Cardiac rehab nurses earn a national median of approximately $79,000–$90,000 per year in base salary, according to Salary.com and ZipRecruiter data compiled for May 2026. This sits below the all-RN median ($94,480, BLS May 2024) primarily because cardiac rehab is an outpatient, weekday specialty — without the night shift differentials, weekend premiums, and overtime that inflate total compensation for inpatient nurses. However, base-to-base comparisons are more favorable: cardiac rehab salaries are competitive with outpatient nursing generally, and the compensation package includes something many outpatient roles don’t offer: clinical cardiac specialty standing and a straightforward Monday–Friday schedule.
At a glance:
- National median base salary (Salary.com, May 2026): ~$82,000–$88,000/year
- ZipRecruiter national average: ~$79,000–$84,000/year
- BLS all-RN median (SOC 29-1141): $94,480/year (May 2024) — includes inpatient nurses with differentials; not cardiac rehab-specific
- Top-paying states: California, New York, Washington, Massachusetts
- CCRP certification premium: $1–$3/hour at employers with formal certification pay structures
- Career ceiling (cardiology NP): $120,000–$170,000
- Travel cardiac rehab RN market: limited; see section below
Why cardiac rehab nurse salary figures are lower than inpatient cardiac nursing
The salary gap between cardiac rehab nursing and inpatient cardiac specialties (telemetry, CVICU, cath lab) is real but often misunderstood. The base salary difference is smaller than it appears in headline comparisons.
Here is what the comparison actually looks like:
| Compensation component | Cardiac rehab RN (outpatient) | Telemetry RN (inpatient) |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $79,000–$92,000 | $82,000–$100,000 |
| Night shift differential | None (outpatient daytime only) | $4–$7/hr (~$8,000–$15,000/year) |
| Weekend premium | None | $3–$6/hr (~$3,000–$8,000/year) |
| Holiday pay | Standard business holiday observance | Double time or additional PTO |
| Overtime | Limited — outpatient clinic rarely runs over | Available and common in inpatient |
| Schedule stability | High — M–F predictable | Variable with rotating shifts |
| Typical total cash (experienced) | $79,000–$92,000 | $95,000–$120,000 |
The inpatient total compensation advantage is real — typically $10,000–$25,000 more in total cash annually for experienced nurses, driven almost entirely by differentials and overtime, not base salary. If you’re making the transition from inpatient cardiac nursing to cardiac rehab, you should price this in.
The counterargument nurses in cardiac rehab consistently make: total compensation is not total life quality. A predictable Monday–Friday schedule, no nights, no holidays, and a lower-acuity patient environment represent real value that does not show up in a compensation table.
Data sources and their limitations
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes wage data under SOC code 29-1141 (Registered Nurses), but this covers all RNs regardless of specialty or setting. BLS does not report cardiac rehabilitation nursing as a distinct category. The BLS May 2024 mean annual wage of $94,480 for all registered nurses is the closest official benchmark available, but it reflects the full RN workforce — including inpatient nurses, travel nurses, and nurses in high-differential specialties — so it overstates what a straight-time outpatient cardiac rehab nurse earns.
Specialty salary figures for cardiac rehab RNs come from:
- Salary.com — employer-sourced compensation database; reflects base salary; good for benchmarking base pay
- ZipRecruiter — job posting aggregation; may blend base and total comp depending on how postings are structured
- Vivian Health — posted hourly rates from healthcare employers; less coverage for outpatient cardiac rehab than for inpatient specialties (travel cardiac rehab market is thin)
- PayScale — self-reported figures from employed nurses; useful for trajectory data by experience level
For this guide, all figures are labeled with their source. Where source-specific figures for cardiac rehab RNs were not available, the data reflects outpatient cardiovascular nursing or outpatient specialty RN compensation as the closest available proxy.
