Vascular Nurse Salary in 2026: What Vascular and IR Nurses Earn

Vascular Nurse Salary in 2026

Vascular nursing is one of the more specialized and lesser-known nursing niches — and one of the better-compensated. Vascular nurses work with patients who have peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis, varicose vein disease, aortic aneurysms, and related vascular conditions. They may work in vascular surgery pre/post-op units, interventional radiology suites, vascular access teams, or outpatient vascular clinics.

The vascular nurse specialty is growing faster than most nursing fields due to aging demographics — peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and vascular conditions increase sharply with age, and the US population is aging.

Vascular Nurse Salary by Setting and Experience

Setting / Role	Avg Annual Base Salary	Range
Staff Vascular RN (general vascular unit)	$80,000–$100,000	$72K–$112K
Interventional Radiology (IR) RN	$90,000–$115,000	$82K–$128K
Vascular Access / PICC RN	$78,000–$98,000	$70K–$108K
Vascular Surgery Pre/Post-op RN	$82,000–$105,000	$74K–$115K
Lead / Charge Vascular RN	$95,000–$120,000	$88K–$132K
Vascular Travel RN	$108,000–$148,000	$95K–$162K

Vascular RN vs IR RN: What's the Difference?

The terms are often used interchangeably in job postings, but there's a meaningful distinction:

Vascular RN (general): Works with vascular surgery patients in pre-op, post-op, or specialty vascular units. May assist with wound care for PAD patients, manage post-procedure monitoring after endarterectomy or bypass surgery, and coordinate care with vascular surgeons.

IR (Interventional Radiology) RN: Works in the IR suite alongside interventional radiologists performing image-guided procedures — including vascular interventions (angioplasty, stenting, embolization, TIPS, IVC filter placement), but also non-vascular procedures (biopsies, drains, tumor ablations). IR RNs manage conscious sedation, patient monitoring during procedures, and immediate post-procedure recovery.

IR RN positions typically pay $5,000–$10,000 more annually than general vascular unit RN positions due to the procedural complexity and on-call requirements of the IR suite.

Key Certifications: CVN and VA-BC

• CVN (Certified Vascular Nurse): The Society for Vascular Nursing certification. Requires 2,000 hours of vascular nursing practice. Salary premium at most facilities: $2,000–$5,000/year. Required for senior positions at major vascular centers.
• VA-BC (Vascular Access Board Certified): For vascular access specialists and PICC nurses. Association for Vascular Access certification. Premium varies; typically $2,000–$4,000/year at facilities that value specialty certification.
• ACLS / BLS: Required at all vascular nursing positions.
• Moderate Sedation competency: Required for IR suite positions at most facilities.

Vascular Nurse Work Environment

Vascular nursing environments vary significantly by sub-specialty:

• Inpatient vascular unit: Standard shift nursing with a mix of pre- and post-op vascular surgery patients, wound care cases, and acutely decompensating PAD or DVT patients. Shift-based, rotation including nights/weekends at most hospitals.
• IR suite: Procedural environment; hours typically align with daytime procedure schedules (7am–5pm common) but with on-call for emergent interventions (ruptured AAA, arterial bleed, emergent TIPS). On-call pay meaningful contributor to total compensation.
• