Cardiac cath lab nurses earn a median of $96,600 per year ($46/hour) according to Salary.com’s May 2026 data — roughly on par with the general RN median, but with significant earning potential from mandatory call compensation that most salary surveys don’t capture. California, DC, Massachusetts, and coastal states consistently pay above $100,000, while Mississippi, Arkansas, and West Virginia sit below $90,000. Travel cath lab RNs earn substantially more: a national average of $2,705/week ($140,660 annualized), with top states like Delaware and Oregon exceeding $3,200/week.
At a glance:
- National median (Salary.com): $96,600/year
- ZipRecruiter national average: $140,603/year (includes total compensation)
- Vivian Health staff average: ~$45.59/hour
- Travel cath lab RN average: $2,705/week (Vivian Health, May 2026)
- Top-paying state: California/DC ($106,500–$106,900 median)
- Lowest-paying state: Mississippi ($86,100 median)
- Call pay adds: $5,000–$25,000/year depending on call volume
Why cath lab RN salary data varies so much across sources
Before reading any cath lab salary figure, understand what it’s measuring. BLS SOC code 29-1141 (Registered Nurses) does not separate cath lab RNs from floor nurses, ICU nurses, or any other specialty — the BLS occupational code covers all RNs. Every cath lab salary figure from Salary.com, ZipRecruiter, Vivian Health, or Glassdoor is derived from self-reported job postings, employer-reported data, or survey data rather than a government survey of cath lab jobs specifically.
This means two things: (1) salary figures will differ meaningfully across sources because they use different methodologies, and (2) the figures are genuinely useful as benchmarks even though they aren’t BLS-verified. Salary.com’s figures tend to be conservative (employer-sourced, closer to base salary). ZipRecruiter’s figures tend to run higher because they often reflect total compensation including call pay and overtime. Vivian Health figures are derived from actual posted travel and staff positions.
For this guide, figures are sourced and labeled by methodology throughout.
National average cardiac cath lab nurse salary
| Source | Average / Median | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salary.com (May 2026) | $96,600/yr ($46/hr) | Median; employer-sourced |
| Vivian Health (May 2026) | $45.59/hr (~$94,800/yr) | Staff RN posted rates; ~3% below general RN average |
| ZipRecruiter (May 2026) | $140,603/yr ($67.60/hr) | Average; includes total compensation |
| Glassdoor (2026) | ~$104,943/yr | Self-reported; may reflect total comp |
The Salary.com figure ($96,600) is the most conservative and likely best represents base salary at established hospitals. The ZipRecruiter figure ($140,603) appears to reflect total compensation including call pay, overtime, differentials, and shift bonuses — all of which are substantial in the cath lab.
Salary by experience level
Experience produces modest base salary increases in the cath lab, because pay is primarily driven by geography and facility type rather than years of service. Where experience creates real earnings growth is in call volume (senior RNs often self-select into higher call loads for the pay), shift differential negotiation, and eligibility for lead/charge roles with pay premiums.
| Experience level | Annual base salary (Salary.com) |
|---|---|
| Entry-level (less than 1 year) | $93,054 |
| Early career (1–2 years) | $93,860 |
| Mid-level (2–4 years) | $94,988 |
| Senior (5–8 years) | $96,842 |
| Expert (8+ years) | $99,260 |
The experience premium from entry-level to expert is approximately $6,200/year on base salary — modest. Most experienced cath lab RNs earn significantly more than this through call pay and overtime, which aren’t reflected in base salary data.
Call pay: the real earnings multiplier
Cardiac cath labs operate 24 hours a day for emergency procedures — STEMI activations, cardiac arrests requiring urgent intervention, hemodynamically unstable patients needing emergent catheterization. This means virtually all cath lab RNs carry mandatory call, and call compensation is a significant part of total earnings.
Typical call pay structure:
- Call stipend (on-standby): $3–6/hour while on call but not activated. An RN carrying 10 call shifts per month at 16 hours each earns $480–$960/month in call stipend alone before being called in a single time.