National average cardiac rehab nurse salary
| Source | Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salary.com | ~$82,000–$88,000/yr | Base salary; employer-sourced; median |
| ZipRecruiter | ~$79,000–$84,000/yr | Job posting aggregation |
| PayScale | ~$66,000–$93,000/yr | Self-reported range; mid-career median ~$76,000 |
| BLS (all RNs, SOC 29-1141) | $94,480/yr ($45.42/hr) | Federal survey; all RNs; not cardiac rehab-specific; includes inpatient |
The Salary.com and ZipRecruiter figures best represent what cardiac rehab nursing positions actually post and pay. The BLS all-RN figure is included for reference but should not be used as a cardiac rehab-specific benchmark — it will always be higher because it includes high-differential inpatient specialties.
Use the $80,000–$88,000 range as your realistic baseline for cardiac rehab RN base salary in an average-cost-of-living market.
Salary by experience level
Experience in cardiac rehab follows a moderate upward trajectory, more predictable than inpatient nursing because outpatient settings rarely offer the overtime and differential income that accelerates total compensation in hospitals. Base salary increases with seniority, leadership responsibilities, and certification.
| Experience level | Annual base salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level (0–1 year in cardiac rehab; 1–3 years total RN) | $68,000–$76,000 | Typically 1–2 years prior cardiac experience required before hire |
| Early career (2–4 years in cardiac rehab) | $74,000–$82,000 | CCRP obtainable in first year; certification premium applies here |
| Mid-career (5–9 years) | $80,000–$88,000 | Coordinator responsibilities common; leadership premium begins |
| Senior (10+ years) | $85,000–$95,000 | Often includes program coordination, preceptorship, or director duties |
| Program coordinator / director | $90,000–$130,000 | Administrative + clinical hybrid; scope varies by facility size |
Source: Salary.com, PayScale, and ZipRecruiter data May 2026, cross-referenced against outpatient cardiovascular RN posting data on Vivian Health.
Note on new-graduate entry: cardiac rehab is not typically a new-graduate destination. Most programs require 1–2 years of cardiac or telemetry floor experience before hire. “Entry-level” in the table above means entry-level to cardiac rehab specifically, not entry-level as a new RN. See the how to become a cardiac rehab nurse guide for the standard experience pathway.
CCRP certification salary premium
The Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) credential from AACVPR is the primary specialty certification in this field. Whether it pays more depends on your employer’s compensation structure.
Hospital-based programs with formal certification pay policies: Many large hospital systems offer certification pay differentials of $1–$3/hour for nurses holding relevant specialty certifications. Applied to a full-time schedule, this translates to approximately $2,080–$6,240 annually in additional compensation — meaningful relative to the exam cost ($250–$350).
Physician-office and smaller outpatient programs: Less likely to have formal certification differential structures. CCRP may be a preference rather than a paid credential at these sites.
Indirect salary impact: Even where CCRP has no formal pay differential, it affects salary in two ways. First, it makes you a stronger negotiating candidate when entering a new position or negotiating annual reviews. Second, it is typically required or strongly preferred for program coordinator and director roles — positions that carry significant salary increases over staff RN pay.
If you’re evaluating whether to pursue CCRP, the financial calculation is favorable even in the absence of a formal differential: the exam fee is $250–$350, and the credential is renewable for 3 years with continuing education (not re-examination). At nearly any organization offering a $1/hour certification premium, it pays back within 4 months.
For full CCRP eligibility details, exam format, and renewal requirements, see the cardiac rehab nurse career guide.
Salary by setting
Where you work in cardiac rehab affects your pay, your schedule, and the scope of your patient population. Hospital-affiliated programs generally pay more than community or physician-office settings, though the difference is more modest than in inpatient nursing.
| Setting | Annual salary range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital-based outpatient cardiac rehab | $82,000–$95,000 | Highest base pay; often unionized in major markets; formal certification differentials more common |
| Academic medical center program | $85,000–$98,000 | Highest-end salaries; research involvement possible; BSN or higher typically required |
| Physician-office based program | $72,000–$85,000 | Lower base; smaller team; broader scope (you may do more administrative coordination) |
| YMCA / community-based Phase III program | $55,000–$72,000 | Phase III programs are not Medicare-reimbursed; typically the lowest pay in the cardiac rehab space; may not require RN (exercise physiologist model common) |
| VA (Veterans Affairs) health system | $78,000–$95,000 | Federal pay scale; GS classification; geographic locality pay adds significantly in high-cost markets |
| Multi-site health system (regional cardiac rehab network) | $82,000–$96,000 | Coordination across sites may add coordinator-level responsibilities and pay |
The YMCA/Phase III compensation figure deserves a note: many Phase III community programs do not hire registered nurses at all. They are typically staffed by certified exercise physiologists and fitness professionals. If your goal is nursing practice with full clinical scope, Phase II hospital-based and physician-office programs are your target market.
Cardiac rehab nurse salary by state
State-level salary variation in cardiac rehab nursing closely tracks the broader RN salary geography: higher cost-of-living states with strong union presence (California, New York, Washington, Massachusetts) consistently pay more. Southern and rural states with lower cost of living and weaker union density pay less.
The following table reflects Salary.com and BLS RN data applied to outpatient cardiovascular nursing, cross-referenced with Vivian Health posted outpatient cardiac RN positions where available. Because BLS does not separate cardiac rehab RNs from the all-RN category, state figures below represent the best available estimate for outpatient cardiac specialty RN compensation, scaled from state-level RN median data. These are estimates, not precision-sourced specialty figures.
| State | Estimated annual salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | $100,000–$120,000 | Highest-paying state for RNs broadly; strong union presence; AB 1976 staff ratios add clinical employment value |
| Washington | $95,000–$112,000 | High-wage state; Seattle market drives significant uplift |
| Massachusetts | $92,000–$108,000 | Academic medical center concentration in Boston area |
| New York | $90,000–$108,000 | NYC-area programs pay significantly above upstate |
| Alaska | $88,000–$105,000 | Geographic premium applies; smaller cardiac rehab market overall |
| Connecticut | $86,000–$102,000 | Dense hospital concentration; Hartford and New Haven markets |
| New Jersey | $86,000–$100,000 | NYC metro proximity; strong cardiac referral volume |
| Oregon | $85,000–$99,000 | Portland metro drives uplift |
| Hawaii | $83,000–$97,000 | Geographic premium; state-employed or large health system setting |
| Minnesota | $82,000–$94,000 | Mayo Clinic and large health systems anchor the high end |
| Illinois | $81,000–$93,000 | Chicago metro significantly higher than downstate |
| Colorado | $80,000–$92,000 | Denver market; growing health system presence |
| Maryland | $80,000–$93,000 | DC proximity and federal VA/military health systems |
| Virginia | $79,000–$91,000 | Northern Virginia commands significant premium over rest of state |
| Pennsylvania | $78,000–$90,000 | Philadelphia and Pittsburgh markets above rural PA |
| Michigan | $77,000–$89,000 | Large health systems anchor pay in Detroit and Ann Arbor |
| Ohio | $76,000–$88,000 | Solid cardiac rehabilitation market volume |
| Wisconsin | $76,000–$87,000 | Major health systems in Milwaukee and Madison |
| Nevada | $77,000–$90,000 | Las Vegas market carries premium; rural Nevada is very limited |
| Arizona | $76,000–$88,000 | Phoenix metro well above state average |
