Staff Perfusionist Salary in the United States

How much does a Staff Perfusionist make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Staff Perfusionist in the United States is $156,470 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $75.

However, a Staff Perfusionist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $174,654
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $145,018 to $165,988
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $134,592

Key Factors That Influence Staff Perfusionist Salaries

A Staff Perfusionist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Staff Perfusionist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Staff Perfusionist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $151,892
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $152,245
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $156,470
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $160,389
  • Expert (over 8 years): $160,669
Levels Salary
Entry Level Staff Perfusionist$151,892
Intermediate Level Staff Perfusionist$152,245
Senior Level Staff Perfusionist$156,470
Specialist Level Staff Perfusionist$160,389
Expert Level Staff Perfusionist$160,669

How Do Staff Perfusionist Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Staff Perfusionists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $173,244.
  • California: $172,586.
  • Massachusetts: $170,286.

Top Paying Cities for Staff Perfusionists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $197,356
  • San Francisco: $195,195
  • Oakland: $191,081

What Skills Can Increase a Staff Perfusionist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 2.47% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Life Support (Mentioned in 4.19% Job Postings): Life support refers to the treatments and techniques performed in an emergency in order to support life after the failure of one or more vital organs. Healthcare providers and emergency medical technicians are generally certified to perform basic and advanced life support procedures; however, basic life support is sometimes provided at the scene of an emergency by family members or bystanders before emergency services arrive. In the case of cardiac injuries, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is initiated by bystanders or family members 25% of the time. Basic life support techniques, such as performing CPR on a victim of cardiac arrest, can double or even triple that patient's chance of survival. Other types of basic life support include relief from choking (which can be done by using the Heimlich maneuver), staunching of bleeding by direct compression and elevation above the heart (and if necessary, pressure on arterial pressure points and the use of a manufactured or improvised tourniquet), first aid, and the use of an automated external defibrillator.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 2.47%
Life Support 4.19%
Acute Care 1.85%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Staff Perfusionist's salary.

  • Cardiopulmonary Perfusion: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cardiopulmonary Perfusion $178,376
14%
Commitment $176,811
13%
Coordination $172,117
10%

Staff Perfusionist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Staff Perfusionist roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Staff Perfusionist positions in Healthcare typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Staff Perfusionist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Staff Perfusionist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit$187,764$90.020%

How Education impacts a Staff Perfusionist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Staff Perfusionists enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Staff Perfusionist with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $160,954 and $169,626).

Staff Perfusionist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Staff Perfusionist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.7%
High School 3.3%
Associates 2.7%
Bachelors 48.7%
Masters 38.7%
Doctorate 5.3%

Staff Perfusionist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Staff Perfusionist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$145,018
Average $156,470/year
$165,988
$12,085
Average $13,039/month
$13,832
$2,789
Average $3,009/week
$3,192
$70
Average $75/hour
$80
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $165,988 $13,832 $3,192 $80
Average $156,470 $13,039 $3,009 $75
25th Percentile $145,018 $12,085 $2,789 $70

Most common benefits for Staff Perfusionist

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Staff Perfusionist

Here are companies hiring for Staff Perfusionist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Staff Perfusionist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Staff Perfusionist?

The Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit industry offers the highest average compensation for Staff Perfusionist roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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