartsisters.org/2024/05/12/history-of-your-coronary-stent/), Heart Sisters
18. [PMC / Cardiovascular Medicine -- "Cardiac Monitoring: Then and Now": evolution from analog tape to digital Holter; computerized arrhythmia detection algorithms; shift from full-disclosure to semi-automated review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7252858/), PMC / National Library of Medicine
19. [iRhythm Zio Monitor -- FDA-cleared continuous ambulatory cardiac monitor; Zio AI generates arrhythmia-presorted physician report from raw ECG; over 5 million patients monitored as of 2025; CVTs manage monitor application and AI report QC](https://www.irhythmtech.com/us/en), iRhythm Technologies
20. [Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine -- "Remote Cardiac Rhythm Monitoring in the Era of Smart Wearables": patch monitors as alternative to Holter; ZioPatch leadless adhesive; higher patient compliance; AI-powered rhythm analysis replacing manual scanning](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/cardiovascular-medicine/articles/10.3389/fcvm.2022.853614/full), Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
21. [Cardiovascular Business 2025-2026 -- cath lab AI (SyncVision, CAAS vFFR) and AI remote cardiac monitoring (Zio AI, Cardiologs) are fastest-growing AI categories in cardiovascular technology; CVTs at monitoring centers described as AI oversight analysts](https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/), Cardiovascular Business
22. [AHA Journals / JACC 2024-2025 -- peer-reviewed studies on AI ECG for low-EF, AI Holter analysis, AI cath lab hemodynamics: consistent finding that AI improves throughput and detection accuracy; CVT role shifts from manual scanning to AI oversight and exception management](https://www.ahajournals.org/), American Heart Association Journals

### Forecasts and exposure studies

23. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 29-2031 Cardiovascular technologists and technicians (2025: 64.5 thousand; 2035: 66.9 thousand; +3.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-2031&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
24. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 29-2031.00, human-rated β 0.171)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

25. [PMC / Journal of Arrhythmia -- "A brief review: history to understand fundamentals of electrocardiography": first ECG in US at Mount Sinai Hospital (Alfred E. Cohn, 1909)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3714093/), PMC / National Library of Medicine
26. [LITFL Medical Eponym Library -- History of the Electrocardiogram: Einthoven Nobel Prize 1924](https://litfl.com/history-of-the-electrocardiogram/), Life in the Fast Lane (LITFL)
27. [PMC / Annals of Noninvasive Electrocardiology -- "The History, Science, and Innovation of Holter Technology": Holter invention 1949; clinical demonstration 1961; Del Mar Avionics mass-market Holter 1963; minimonitor 1968](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6932486/), PMC / National Library of Medicine
28. [CCI Cardiovascular Credentialing International -- founded 1968 for the purpose of administering credentialing examinations for cardiovascular professionals; first credentials issued 1968; over 50 years of credentialing](https://cci-online.org/), Cardiovascular Credentialing International
29. [The Cardiology Advisor -- "Interventional Cardiology: A Look Back at 4 Decades of Practice-Changing Innovation": Gruentzig first PTCA September 16, 1977; AHA presentation November 1977; 300,000+ annual PTCAs by mid-1980s](https://www.thecardiologyadvisor.com/features/interventional-cardiology-a-look-back-at-4-decades-of-practice-changing-innovation/), The Cardiology Advisor
30. [JRC-CVT About Us -- AMA Council on Medical Education recognition December 1981; first JRC-CVT meeting November 1985; seven organizations initially sponsored the committee including American College of Cardiology and American Society of Echocardiography](https://www.jrccvt.org/about-us/), Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology
31. [Heart Sisters -- "A Fascinating History of Your Coronary Stent": Palmaz-Schatz stent FDA approval 1994; BENESTENT and STRESS trials 1994; stenting transforms clinical practice in US](https://myheartsisters.org/2024/05/12/history-of-your-coronary-stent/), Heart Sisters
32. [iRhythm -- Zio Monitor product history: FDA-cleared continuous ambulatory cardiac monitor; AI-generated arrhythmia report; over 5 million patients monitored as of 2025; Qualified Cardiac Technicians perform AI report QC](https://www.irhythmtech.com/us/en), iRhythm Technologies

### Predecessors & successors

33. [ETHW Electrocardiography -- like radiographers with the X-ray machine, electrocardiographers found their way onto hospital payrolls from general nursing and attendant roles; specialized training delegated EKG acquisition from physicians](https://ethw.org/Electrocardiography), Engineering and Technology History Wiki

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians (29-2031.00): tasks, work activities, technology skills, employment data](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2031.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS OOH — Diagnostic Medical Sonographers and Cardiovascular Technologists: 58,300 CVTs employed 2024; +10% projected growth 2024-2034; 5,900 annual openings; median wage $63,570 (May 2024)](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [CCI (Cardiovascular Credentialing International) — RCIS credential for invasive cardiovascular specialists; RCES for cardiac EP; physical cath lab presence and hemodynamic monitoring competency are credential-defining requirements](https://cci-online.org/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Cardiologs (GE Healthcare) — AI ECG and Holter monitoring analysis; 1,000+ hospital deployments in 40+ countries; reduces per-study manual Holter review time ~60-80% vs. full-disclosure manual scanning](https://www.philips.co.uk/healthcare/ambulatory-monitoring-and-diagnostics/ecg-monitoring/cardiologs-ecg-analysis), accessed 2026-05-24
- [iRhythm Zio Monitor + Zio AI — FDA-cleared patch monitor; \>5M patients monitored as of 2025; AI generates arrhythmia-presorted physician report from raw ECG recording; CVTs perform monitor application and AI report QC](https://www.irhythmtech.com/us/en), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Anumana ECG-AI (Mayo Clinic) — AI algorithms for low-EF detection (AUC 0.93, NEJM Attia et al.), AFib from sinus ECG, and ATTR-CM screening; Epic-integrated at partner health systems (Anumana 2025)](https://anumana.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Philips Volcano iFR SyncVision — AI-assisted pressure wire hemodynamic co-registration; maps iFR/FFR pullback curves onto coronary angiography in real time; 500+ cath lab deployments globally 2025](https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/product/HCIGTDSYNC/syncvision-precision-guidance-system), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Pie Medical Imaging CAAS vFFR — AI quantitative coronary angiography and vessel FFR from angiography alone; FDA-cleared; 600+ cath lab deployments globally; CVTs run QCA and vFFR analysis on coronary angiograms (Pie Medical 2025)](https://www.piemedicalimaging.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Cardiovascular Business 2025-2026 — cath lab AI and AI remote cardiac monitoring fastest-growing AI categories in cardiovascular technology; CVTs at monitoring centers described as AI oversight analysts QC-ing AI-generated Holter summaries](https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [DAIC (Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology) 2025-2026 — QCA and physiology AI (CAAS vFFR, SyncVision) routine at high-volume cath programs; cath lab CVTs with advanced hemodynamics competency are high-demand specialists](https://www.dicardiology.com/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [AHA Journals / JACC 2024-2025 — AI ECG for low-EF, AI Holter analysis, and AI cath lab hemodynamics peer-reviewed: AI improves throughput and detection accuracy; CVT role shifts from manual scanning to AI oversight and exception management](https://www.ahajournals.org/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [AliveCor KardiaMobile 6L + KardiaAI — 650,000+ U.S. patients enrolled in remote monitoring programs; CVTs manage KardiaCare app patient populations and triage AI-flagged strip alerts before cardiologist review](https://alivecor.com/kardi), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.