- Call-back pay: When activated, time begins at call-back rate, typically time-and-a-half of base hourly rate. Some facilities pay a flat call-back bonus ($100–$200) plus time-and-a-half from arrival.
- Minimum callback guarantee: Many labor contracts guarantee a minimum of 2–4 hours pay per callback, regardless of how quickly the procedure ends.
A cath lab RN at a facility with high overnight STEMI volume — a regional cardiac center, a large urban hospital, a trauma center — may be called in 3–6 times per month outside business hours. At $45–$55/hour on time-and-a-half, each callback adds $135–$330 to the paycheck. Over 12 months, regular call-back volume can add $15,000–$25,000 to a stated base salary. This component is rarely visible in standard salary database figures.
RCIS certification premium
The RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist, issued by Cardiovascular Credentialing International) is the primary specialty credential for cath lab professionals. Quantifying a precise certification premium is difficult because most salary databases don’t isolate it as a pay factor. However:
- Job postings that list RCIS as “required” typically fall in higher pay bands than those listing it as “preferred” or not mentioning it
- RCIS holders are more competitive for lead RN, charge, and senior cath lab positions that carry pay differentials
- Vivian Health’s data notes that the CV-BC (ANCC’s cardiac-vascular nursing certification) affects pay, though specific premium figures aren’t broken out
If you’re negotiating salary in the cath lab, holding the RCIS strengthens your position — particularly at facilities where it’s listed as a job requirement rather than a preference.
Travel cardiac cath lab RN salary
Travel cath lab nursing commands some of the highest weekly rates in the travel nursing market. Cath lab is a specialty where hospitals consistently struggle to staff call coverage, which elevates contract rates.
National travel cath lab RN averages (Vivian Health, May 2026):
- National average: $2,705/week
- This is 20% above the overall travel nursing average of $2,170/week
- Maximum posted rates: up to $4,222/week
Travel cath lab RN rates by state (Vivian Health, May 2026):
| State | Average weekly | Max weekly |
|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $3,353 | $4,285 |
| Oregon | $3,208 | $4,006 |
| South Dakota | $3,207 | $3,856 |
| Hawaii | $3,115 | $3,800 |
| New Jersey | $3,059 | $3,781 |
| New York | $3,066 | — |
| California | $3,020 | — |
| Pennsylvania | $2,920 | — |
| Texas | $2,769 | — |
| Colorado | $2,627 | — |
Annualized at 50 weeks worked, the national average travel rate ($2,705/week) equals $135,250/year — significantly above staff base salary. However, travel contracts typically don’t include employer-funded health benefits, paid time off, or retirement match, which adds $8,000–$15,000 in hidden value to staff positions. The net advantage of travel over staff work depends heavily on individual benefits packages and whether you need predictable scheduling.
Cardiac cath lab nurse salary by state
The table below uses Salary.com’s May 2026 employer-sourced median data for all 50 states and DC. These figures represent base salary for staff RNs — call pay and overtime are additional.
