Cardiac Nurse salary: $77.75/hr median.
Across 8,793 active postings · 9 titles with data · 49 states.
Browse Cardiac Nurse salary titles in Registered Nurse (RN), including posting volume, median pay, state coverage, and role-level comparisons.
How Cardiac Nurse pay is distributed across the market.
10% of postings pay under $69.98. The top 10% pay above $87.50.
How Cardiac Nurse pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $75.96 in Apr 2026 to $51.17 in Oct 2026 (-32.6%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
Cardiac Nurse pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 49 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
CITY PAY DATA
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The most common job titles in Cardiac Nurse.
These are the individual job titles that make up the Cardiac Nurse track, ranked by active posting volume over the last 6 months.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cath Lab Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $78.04 | $74.15–$82.89 | 7,304 |
| Cardiac Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $75.47 | $66.21–$82.31 | 412 |
| Cardiovascular OR Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $70.41 | $64.40–$79.00 | 408 |
| Electrophysiology Lab Nurse (EP Nurse) | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $78.32 | $75.00–$83.45 | 342 |
| EP Lab Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $76.53 | $73.95–$80.88 | 178 |
| Cardiology Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $74.30 | $67.79–$83.15 | 73 |
| Coronary Care Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $69.75 | $59.34–$77.62 | 58 |
| Cardiac Stepdown Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $64.38 | $62.72–$73.82 | 16 |
| Cardiac Rehab Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $37.50 | $36.25–$38.75 | 2 |
Highest-paying job titles in the Cardiac Nurse track.
| Role | Category · Track | Median /hr | P25–P75 | Postings | Δ pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrophysiology Lab Nurse (EP Nurse) | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $78.32 | $75.00–$83.45 | 342 | ▲ 5.7% |
| Cath Lab Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $78.04 | $74.15–$82.89 | 7,304 | ▲ 5.3% |
| EP Lab Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $76.53 | $73.95–$80.88 | 178 | — flat |
| Cardiac Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $75.47 | $66.21–$82.31 | 412 | — flat |
| Cardiology Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $74.30 | $67.79–$83.15 | 73 | ▲ 56.4% |
| Cardiovascular OR Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $70.41 | $64.40–$79.00 | 408 | — flat |
| Coronary Care Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $69.75 | $59.34–$77.62 | 58 | — flat |
| Cardiac Stepdown Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $64.38 | $62.72–$73.82 | 16 | — flat |
| Cardiac Rehab Nurse | Registered Nurse (RN) · Cardiac Nurse | $37.50 | $36.25–$38.75 | 2 | — flat |
How to become a Cardiac Nurse.
Registered Nurses provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and families about health conditions, and provide emotional support throughout treatment. The RN umbrella spans every clinical specialty — from ICU and ER to labor & delivery, oncology, OR, and ambulatory care — so the licensing path is shared but specialty training comes after.
Most RNs complete either an ADN or a BSN, then pass the NCLEX-RN to earn state licensure. The market has shifted decisively toward BSN-preferred (and increasingly BSN-required) hospital hiring — Magnet-designated and academic medical centers typically require a BSN, and many hospitals will hire ADNs only on the condition they complete an RN-to-BSN bridge within 3-5 years.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree in NursingADN | 2-3 years | Entry-level nursing degree offered at community colleges. Qualifies graduates to take NCLEX-RN. |
| Bachelor of Science in NursingBSN | 4 years | Preferred by most hospitals and required for many positions, including Magnet-designated facilities. Opens doors to leadership and specialized roles. |
| Accelerated BSNABSN | 12-18 months | Intensive program for students who already hold a non-nursing bachelor's degree. Lets career-changers reach NCLEX eligibility quickly. |
| Master of Science in NursingMSN | 2-3 years post-BSN | Required for advanced practice roles like Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or nurse leadership. |
| Direct-Entry MSN | 3 years | Combined RN-to-APRN route for non-nursing bachelor's holders who want to become an RN and an APRN in one program. |
State-issued license required to practice nursing. Must pass NCLEX-RN and meet your state board's background and education requirements.
CPR and basic emergency cardiovascular care certification — required at hire by essentially every inpatient employer.
Multi-state license available in compact states (~40 states as of 2026). Valuable for travel nursing and telehealth — your home-state license lets you practice in any other compact state without re-applying.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| CCRN Critical Care Registered Nurse Standard credential for ICU/critical care RNs. Requires ~1,750 hours of direct critical-care experience. | AACN | +8-15% |
| CEN Certified Emergency Nurse Validates specialty knowledge in emergency department nursing. | BCEN | +5-10% |
| PCCN Progressive Care Certified Nurse For nurses caring for acutely ill adult patients in step-down and progressive care units. | AACN | +5-10% |
| RNC-OB Registered Nurse Certified - Inpatient Obstetric Specialty certification for labor & delivery and high-risk OB nurses. | NCC | +5-10% |
| OCN Oncology Certified Nurse Validates expertise in adult oncology nursing — infusion, inpatient, and outpatient settings. | ONCC | +5-10% |
| CNOR Certified Perioperative Nurse Standard for OR/perioperative nurses; demonstrates competence across surgical specialties. | CCI | +5-10% |
- 0-1 yearsNew Graduate RN / Residency
Entry-level position, often in a structured 6-12 month nurse residency program. Focus on building foundational bedside skills with preceptor support.
- 1-3 yearsStaff RN
Independent bedside nurse with growing autonomy and clinical judgment. Often the point at which a nurse picks a specialty (ICU, ER, OR, L&D, etc.).
- 3-5 yearsSenior RN / Charge Nurse
Takes on leadership responsibilities, mentors new nurses, coordinates unit activities. Typically holds a specialty certification.
- 5-8 yearsClinical Nurse Specialist or Nurse Educator
Advanced roles requiring MSN. Focus on improving care quality, evidence-based practice, or training staff.
- 8+ yearsNurse Manager / Director
Leadership oversight of nursing units, budgets, and staff. MSN often required; MBA or DNP common at the director level.
- 15+ yearsChief Nursing Officer (CNO)
Executive leadership overseeing all nursing operations across a hospital or system. Requires MSN/DNP and extensive operational experience.
Schedule. Inpatient nursing is dominated by 12-hour shifts (typically 3 shifts per week). Outpatient roles run business hours with no nights/weekends. Travel contracts are usually 13 weeks at 36-48 hours per week.
Physical demands. Physically demanding: long stretches on your feet, frequent patient lifting and repositioning, and consistent exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Emotionally demanding in acute care.
Nursing remains one of the fastest-growing US occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects ~193,000 RN openings per year through 2032, driven by an aging population, retiring baby-boomer nurses, and the continued post-pandemic acuity bump. Travel and per-diem rates have settled below 2021-2022 peaks but remain above pre-pandemic baselines.