Cardiologist Compensation 2026: Invasive vs Non-Invasive vs EP, RVU Targets, Partnership Math

Cardiology in 2026 is one of the most stratified specialties in medicine. Non-invasive cardiologists earning $500K work alongside electrophysiologists earning $1M+ in the same group. The split between invasive, non-invasive, and EP determines almost every other contract variable — call schedule, productivity targets, partnership timeline, even non-compete radius.

This guide covers what cardiologists are actually earning across all three subspecialties in 2026, and the structural variables that drive the differences.

National compensation by subspecialty — 2026

Numbers reflect employed W-2 base + RVU bonus, no partnership equity. Private group partnership tracks add $150K–$400K once equity vests (typically year 2–4).

RVU targets by subspecialty

The standard hospital-employed RVU model:

• Non-invasive: 7,500–9,000 wRVU target, $58–$72/wRVU after threshold
• Invasive (non-interventional): 9,000–11,000 wRVU, $62–$78/wRVU
• Interventional: 11,000–13,500 wRVU, $68–$85/wRVU
• EP: 10,000–12,500 wRVU, $75–$95/wRVU (procedures weight heavier)

The bonus structure is where contracts diverge most. A 10,000-wRVU interventional cardiologist at $72/RVU after a 9,000-RVU threshold earns $72,000 in bonus on top of base. The same volume at $85/RVU earns $85,000. Negotiate the conversion factor harder than the base — it scales with productivity.

Call structure

Call is the single biggest lifestyle variable.

STEMI call is the highest-friction in interventional cardiology. The stipend often looks attractive ($150K–$250K/year additional) but the schedule disruption is real — and the productivity bonus from cath cases done on STEMI call is small relative to the lifestyle hit.

Top-paying states — 2026

• Mississippi: Median $755K invasive, $895K EP — supply shortage premium
• Alabama: $720K invasive, $865K EP
• Iowa / Nebraska: $695K invasive, $840K EP
• Oklahoma: $685K invasive, $820K EP
• West Virginia: $675K invasive (large single-system markets like Charleston)

The pattern: states with smaller populations and one or two dominant cardiology groups pay more because they have to. Florida, California, and New York pay less than the national median in cardiology — too many cardiologists chasing fewer slots, especially in coastal markets.

Locum tenens rates

• Non-invasive: $1,800–$2,500/day, $225–$310/hour
• Invasive: $2,400–$3,200/day, $300–$400/hour
• Interventional: $3,000–$4,500/day, $375–$565/hour
• EP: $3,500–$5,500/day, $440–$685/hour

STEMI call locum: $1,200–$2,000/24-hour call shift on top of daily rate.

Partnership track economics

Private group partnerships in cardiology typically follow a 2–4 year track:

• Year 1: W-2 employee, base $475K–$575K, no equity
• Year 2: Performance review, partnership offer if approved
• Year 2–3 (buy-in period): Equity buy-in $150K–$400K, often via salary withhold or bank loan
• Post-buy-in: 1099 K-1 distributions, total comp $850K–$1.4M for interventional

The buy-in math: $250K buy-in spread over 24 months = $125K/year reduced take-home during ramp. Net of that, partnership track post-vest is usually $200K–$400K higher than the equivalent hospital-employed role at the same productivity.

What we see at Ava Health

About 20% of our cardiology placements last year were partnership-track positions. The biggest negotiating mistake we see: candidates focus on year-1 base and ignore the buy-in number. A group offering $475K base with a $150K buy-in beats a group offering $525K base with a $400K buy-in over 5 years — by a wide margin.

Always ask in the first interview: (1) what's the buy-in amount, (2) over what period, (3) what does post-buy-in distribution look like for current partners at year 5? If the group dodges any of those questions, the partnership math is probably worse than they're letting on.

Related: Physician Contract Negotiation: 10 Hidden Levers, Anesthesiologist Compensation 2026.