Average Cardiologist Salary Figures Analyzed for 2024

The average cardiologist salary is estimated at around $525,000 per year.

Cardiology is a difficult and complex medical service. Yet, surprisingly, there are only 172,110 active cardiologists in the U.S. as of 2023.

The healthcare industry is struggling to respond to the increasing number of patients.

Additionally, it may take a considerable while before this struggle is resolved, as the numbers predict the problem will get worse by 2030.

This is why cardiologists are at the top of the view when it comes to their salary, being the third highest-paid specialty in all of medicine.

In this guide, we’ll give you an insight into those numbers and how you can boost your cardiologist salary even more.

How Much Does the Average Cardiologist Earn?

The average cardiologist in the United States earns around $525,000 a year, according to Medscape’s 2024 Cardiologist Compensation Report. That’s a 3% rise over the previous year’s $507,000 per year.

In both 2023 and 2024, Cardiology was the third highest-paid specialty in the United States, right after orthopedics and plastic surgery.

The figure seems satisfying, but a strangely high 52% of cardiologists feel that their work demands more payment. They’re currently in the middle of the list when it comes to happiness with pay.

Other sources around the internet report significantly lower rates, but it’s because many factors can affect the salary. We’ll get to that in a few seconds. For now, here are the sources:

• ZipRecruiter (2024): $357,482 (base salary only without bonuses or incentives)
• Glassdoor (2024): $485,000 (including additional pay)
• Salary.com (2024):  $$451,900 (including additional pay)
• Payscale (2024): $358,805 (base salary only)

Is There a Gender  Payment Gap?

The report didn’t specifically mention a gender payment gap between men and women. However, male specialists, in general, earn an average of $394,000 a year compared to females, who earn a slightly lower $382,000. That’s approximately 3%, the lowest it has been in the last five years to date.

Related: How Female Physicians Can Counteract the Gender Pay Gap

Cardiology Income Varies Depending on the Specialty

Physician compensation always varies depending on years of experience.

Physicians further along in their careers almost always make more than newly licensed physicians. However, in cardiology, subspecialty is also a key factor in earning potential.

There are three main categories of cardiology practice:

1. Invasive
2. Interventional
3. Non-invasive

Salaries for non-invasive cardiologists are on the lower end of the spectrum. In contrast, invasive and interventional cardiologists are some of the top earners in all of medicine.

The average salary estimates for different types of cardiologists based on job title and area of expertise are as follows:

• Interventional Cardiologists: $392,000
• Invasive Cardiologists: $477,925
• Non-invasive Cardiologists: $438,600

Within those three main categories, here’s how the average annual salaries of sub-specialists stack up:

• Electrophysiologists:$357,482
• Cardiac Transplant Surgeon:$339,174
• Nuclear Cardiologists: $252,000
• Echocardiologists: $135,512
• Pediatrics: $310,804

Discover: Where Do Electrophysiologists Make the Most Competitive Salaries?

Where Do Cardiologists Earn the Most?

Aside from your specialty, where you work also has a significant impact on how much salary a cardiology physician will earn, and it’s not just about the cost of living.

For example, here are the top-paying states where cardiologists thrive the most:

State	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Alaska	$404,106	$33,675	$7,771	$194.28
Oregon	$403,835	$33,652	$7,766	$194.15
North Dakota	$402,345	$33,528	$7,737	$193.44
Massachusetts	$401,778	$33,481	$7,726	$193.16
Washington	$395,753	$32,979	$7,610	$190.27
Hawaii	$394,139	$32,844	$7,579	$189.49
Nevada	$382,088	$31,840	$7,347	$183.70
Colorado	$381,307	$31,775	$7,332	$183.32
South Dakota	$380,259	$31,688	$7,312	$182.82
Iowa	$377,325	$31,443	$7,256	$181.41

On the other hand, here are the states where the cardiologist salary is on the low side:

State	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Michigan	$315,764	$26,313	$6,072	$151.81
Arizona	$314,799	$26,233	$6,053	$151.35
Montana	$310,056	$25,838	$5,962	$149.07
Alabama	$306,185	$25,515	$5,888	$147.20
Tennessee	$302,884	$25,240	$5,824	$145.62
Arkansas	$300,972	$25,081	$5,787	$144.70
Georgia	$285,237	$23,769	$5,485	$137.13
Louisiana	$285,073	$23,756	$5,482	$137.05
West Virginia	$262,511	$21,875	$5,048	$126.21
Florida	$252,438	$21,036	$4,854	$121.36

Source: ZipRecruiter (2024)

The Northeast and Western regions of the country pay cardiologists the least. Even though they have some of the highest costs of living, This is due, in part, to the fact that hospitals and practices in these regions usually have an easier time attracting top-tier talent.

Rural areas in the Midwest and South often have a more difficult time attracting experienced, talented physicians. This forces hospitals and practices in these regions to pay higher salaries to meet the supply and demand for cardiologists.

Why Do Some States Pay Cardiologists More?

Physicians, including cardiologists, almost always earn more when the demand for their skills is high and the supply of experienced physicians is low.

Regardless of why cardiologist shortages exist, states that have the biggest shortages of physicians usually pay the highest salaries — and those aren’t necessarily the states that have the highest costs of living or even a large aging population.

While the cost of living can also contribute to an income in cardiology, supply and demand usually have the largest impact on how much a cardiac physician is paid.

Related: 10 Best States to Practice Medicine

How Can You Protect Your Cardiology Income?

While there are salary ranges between primary care and specialty care, all physicians in the healthcare industry can take preventative measures to protect their income, license, and financial future.

Protect Yourself With a Professional Contract Review

Except for a cardiologist who owns their own practice, every employed cardiac specialist will be presented with an employment contract at some point in their career.

And no matter how many employment contracts you’ve signed in the past, every employment contract needs to undergo a thorough and professional review.

An employment contract review is the best way to ensure that your compensation is fair, that the responsibilities and duties of your job are what you expect them to be, and that the terms of your exit or termination are clearly stated.

A contract review is also a way to make sure that nothing has been omitted from the contract.

Therefore, here are some of the terms your contract should cover:

• Insurance benefits
• PTO
• Restrictive covenants
• CME reimbursements
• Ownership or partnership agreements (when applicable)

Therefore, without an attorney to review your contract, you could be in jeopardy of having to work under restrictive covenants, pay for medical malpractice tail insurance long after your contract ends, or take on longer shifts.

To learn more about contract review, read our Definitive Guide to Physician Contract Review now.

Protect Your Future Cardiologist Salary With Disability Insurance

Disability insurance is the single best way to protect your future unearned cardiology income.

Should you suffer an illness or injury that prevents you from working in the field of cardiology, disability insurance allows you to earn a portion of your income for a few years, all the way up to the age of retirement.

Disability insurance is not just for older physicians or cardiologists already suffering from current medical conditions. A disability can occur at any point in life. Therefore, it’s vital for younger physicians who stand to earn millions of future dollars throughout their careers.

Without disability insurance, you could find yourself in a position where you’re earning zero income or working in a role that pays far less than a job as a cardiologist would.

For more information on disability insurance and how to choose the right provider, click here to contact Physicians Thrive now.

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