| Georgia | $74,000–$86,000 | Atlanta metro versus rural Georgia diverge significantly |
| North Carolina | $74,000–$86,000 | Research Triangle area above state median |
| Texas | $73,000–$85,000 | Large state; Austin/Dallas/Houston versus rural diverge widely |
| Florida | $73,000–$85,000 | No state income tax offsets lower nominal wages for some nurses |
| Missouri | $73,000–$84,000 | St. Louis academic medical centers anchor the high end |
| Indiana | $72,000–$83,000 | Indianapolis-based health systems lead |
| Kansas | $72,000–$82,000 | Smaller cardiac rehab market |
| Nebraska | $72,000–$83,000 | Omaha health system concentration |
| Iowa | $71,000–$82,000 | Solid clinical market; lower cost of living adjusts effective salary |
| Kentucky | $71,000–$82,000 | Louisville academic medical center anchors state high end |
| Utah | $72,000–$83,000 | Salt Lake City health system market |
| New Mexico | $71,000–$82,000 | University of New Mexico health system primary employer |
| Idaho | $70,000–$80,000 | Smaller market; limited cardiac rehab program volume |
| South Carolina | $70,000–$81,000 | Charleston and Columbia academic programs lead |
| Oklahoma | $69,000–$80,000 | Smaller clinical market |
| Tennessee | $70,000–$82,000 | Nashville health corridor: HCA and Vanderbilt anchor high end |
| Arkansas | $68,000–$78,000 | Limited large cardiac rehab program presence |
| Louisiana | $68,000–$79,000 | New Orleans academic medical center is primary high-end employer |
| Alabama | $68,000–$78,000 | UAB Health System anchors state high end |
| West Virginia | $67,000–$77,000 | Limited major health system presence |
| Mississippi | $66,000–$76,000 | Lowest-paying state for RNs broadly; cardiac rehab market is limited |
| North Dakota | $71,000–$81,000 | Smaller market; geographic premium for rural practice |
| South Dakota | $70,000–$80,000 | Similar to North Dakota |
| Montana | $70,000–$80,000 | Rural setting; limited cardiac rehab volume |
| Wyoming | $70,000–$80,000 | Very small health system market |
| Vermont | $78,000–$89,000 | Small state; UVMHN anchor employer |
| New Hampshire | $79,000–$90,000 | Boston metro spillover effect on northern New England wages |
| Maine | $75,000–$86,000 | MaineHealth system primary employer |
| Delaware | $79,000–$91,000 | Philadelphia metro proximity |
| Rhode Island | $80,000–$93,000 | Dense hospital market relative to state size |
| District of Columbia | $88,000–$105,000 | Federal employment, academic medical centers, and metro pay scale |
Travel cardiac rehab nursing — a limited market
Unlike inpatient specialties such as ICU, emergency, or telemetry nursing, the travel staffing market for cardiac rehab RNs is thin. Here is why, and what to know if you’re exploring it.
Why travel cardiac rehab is uncommon:
Phase II outpatient cardiac rehabilitation programs operate on a structured, long-term patient relationship model. Patients attend 36 sessions over up to 36 weeks with the same clinical team. The consistency of staff is clinically and programmatically significant — travel nurses rotate on 13-week contracts, which misaligns with the program model. Medicare’s conditions of participation for cardiac rehab programs emphasize physician supervision and individualized program management; high staff turnover works against this.
Additionally, cardiac rehab programs are not typically “surge staffing” environments. They operate at stable volume driven by cardiac referral rates from affiliated cardiology and cardiac surgery practices. The emergency surge staffing needs that drive travel nursing in inpatient settings do not typically apply here.
Does it exist at all?
Yes, in limited circumstances. Hospital systems with multiple outpatient cardiac rehab sites, staffing shortages in specific rural or underserved markets, or programs expanding capacity rapidly may use contract staffing. Some health systems post cardiac rehab RN roles through travel agencies. Travel rates, where they exist, are likely in the $35–$48/hour range — lower than inpatient travel telemetry or ICU rates, reflecting the outpatient setting and lower procedural intensity.
If travel cardiac rehab nursing is a specific goal, search Vivian Health, HealthTrust, and AMN Healthcare for current availability. Availability is inconsistent and market-dependent.
Career ceiling: beyond cardiac rehab staff RN
Cardiac rehab nursing has well-defined advancement paths, both within the specialty and into advanced practice.
