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Cardiac Nurse Salary 2026: Cath Lab, CV-ICU & Telemetry Pay by State
Cardiac Nurse Salary 2026: Cath Lab, CV-ICU & Telemetry Pay by State
The average cardiac nurse salary in 2026 is $90,000/year ($43.27/hour) nationally — one of the highest-compensated nursing specialties outside of anesthesia and travel contracts. Cardiac nursing spans a wide acuity range: from monitored telemetry floors to the high-intensity Cath Lab and Cardiovascular ICU, where complex arrhythmia management and post-CABG care require advanced certifications and procedural skills.
Cardiac Nurse Salary by State (2026)
| State | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | $113,000 | UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai, UCSF Heart; Cath Lab highest-paid in state |
| New York | $106,000 | NYU Langone Heart, Columbia, Mount Sinai; CEPS premium in EP labs |
| Washington | $101,000 | UW Medicine Heart, Swedish First Hill; strong union base |
| Massachusetts | $99,000 | Brigham Heart, Mass General, Beth Israel Deaconess |
| Oregon | $95,000 | Providence Heart, OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute |
| Minnesota | $90,000 | Mayo Clinic Heart Rhythm Institute; world-class EP nursing demand |
| Colorado | $88,000 | UCHealth Heart and Vascular; CU Anschutz Medical Campus |
| Texas | $85,000 | Texas Heart Institute, Baylor Scott & White Heart; Houston Cath Lab market |
| Florida | $82,000 | Cleveland Clinic FL, AdventHealth Heart, NCH Cardiology (Naples) |
| Ohio | $82,000 | Cleveland Clinic Main Campus; OhioHealth Heart and Vascular |
| North Carolina | $80,000 | Duke Heart, Wake Forest Baptist, Atrium Health Cardiovascular |
| Tennessee | $79,000 | Vanderbilt Heart, St. Thomas West; Nashville cardiac center density |
Cardiac Nurse Salary by Setting (2026)
| Setting | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cath Lab / Interventional Cardiology | $98,000–$118,000 | Highest-paying cardiac setting; on-call stipends; RCIS certification common |
| Electrophysiology (EP) Lab | $96,000–$115,000 | Complex arrhythmia ablations; CEPS certification; national shortage |
| Cardiovascular ICU (CV-ICU / CSICU) | $92,000–$112,000 | Post-open heart care; CCRN + CSC cert preferred; 1:2 ratios common |
| Cardiac Step-Down / PCU | $82,000–$98,000 | Post-cath, post-cath lab monitoring; telemetry competency required |
| Telemetry / Monitored Cardiac Floor | $75,000–$90,000 | ACLS required; rhythm strip interpretation essential; large staffed units |
| Cardiac Rehab | $65,000–$78,000 | Outpatient; AACVPR-certified programs; day shift; strong patient relationships |
| Cardiology Clinic / Outpatient | $62,000–$76,000 | Electrophysiology or general cardiology office; no nights/weekends in most |
Cardiac Nursing Certifications & Pay Impact
- CCRN (Cardiac): AACN critical care certification for CV-ICU nurses. Adds 4–6% base; required at Magnet facilities for senior staff. Eligibility: 1,750 hours acute/critical care in past 2 years.
- CMC (Cardiac Medicine Certification): AACN step-down/PCU specialty cert. Adds 4–6%; recognized by most HCA, Tenet, and community hospital systems. Exam: $230 for AACN members.
- CSC (Cardiac Surgery Certification): AACN certification for open-heart post-surgical care. Adds 5–8%; near-required for CV-ICU charge roles at cardiac surgery centers.
- CEPS (Certified Electrophysiology Specialist): IBHRE certification for EP lab nurses. Adds 7–10%; extreme shortage of CEPS-credentialed nurses drives aggressive compensation at major EP centers.
- RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist): CCI credential for Cath Lab nurses. Adds 5–8% at many centers; some hospitals pay differential per shift for RCIS holders.
Travel Cardiac Nurse Pay (2026)
Travel cardiac nurses — especially Cath Lab and CV-ICU — are among the highest-paid travel specialties, averaging $2,000–$2,800/week all-in. Cath Lab travel contracts are particularly competitive because the skill set (sterile technique, contrast reaction management, hemodynamic monitoring) is narrow, hospitals cannot quickly train per-diem staff, and on-call requirements limit the traveler pool further. Telemetry travel contracts run $1,600–$2,100/week — above med-surg but below critical care.
On-Call Premium: The Hidden Cardiac Benefit
Cath Lab and EP Lab nurses are routinely on call for emergency cardiac catheterizations, STEMI activations, and urgent device implants. On-call pay structures typically include a standby rate ($4–$8/hour while on call) plus a 1.5–2× hourly rate for hours actually worked. A Cath Lab nurse taking two on-call shifts per week can add $8,000–$18,000/year to base salary, making stated base pay a significant undercount of total compensation.
Related: ICU Nurse Salary 2026, ER Nurse Salary 2026, Travel Nurse Salary 2026.
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