Cardiologists Salary

The median cardiologists salary in the United States is $496,010 per year ($238.47/hour). Salaries range from $107,190 at the entry level to $712,130+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 17,290 cardiologists jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asCardiologistHeart Doctor
Median Salary
$496,010
per year
Hourly Rate
$238.47
per hour
Employment
17,290
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$107,190
25th percentile
$274,280
Median
$496,010
75th percentile
$610,060
90th percentile
$712,130

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+4.1%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

600
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Doctoral or professional degree

Training Needed

Internship/residency

Cardiologists Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for cardiologistss.

Cardiologists diagnose + treat heart disease. Career splits: general cardiology (echocardiography, stress testing, medical management), interventional cardiology (cath + stent + structural heart), electrophysiology (arrhythmias, pacemakers, ICDs, ablations), heart failure/transplant, adult congenital, non-invasive imaging. Path: 4 yrs med school + 3-year IM residency + 3-year cardiology fellowship + optional 1-2 year sub-fellowship. Compensation among highest in medicine β€” median $500-680k; interventional + EP $650-950k+; senior partners + specialty $800k-$1.5M+.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Cardiac diagnosis + medical management
CAD, HF, arrhythmias, valvular disease, hypertension. Evidence-based guidelines (ACC/AHA).
Echocardiography + imaging
TTE + TEE + stress + nuclear + cardiac MRI/CT. Core cardiology skill.
Cardiac catheterization (interventional)
Diagnostic cath + PCI + structural heart procedures. Requires interventional fellowship.
Electrophysiology (EP specialty)
EP studies, ablations, device implantation. Requires EP fellowship.
Critical care + emergency cardiology
STEMI activation, cardiogenic shock, acute HF. Coronary care unit management.
Practice management + patient volume
High-volume outpatient + inpatient + procedural practice. Multiple settings.
Communication + patient education
Complex chronic disease + risk factor modification education. Family involvement.

How to Become a Cardiologists

  1. 1
    Bachelor's + strong MCAT + medical school
    Very strong Step scores essential.
  2. 2
    Internal Medicine Residency (3 years)
    PGY-1-3. Broad IM training.
  3. 3
    Cardiology Fellowship (3 years)
    Competitive match. Cath + echo + electrophysiology exposure.
  4. 4
    Optional sub-fellowship (Interventional, EP, HF/Transplant, Imaging, Adult Congenital)
    1-2 additional years. Sub-specialty commands premium.
  5. 5
    Board certification (ABIM + sub-specialty)
    Cardiology boards + sub-specialty if applicable.
  6. 6
    First practice setting
    Private cardiology group, hospital-employed, academic. PE-backed groups (US Heart + Vascular).

Career Progression

Fellow (Cardiology)
3-6 post-med school yrs$75-95k
  • β€’Cardiology fellowship training
  • β€’Increasing procedural autonomy
Next: Sub-fellowship or Attending.
Sub-fellow (Interventional, EP, HF)
6-8 yrs$85-105k
  • β€’Sub-specialty training + procedures
Next: Sub-specialty attending.
Attending Cardiologist (New)
0-5 yrsGeneral $450-620k Β· Interventional $600-800k Β· EP $650-850k
  • β€’Independent practice + call
  • β€’Building panel + reputation
Next: Partner.
Senior Cardiologist / Partner
5-15 yrs$700k-$1.1M+ Β· Interventional / EP $800k-$1.4M+
  • β€’Established practice + high volume
  • β€’Complex procedures
  • β€’Practice governance
Next: Chief / Owner.
Practice Owner / Section Chief
15+ yrs$900k-$2M+ Β· Multi-partner practice ownership $1M-$3M+
  • β€’Practice ownership + P&L
  • β€’Multi-provider + ASC ownership

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 10 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through your fellowship case volume.case
Concrete: caths (500-1,500), echoes (2,000+), procedures. Screens for real training.
Q2. How would you approach a STEMI?case
Concrete: Immediate ECG + activate cath lab + medical management + PCI + post-op care. Time-to-treatment critical.
Q3. Tell me about a complication.behavioral
STAR. Real case. Ownership + management. Screens for accountability.
Q4. Why our practice / hospital?culture
Research: cath volume, program strength, team, growth.
Q5. How do you balance procedures + outpatient practice?situational
Concrete: Efficient scheduling + team-based care + procedural block time + outpatient panel.

Resume Template β€” Attending Cardiologist (0-5 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Attending Cardiologist (0-5 yrs)
  • β–ΈBoard-certified Cardiologist + Interventional Fellowship. 2024 volume: 840 PCIs + 4,200 outpatient visits.
  • β–ΈZero door-to-balloon time above 90 minutes for STEMI activations at [Hospital].
  • β–ΈEstablished structural heart program at [Hospital] increasing valve procedure volume 40%.
  • β–ΈPrecept 2 fellows/year on interventional rotation.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—Weak fellowship case volume.
  • βœ—Board complaints without disclosure.
  • βœ—Poor door-to-balloon or procedural quality metrics.
  • βœ—Weak team + OR communication.
  • βœ—Bad-mouthing prior program.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“Base + wRVU productivity.
  • βœ“Sign-on $100-200k common.
  • βœ“Loan repayment $200-350k.
  • βœ“Cath lab + procedural block time.
  • βœ“Interventional / EP specialty differential.
  • βœ“ASC + practice equity.
  • βœ“Malpractice tail coverage.
  • βœ“Partnership track 2-3 years.
  • βœ“CME budget $15-25k.

Cardiologists Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired cardiologistss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Cardiologists Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 10 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 10 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 5 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

Sample reviews β€” real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.

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Cardiologists Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$186K
$656Kβ–  No data
StateMedianvs. National
Washington$656,330+32.3%
Missouri$648,070+30.7%
Nebraska$646,300+30.3%
Wisconsin$636,580+28.3%
Tennessee$610,080+23.0%
Georgia$610,070+23.0%
Indiana$588,890+18.7%
Pennsylvania$579,120+16.8%
Kentucky$558,180+12.5%
Alabama$519,480+4.7%
1–10 of 23

Cardiologists Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$662,760+33.6%
Chattanooga, TN-GA$610,080+23.0%
Omaha, NE-IA$598,480+20.7%
Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA$567,680+14.4%
Lexington-Fayette, KY$558,180+12.5%
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$551,320+11.2%
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$528,750+6.6%
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$527,720+6.4%
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$515,710+4.0%
Jacksonville, FL$514,740+3.8%
1–10 of 34
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A cardiologists earning $496,010/year would need 120 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 129 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how cardiologists salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Cardiologists salary trend (2011–2024) β†’