How To Become A Cardiac Nurse Practitioner

Key Takeaways

• To become a cardiac NP: earn a BSN, gain cardiac nursing experience, complete an MSN or DNP, and pass the CVNP-BC exam.
• Certification requires a graduate degree and passing a 175-question exam.
• Cardiac NPs earn an average of about $145,000, and NPs overall are projected for roughly 40% job growth from 2024 to 2034.

Degree required: MSN or DNP Time to become: 6-8 years Job outlook (2024-2034): about 40% growth

A cardiac nurse practitioner assesses, diagnoses, and treats patients with heart conditions. It's an advanced practice role in a fast-moving field, with day-to-day work in hospitals, care centers, and private practices. This page covers the education, licensure, and certification you'll need, plus the duties, work settings, and pay you can expect.

Cardiac NP Overview

The cardiology NP is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who cares for patients with heart conditions. They perform in-depth physical exams, order and interpret diagnostic tests, and prescribe and monitor cardiac medications. They also counsel patients on lifestyle changes affecting heart health and, because heart patients often have other conditions, collaborate with other providers to coordinate care.

According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, most cardiac NPs work in hospital inpatient units and outpatient clinics. The National Council on Aging reports that heart conditions account for four of the ten most common chronic conditions in adults over 65.

Cardiac NPs need to be sharp at IV insertion, EKG interpretation, crisis management, reading 2D echocardiograms, and understanding cardiac procedures. In a hospital, that can mean high-pressure situations and significant time in the cardiac catheterization lab. Cardiac NPs also work in cardiac step-down units and outpatient cardiac rehabilitation clinics.

Steps to Becoming a Cardiac NP

The role requires a master of science in nursing (MSN) and specialized certification. Most cardiology NPs start with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) and several years of cardiovascular nursing experience.

1. Earn a BSN

For most students, a BSN takes four years fulltime, and the program must be accredited to qualify you for licensure. Nurses who start with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) can earn a BSN through an RN-to-BSN bridge, which takes about a year and is often available online.

2. Pass the NCLEX-RN

The NCLEX-RN is required for an RN license in every state. It demonstrates your readiness to practice. Other licensure requirements vary by state, so check yours before applying.

3. Gain Cardiovascular Nursing Experience

After starting your nursing career, build several years of experience, ideally in cardiovascular nursing. Time in a cardiac step-down unit, intensive care unit (ICU), or cardiovascular ICU helps you confirm your interest and gives you the background graduate programs expect.

4. Earn an MSN or DNP

You need a BSN to enter a graduate NP program and an MSN or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) to practice. A two-year MSN is the minimum; a DNP, the terminal degree for an APRN, takes about three to four years.

5. Earn CVNP-BC Certification

The American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine administers the only certification exam for cardiology NPs. Candidates must have completed an accredited MSN or DNP program. The exam is proctored remotely, requires a computer with internet and a webcam, and gives you four hours for 175 questions.

Cardiac NP Education

When choosing a BSN, MSN, or DNP program, weigh location, online availability, class size, schedule, and whether the program you need is offered.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

A BSN qualifies you for entry-level patient care and builds the decision-making and critical-thinking foundation for specialty certification and graduate study. You can also enter nursing through a two-year ADN, but there are advantages to starting with a BSN: most hospitals push to staff at least 80% of nurses with a BSN, and a 2020 American Association of Colleges of Nursing survey found 82% of employers prefer BSN-prepared nurses. ADN holders can move up through RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN bridges.

• Admission: Most BSN programs want a cumulative GPA around 3.2, completed prerequisites, and a set number of credit hours.
• Curriculum: Humanities, anatomy, physiology, human development, microbiology, and pharmacology alongside nursing courses.
• Time to complete: Four years fulltime.
• Skills learned: Vitals, foley catheter insertion, and IV starts, with population-specific skills like ECGs and stress-test assessments learned on the job.

Master of Science in Nursing

This graduate degree prepares cardiac NP candidates to practice as APRNs, with instruction in research, legal and regulatory issues, and advanced practice leadership. You'll complete an NP track in adult-gerontology, acute care, or family practice with a cardiology or cardiovascular subspecialty. The MSN is the minimum requirement; the DNP is the terminal APRN degree. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.

• Admission: Varies by school, but most require an application, a GPA of at least 3.0, official transcripts, and references.
• Curriculum: Theoretical and clinical coursework in research, leadership, management, epidemiology, healthcare ethics, and policy, plus clinical hours set by the school.
• Time to complete: About two years fulltime.
• Skills learned: Assessment, diagnosis, and management of disease; prescribing; preventive teaching; and clinical practice.

Licensure and Certification

Cardiology NPs must hold a state RN license where they practice and an NP certification from the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine. Certification validates your education and expertise and reassures employers and patients that you meet current standards.

Every state requires the NCLEX-RN; other licensure requirements vary. Most employers require the CVNP-BC credential, typically completed as a post-master's program. To apply, you must have finished an accredited MSN program and submit a state ID or passport. Recertification requires an application, a fee, and documented continuing education hours. APRN licensure is set at the state level: some states defer to your national certification, others require additional academic qualifications, and your state board sets renewal and continuing-education requirements.

Working as a Cardiac NP

Heart disease costs the U.S. about $363 billion a year in healthcare and lost productivity, and roughly every 40 seconds someone in the U.S. has a heart attack. Cardiac NPs work on the front lines of prevention and care management, handling assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and chronic care.

Cardiac NP openings usually require several years of cardiology practice, which most candidates gain as an RN. Look for roles through job boards, hospitals and outpatient clinics, and networking with other NPs and physicians. Per ZipRecruiter, the average cardiac NP salary was $144,905 as of September 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take? Plan on a BSN plus several years of cardiac experience before a two-year MSN, which adds up to roughly six years of school and two to three years of clinical experience.

What's the fastest realistic path? Start with a two-year ADN, complete an RN-to-BSN (about a year) while working in cardiology, add one to two more years of cardiac experience, then finish a two-year MSN. On that schedule, you could become a cardiology NP in about five years.

Where should new grads start? A cardiac step-down unit, then an ICU or cardiac ICU, with additional experience available in outpatient cardiology clinics.

What's the path for an ADN-prepared RN? Complete an RN-to-BSN while gaining cardiac experience, then, with two to three years of cardiac background, finish an accredited two-year MSN. Pass the American Board of Cardiovascular Medicine exam afterward, and check your state board for licensure requirements.