How to Become an EKG Technician in Louisiana

The Louisiana unemployment rate currently stands at 4.2 percent as of March 2022, just 3/10ths of a percent higher than the state’s record-low unemployment in May 2006 and 1/3 of the record high of 13.10 percent set in April 2020.

Since that high point, rising employment has provided a wealth of opportunities.

Job Description

Nationwide, nearly 78 percent of EKG Technicians work in hospital settings.

Yet, surprisingly, even with the rise of urgent care centers, only 4 percent of these specialists work in outpatient care centers or medical diagnostic labs.

Another type of EKG technician performs EKG readings over time, often overnight.

These prolonged EKG readings, also known as telemetry, assist doctors in pinpointing the effectiveness of pacemakers, among other responsibilities.

Louisiana EKG Industry Information

As Louisiana’s 15th most in-demand job, the Cardiovascular Technician job market projections point to a 123.7% growth rate shortly.

In fact, by 2024, the number of Cardiovascular Technicians in the state will expand to 1,150, an increase of 44 percent from current levels.

Consequently, this increase will raise wages, bringing them closer to the national average.

Larger Major Medical Employers in Louisiana

Ochsner Health runs 40 hospitals and over 300 health and urgent care centers in the Gulf South, including Louisiana and Mississippi, and employs over 34,000 people.

The system’s size and reach make it one of the largest employers of EKG technicians in the region.

With 12,343 employees, LCMC Health serves as the second-largest hospital system serving New Orleans, Louisiana.

Formerly known as Louisiana Children’s Medical Center, its six hospitals include a cardiac rehabilitation center and excellent stroke care for patients from neonate to geriatric.

Smaller Medical Employers in Louisiana

In contrast, Lane Regional Medical Center employs 850 people in Zachary, Louisiana. LRMC offers a state-of-the-art Interventional Cardiology department despite its small size.

Minden Medical Center near Shreveport, Louisiana, serves the state’s northwest corner with just 500 employees.

Telemetry staff at Minden Medical Center must have a Licensed Practical Nurse credential or hold a Medical or Nursing Assisting certificate.

Candidates for employment at Minden Medical Center must also already have a year of continuous on-the-job experience in a hospital or nursing home.

Licensing Requirements

As in other states, such as Arizona, Louisiana does not license EKG technicians.

Instead, employers determine the training and certification needed for specific job titles in the state.

Moreover, the Louisiana State Nursing Board oversees program standards through the authority of the Louisiana Nurse Practice Act.

Consequently, entering the EKG field in Louisiana means working under the direct supervision of a physician or nurse.

Education Requirements

As with programs in other states, EKG technicians in Louisiana must perform ten successful EKG procedures and pass a certification exam.

The best programs include clinical practice before program completion.

Five Louisiana EKG Training Programs

Nursing Network Association (NANA)

• EKG Technician Program
• Phone: 504-891-8088
• Email: Marshall8328@yahoo.com
• Member of the Southern Association of Schools, accredited by COGNIA
• Six to seven weeks
• $895 tuition plus a $25 application fee
• No clinical training
• Add their Medical Assisting Program for maximum employability (Additional costs: $3,995 plus a $50 application fee).
• Dual enrollment adds 21 weeks (17 for the Medical Assisting Lecture portion and four weeks of clinical practice).

Saint Agatha Career School

• EKG Technician Course
• Phone: (504) 245-SACS
• Email: sacsneworleans@yahoo.com
• Seven to eight weeks
• $800 tuition plus a $40 application fee
• Add Medical Administrative Assistant Course for an additional cost of $1200 tuition plus a $40 application fee.
• Nine to 10 additional weeks for dual enrollment

Unitech Training Academy

• EKG/Phlebotomy Technician (Hybrid)
• Lafayette (Main Campus) Phone: (337) 988-6764
• Alexandria Campus Phone: (318) 445-6649
• Baton Rouge Campus Phone: (225) 262-4411
• Houma Campus Phone: (985) 223-1755
• New Orleans Campus Phone: (504) 526-1478
• West Monroe Campus Phone: (318) 651-8001
• Accredited by the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education
• Choice of Campuses
• Accepts transfer credits
• Tuition costs $14,500 plus a $100 registration fee and $300 lab equipment fee
• 64.4 quarter credit hours, including a 2.0 credit hour clinical externship

Acadiana Area Career College

• EKG Technician Course
• Phone (337) 896-9776
• Email: johnw@bluecliffcollege.com
• John Williams, Campus Director
• Four weeks (64 hours)
• Tuition costs $1670 and includes CPR training.
• Option to take dual programs such as Medical Office Assistant back to back for a total of $4000.
• Medical Office Assistant dual enrollment adds eight weeks to your total class hours.

Delgado Community College

• Electrocardiographic (EKG) Technician, CTC
• Phone: (504) 671-5000
• Email: enroll@dcc.edu
• Six credit hours
• Tuition costs $1,169.76 and includes non-refundable fees

EKG Technician Schools in Louisiana – Summary Table

Experience Requirements and Salary Expectations in Louisiana

Louisiana stands at 35th in the United States as the best state to work as an EKG technician.

Of the 643 people currently serving as EKG technicians in Louisiana, the lowest 10 percent earn $20,000 per year, while the top 10 percent earn $31,000.

In addition, the median income for EKG technicians stands at $25,392 per year, less than half what you could make in the rest of the nation.

Regional Salary in Louisiana

EKG Technician Schools by City

EKG Technician Schools by State