Key Points
- Radiology technicians earn a median of $77,660 a year, while the cardiovascular category that includes EKG technicians earns $67,260, based on May 2024 BLS data.
- An EKG technician focuses on the heart's electrical activity, while a radiologic technologist performs diagnostic imaging, mostly X-rays to start.
- EKG training often takes a few months, while most radiology technician roles expect an associate degree of about two years.
- EKG technicians generally do not need a state license, while more than 75% of states require one to practice radiologic technology.
- Both fields are growing, with radiologic technologists projected at 4% and the cardiovascular category at 3% through 2034.
EKG vs Radiology Technician at a Glance
Radiology technicians earn more and train longer, while EKG technicians reach the workforce faster in a narrower, heart-focused role. An EKG is not a type of radiology: it records the heart's electrical activity and sits within cardiovascular care, while radiology is medical imaging. The table below lines up the two paths side by side.
What Is an EKG Technician?
An EKG technician is a healthcare worker who performs electrocardiogram tests that record and monitor the heart's electrical activity. These tests can help physicians identify arrhythmias and signs of heart disease, reduced blood flow to the heart, or a current or previous heart attack. EKG technicians work in hospitals, cardiology offices, and outpatient centers, and they are often one of the first clinical contacts for a patient with heart symptoms.
The role is hands-on and patient-facing through most of a shift, so clear communication matters as much as technical skill. You can read a fuller breakdown in Dreambound's guide to what an EKG technician does.
What Is a Radiology Technician?
A radiology technician, also called a radiologic technologist, is a medical imaging specialist who primarily performs X-ray imaging, known as radiography, and can move into areas like CT, MRI, or mammography later with additional training and credentialing. They work in hospitals, imaging centers, and specialty clinics, serving patients across nearly every medical specialty from orthopedics to oncology.
The work combines technical precision with patient care. Radiology technicians position patients correctly, limit radiation exposure through shielding, and capture images clear enough for a radiologist to make a confident diagnosis.
Training and Certification Requirements
The biggest practical difference between the two careers is credentialing. EKG technicians generally do not need a state license, and certification is voluntary, so training can take just a few months. Radiology technicians face a higher bar: most roles call for an associate degree, formal radiography education, and licensure or certification, which is why the path usually runs about two years.
How to Become an EKG Technician
You can become an EKG technician in a few months by completing a certificate program and earning a voluntary certification. The typical path:
- Earn a high school diploma or GED
- Complete an EKG certificate program covering cardiovascular anatomy, patient care, and machine operation
- Earn a professional credential such as the NHA Certified EKG Technician (CET)
- Apply for entry-level roles in hospitals, cardiology clinics, or outpatient centers
Certification is usually not required by law, but many employers prefer it. If you want a flexible start, compare online EKG classes, or follow Dreambound's step-by-step guide to becoming an EKG technician.
How to Become a Radiology Technician
Most radiology technician jobs call for an associate degree and formal radiography education, which together take about two years. The standard path:
- Earn a high school diploma or GED with a solid base in science and math
- Complete an ARRT-approved radiography program, most often as part of an associate degree in radiologic technology
- Pass the national certification exam through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
- Obtain a state license, which more than 75% of states require before you can practice
- Apply for roles in hospitals, imaging centers, or specialty clinics
An associate degree in radiologic technology is the most common route, though ARRT also accepts an associate degree in another subject paired with an ARRT-approved radiography program. Radiologic technologists can later add credentials in CT, MRI, or mammography. For a fuller walkthrough, see Dreambound's guide to becoming a radiology technician.
Salary and Job Outlook
Radiology technicians earn more on average, but both careers pay well for fields that do not require a four-year degree.
EKG Technician Salary and Growth
EKG technicians fall under the BLS category of cardiovascular technologists and technicians, which reported a median annual wage of $67,260 as of May 2024. Because that category also includes higher-paid vascular technologists and echocardiographers, EKG-specific pay often sits below the category median. Employment in the category is projected to grow 3% from 2024 to 2034, driven by an aging population and rising rates of heart disease.
Radiology Technician Salary and Growth
Radiologic technologists earned a median annual wage of $77,660 as of May 2024. Employment is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, as an aging population needs more diagnostic imaging. Technicians who specialize in CT or MRI often earn above the general median.
What Student Program Data Reveals
Interest in both careers is climbing on Dreambound's own platform. According to Dreambound's 2025 Student Choice and Interest Report, EKG technician was the fastest-growing program category, with choices up 83% year over year, and it carries one of the highest follow-through rates on the platform. That pattern lines up with the career's short, low-cost entry, where students move from browsing to committing quickly. Radiology technician entered the top five most-saved programs for the first time in 2025, with 1,126 saves, which fits a longer, higher-investment path where students research more before they commit.
Can You Switch Between EKG and Radiology?
The two roles do not overlap much day to day, and neither credential transfers into the other. An EKG technician who wants to move into radiology generally starts a separate radiologic technology program, because the imaging coursework, clinical hours, and ARRT exam are specific to that field. The EKG background still helps, since it builds patient-handling experience and clinical comfort that carry over.
Radiology technicians do not typically perform EKGs either, because electrocardiography sits within cardiovascular care rather than imaging. Some healthcare workers build broader profiles over time by stacking credentials, such as adding patient care or cardiovascular skills.
Which Career Is the Right Fit for You?
Choose EKG technology if you want a relatively fast, lower-cost route into a patient-facing healthcare role focused on cardiac testing. Choose radiology technology if you want higher earning potential and a broader imaging career and can commit about two years to training.
EKG technology may fit if you:
- Want to start working within a few months
- Are drawn specifically to cardiac care
- Prefer a lower upfront training cost
- Like a high-volume, patient-facing role every day
Radiology technology may fit if you:
- Want higher earning potential from the start
- Want a medical imaging career that starts with X-ray
- Are open to specializing later in CT, MRI, or mammography with added training
- Can invest about two years in an associate degree
If you are weighing both paths, you can compare EKG and radiology programs side by side on Dreambound by format, length, and location.
EKG and Radiology Programs on Dreambound
Dreambound brings vocational programs from schools across the country into one place, so you can line up EKG and radiology options and compare them without visiting a dozen school sites.