| State | Median annual salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $106,900 |
| California | $106,500 |
| Massachusetts | $105,100 |
| Washington | $104,700 |
| New Jersey | $104,700 |
| Alaska | $104,500 |
| Connecticut | $103,200 |
| New York | $102,600 |
| Hawaii | $100,900 |
| Rhode Island | $100,100 |
| Maryland | $99,600 |
| Minnesota | $98,800 |
| Colorado | $98,500 |
| Illinois | $98,400 |
| Oregon | $98,100 |
| Delaware | $97,800 |
| New Hampshire | $97,600 |
| Virginia | $97,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $96,100 |
| Nevada | $95,600 |
| North Dakota | $95,400 |
| Michigan | $95,100 |
| Wisconsin | $95,000 |
| Vermont | $94,800 |
| Texas | $94,200 |
| Arizona | $94,100 |
| Maine | $94,100 |
| Ohio | $94,000 |
| Georgia | $93,100 |
| Indiana | $92,700 |
| Wyoming | $92,600 |
| Utah | $92,500 |
| Iowa | $92,400 |
| Kansas | $91,900 |
| Louisiana | $91,800 |
| North Carolina | $91,800 |
| Missouri | $91,700 |
| Florida | $91,400 |
| Montana | $91,200 |
| Nebraska | $91,000 |
| Kentucky | $90,900 |
| South Carolina | $90,500 |
| Tennessee | $90,200 |
| Idaho | $90,100 |
| New Mexico | $89,400 |
| Oklahoma | $89,300 |
| Alabama | $88,700 |
| South Dakota | $87,800 |
| Arkansas | $87,200 |
| West Virginia | $87,000 |
| Mississippi | $86,100 |
Source: Salary.com, May 2026. Figures represent employer-reported base salary medians for the cardiac cath lab nurse job title. Significant variation exists within states based on facility type, system size, and union status.
Why some high-cost states cluster at the top: California, DC, Massachusetts, and New York have both high costs of living and strong hospital union activity (particularly in California, where SEIU and CNA contracts cover many hospital RNs). The base salaries in these states reflect collectively bargained rates as well as market pressure.
The Texas anomaly: Texas ($94,200) ranks lower than you’d expect for a large state with a high volume of cardiac procedures. Texas has no income tax, which means take-home pay is effectively higher than in states with 5–13% state income tax — a real factor when comparing California’s $106,500 against Texas’s $94,200.
Salary by work setting
Setting matters as much as geography:
| Setting | Pay level | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Large academic medical center | Highest base | Complex case mix, higher call volume, TAVR/structural heart programs |
| Regional cardiac center | High base + high call | High STEMI volume, frequent overnight callbacks |
| Community hospital (urban) | Moderate to high | Smaller case mix, lower call frequency |
| Community hospital (rural) | Moderate | Sometimes lower base, but rural differential may apply |
| Ambulatory surgical center (ASC) | Variable | Often no overnight call; lower total comp but better hours |
| Travel contract | Highest gross (no benefits) | 13-week contracts; call requirements negotiated per contract |
ASCs and outpatient catheterization labs are a growing segment — as lower-acuity diagnostic cath and elective PCI shift out of hospital settings, ASC cath lab positions are appearing more frequently. These positions typically have no overnight call, predictable hours, and competitive base pay — but they are fewer in number and typically require documented independent cath lab RN experience.
Is cath lab nursing worth the pay relative to ICU?
This is one of the most common questions from nurses weighing a move from critical care to cath lab. The honest comparison:
Base salary: Approximately equivalent. ICU RN and cath lab RN base salaries are similar in most markets.
Total compensation: Cath lab can be higher due to call pay, but only if your lab has significant after-hours volume. At a community hospital with low overnight STEMI rates, call pay may be minimal. At a high-volume cardiac center, call earnings are substantial.
Work environment: ICU is 12-hour shifts, typically 3 per week. Cath lab is often 8–10 hours of scheduled cases Mon–Fri, with call added. Many nurses find cath lab less physically exhausting than ICU (fewer patient lifts, no extended nights with a 2-patient assignment at 3 a.m.) — but the call burden is a real tradeoff.
Advancement: Cath lab experience is uniquely valuable for transitions into device company roles, structural heart programs, and interventional cardiology NP positions. ICU experience is more universally applicable for flight nursing, CRNA school, and a wider range of NP roles.
For more on cath lab career paths and certifications, see our guide to how to become a cardiac cath lab nurse. If you’re considering the NP pathway from cath lab, see our guide to how to become a cardiology NP.
Data sources: Salary.com (employer-sourced median, May 2026); Vivian Health (staff and travel RN posted rates, May 2026); ZipRecruiter (average total compensation, May 2026). BLS SOC 29-1141 covers all RNs and does not isolate cath lab salary — figures in this guide are specialty-source derived.