Within cardiac rehab
Cardiac rehab coordinator: Hybrid clinical-administrative role managing program scheduling, patient flow, outcomes reporting, insurance pre-authorization, and staff coordination. Typically requires several years of cardiac rehab experience and CCRP certification. Salary range: $85,000–$100,000.
Cardiac rehab program director: Full program leadership including budgeting, staffing, regulatory compliance (AACVPR program certification, Joint Commission accreditation), quality outcomes reporting to health system leadership, and physician relationship management. Often requires a master’s degree or significant leadership experience. Salary range: $90,000–$130,000 depending on program size and health system.
Advanced practice paths
Cardiology NP (APRN): The most common advanced practice destination for experienced cardiac rehab nurses. Graduate preparation in Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP (AGPCNP) or Adult-Gerontology Acute Care NP (AGACNP), followed by cardiology specialty practice in outpatient clinics, inpatient consultation services, or advanced heart failure programs. Salary range: $120,000–$170,000. See our full guide to becoming a cardiology NP.
Cardiology PA: Less common transition from nursing, but possible for nurses who pursue PA training rather than NP. Similar salary range to cardiology NP.
Cardiac rehabilitation researcher / outcomes specialist: Academic or health system roles focused on program quality data, AACVPR registry participation, outcomes improvement research. Salary varies by institution; typically $85,000–$115,000 at academic medical centers.
Comparison table: cardiac nursing career salaries
| Role | Typical annual salary | Education required |
|---|---|---|
| Staff cardiac rehab RN | $79,000–$92,000 | RN (ADN or BSN); CCRP preferred |
| Telemetry RN (inpatient) | $88,000–$110,000 (with differentials) | RN; PCCN preferred |
| CVICU nurse | $95,000–$120,000 (with differentials) | RN BSN; CCRN required in most ICUs |
| Cardiac rehab coordinator | $85,000–$100,000 | RN + CCRP + experience |
| Cardiac rehab program director | $90,000–$130,000 | RN + CCRP + management experience |
| Cardiology NP | $120,000–$170,000 | MSN/DNP + NP license + cardiology fellowship |
For context on the inpatient cardiac nursing salaries in this table, see our CVICU nurse salary guide and telemetry nurse salary guide. For the national RN baseline, see our RN salary guide.
How to maximize your cardiac rehab salary
Get CCRP certified within your first year. The 1,200-hour eligibility threshold is achievable in 7–10 months of full-time practice. At employers with $1–$3/hour certification differentials, the annual return far exceeds the exam cost. At employers without formal differentials, the credential strengthens your next negotiation.
Target hospital-based programs over community-based. Hospital-affiliated programs pay more, offer better benefits, and provide clearer career tracks than YMCA or standalone community programs. The clinical scope is also more robust.
Negotiate initial salary aggressively. Outpatient programs have more scheduling flexibility than inpatient units, which can mean more range in base offer. Know the local market rate before you accept. Use Salary.com’s state-specific data and, if available, Vivian Health’s outpatient cardiac postings as benchmarks.
Build toward coordinator and director roles intentionally. The largest salary increases in cardiac rehab come from role transitions — staff RN to coordinator, coordinator to director — not from annual merit increases within a role. If long-term salary growth matters to you, target programs with an internal advancement track.
Consider the NP pathway if salary ceiling matters. Cardiology NP is the most significant salary expansion available to cardiac rehab nurses without moving into administration. If you’re 3–5 years into cardiac rehab and want to substantially increase your earnings, graduate school is a more reliable path than waiting for senior staff RN pay to compound.
Related guides
- How to become a cardiac rehab nurse — full career path guide with CCRP certification details
- How to become a cardiology NP — career ceiling and advanced practice path from cardiac rehab
- RN salary: national and state breakdown — all-RN baseline salary for comparison
- Telemetry nurse salary — salary comparison for the most common entry-point specialty
- How to become a telemetry nurse — building cardiac experience for the rehab pathway
- How to become a CVICU nurse — higher-acuity cardiac alternative with different salary profile