ChooseField
Quick answer · Balanced priorities

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians vs Radiation Therapists: what changes?

Consider Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians if you want to conduct tests on pulmonary or cardiovascular systems of patients for diagnostic, therapeutic, or research purposes. Consider Radiation Therapists if you would rather provide radiation therapy to patients as prescribed by a radiation oncologist according to established practices and standards. Both list associate's degree; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians and Radiation Therapists. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

National median pay (2025)
$74,310
Route into the job
Associate's degree
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG), phonocardiogram, echocardiogram, stress testing, or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity, using specialized electronic test equipment, recording devices, or laboratory instruments.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
3,400
Know before you choose

The work routinely happens in close physical proximity to other people; personal space is limited.

See the full Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians brief

Radiation Therapists

National median pay (2025)
$105,310
Route into the job
Associate's degree
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate
Position patients for treatment with accuracy, according to prescription.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
700
Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (17,400 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Radiation Therapists brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians has the edge on annual openings

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians is at 3,400 annual openings, compared with 700 annual openings for Radiation Therapists.

2

Radiation Therapists has the edge on median pay

Radiation Therapists is at $105,310, compared with $74,310 for Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians.

3

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians has the edge on projected growth

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians is at 3.7% projected growth, compared with 2.8% projected growth for Radiation Therapists.

54.3/ 100

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

vs
49.4/ 100

Radiation Therapists

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians vs Radiation Therapists

DimensionCardiovascular Technologists and TechniciansRadiation Therapists
Median pay (2025)$74,310$105,310
Pay percentile63.9 percentile86 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)3.7%2.8%
Annual openings (2025–2035)3,400700
2025 employment64,50017,400
How you qualifyAssociate's degreeAssociate's degree
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 3Job Zone 3
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingBLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians briefRead Radiation Therapists brief

Try another comparison

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians vs Radiologic Technologist

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
$74,310 · 3.7% growth
Radiologic Technologist
$80,110 · 5% growth
Compare careers →

Radiation Therapists vs Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Compare pay, growth, education, and the tradeoffs that affect the decision.

Radiation Therapists
$105,310 · 2.8% growth
Nuclear Medicine Technologists
$101,370 · 4.4% growth
Compare careers →
ChooseField compares fields using public labor-market and professional sources.