With a national median of $496,010 and +4.1% projected job growth through 2034, Cardiologist offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
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.
Also known as:
Cardiologist earn $496,010 nationally, well above the national median for college graduates. The middle 50% of earners fall between $274,280 and $610,060. Actual pay varies by employer, specialization, and location.
Well above average for college graduates.
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
The BLS projects +4.1% employment change for Cardiologist through 2034, roughly in line with the national average of +5%. About 600 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
About as fast as average.
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
The five states below employ the most Cardiologist professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $496,010 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 2,260 | — | — |
| 2 | Texas | 1,530 | $168,780 | -66.0% |
| 3 | Georgia | 1,520 | — | — |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 820 | — | — |
| 5 | Ohio | 770 | — | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
Most Cardiologist positions require a doctoral or professional degree to qualify. The program below is the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicine | 29,206 | $66,978 | 193 |
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 3 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 4 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 5 | Stanford University Stanford, CA | 92 | $13,807 | $124,080 |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
Once you've sized up Cardiologist, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
See if the degree that leads to Cardiologist pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
The data on Cardiologist shows 3 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
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Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
Only 95 of 385 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
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