The Average Salary for an EKG Technician in Florida

Job Features

• Doctors commonly order EKG tests before surgeries, and also may order an EKG as part of a routine physical exam. Hospitalized patients and those in surgery also may be continuously monitored by EKG equipment in a process called telemetry. Many EKG technicians receive on-the-job training, although some employers prefer applicants with formal training from a technical school. Health care facilities are increasingly turning this work over to nursing assistants and other support staff, which will decrease job opportunities for EKG technicians in the future, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  
  

Comparisons

• Salaries for EKG technicians in Florida vary somewhat by location. EKG technicians in Winter Haven, for instance, were earning a median annual salary of $29,240 as of February 2011, while those in Fort Lauderdale had a median annual salary of $31,180, according to Salary.com. EKG techs in Tampa had a median annual pay rate of $30,110, in Orlando $30,470, in Miami $31,060 and in Jacksonville $31,100. Nationwide, the median salary for an EKG technician was $31,970.
  
  

Salary Range

• In this Florida group of cities, the middle 50 percent of EKG technicians on the earnings scale were making $25,640 to $35,870 per year. Those in the bottom 10 percent had annual pay rates below $22,370, and techs in the top 10 percent were earning more than $40,130 per year. In comparison, EKG technicians nationwide in the middle 50-percent range had annual salaries of $28,030 to $36,780, with the bottom 10 percent at $24,450 and below and the top 10 percent at $41,150 and higher.
  
  

Specifics

• The job search website Indeed.com lists numerous job openings for EKG technicians in Florida at medical centers and hospitals in February 2011. Some employers advertise for a certified nursing assistant, receptionist or clerical staff member who can do EKG tech work. A variety of shifts are available, including 12-hour shifts and schedules that require rotating weekends. Although full-time EKG technicians generally receive health insurance, paid time off and a retirement savings plan, many of the job openings listed are on a per diem, or as-needed, basis, and do not provide benefits. Posted hourly pay rates ranged from $9.80 to $14 per hour.