Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Human edge, growing
Cardiovascular technologists and technicians
Conduct tests on pulmonary or cardiovascular systems of patients for diagnostic, therapeutic, or research purposes. May conduct or assist in electrocardiograms, cardiac catheterizations, pulmonary functions, lung capacity, and similar tests.
More resilient than most: more resilient than 61% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it moderate), and US jobs are projected to change by +3.7% by 2035, faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and ethical judgement.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $74,310
- Job growth to 2035
- +3.7%
- Openings a year
- 3,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 64,500
- Usual route in
- Associate's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Analyze health or medical data
- Adjust equipment to ensure adequate performance
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Operate medical equipment
- Assist healthcare practitioners during medical procedures
- Monitor health conditions of humans or animals
What the work looks like
- Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, stress testing, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
- Compare measurements of heart wall thickness and chamber sizes to standard norms to identify abnormalities.
- Explain testing procedures to patients to obtain cooperation and reduce anxiety.
- Maintain a proper sterile field during surgical procedures.
- Observe ultrasound display screen and listen to signals to record vascular information, such as blood pressure, limb volume changes, oxygen saturation, or cerebral circulation.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- Fewer of these jobs, as payer policy changes shift cardiovascular procedures away from hospitals to outpatient settings, such as office-based labs and ambulatory surgery centers.
- More of these jobs, as payer policy changes shift cardiovascular procedures away from hospitals to outpatient settings, such as office-based labs.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Veterinary technologists and techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 95, +9.4%
- Diagnostic medical sonographersHuman edge, growing, Index 84, +13.9%
- Surgical technologistsHuman edge, growing, Index 90, +5.0%
- Radiologic technologists and techniciansHuman edge, growing, Index 68, +5.0%
Also known as: Cardio Tech (Cardiovascular Technician), Cardiology Technician, Cardiovascular Technologist (CVT), Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS), Cardiac Cath Lab Technologist (Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Technologist), Cardiac Catheterization Technician, Cardiac Technician, Cardiopulmonary Technician.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.