Pay, location & work-life context
Cardiology Salary Map by State (2026)
Median cardiology pay across 15 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $498,750.
Highest median
Minnesota
$674,640
Best real purchasing power
Minnesota
$684,073 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Texas
5.5/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Cardiology pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $674,640 | $684,073 | $616,692 | 4.5/10 | 16 |
| Virginia | $590,500 | $584,052 | $550,469 | 3.1/10 | 15 |
| Delaware | $559,975 | $561,052 | $524,023 | 2.7/10 | 5 |
| Illinois | $556,041 | $556,275 | $528,739 | 3.6/10 | 35 |
| Pennsylvania | $550,000 | $563,686 | $546,381 | 3.5/10 | 11 |
| Texas | $533,750 | $549,935 | $549,935 | 5.5/10 | 5 |
| California | $525,000 | $474,169 | $430,071 | 3.9/10 | 40 |
| Oregon | $520,982 | $504,041 | $454,141 | 3.2/10 | 7 |
| Washington | $520,200 | $486,109 | $486,109 | 4.5/10 | 26 |
| Arizona | $500,000 | $496,638 | $484,222 | 4.6/10 | 7 |
| New York | $500,000 | $463,302 | $431,566 | 4.1/10 | 44 |
| Colorado | $500,000 | $485,192 | $463,843 | 4.5/10 | 18 |
| New Jersey | $450,000 | $413,584 | $387,239 | 4.0/10 | 23 |
| Massachusetts | $430,000 | $406,592 | $386,263 | 2.9/10 | 24 |
| Florida | $400,000 | $386,795 | $386,795 | 4.8/10 | 15 |
Common questions
Which state pays cardiology physicians the most?
Minnesota currently has the highest median cardiology salary at $674,640, based on 16 real job listings.
Which state offers the best after-tax cardiology pay?
Minnesota currently leads the take-home view at $616,692 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust cardiology salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best cardiology lifestyle scores?
Texas currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (5.5/10, higher is better) for cardiology listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Cardiology salary page.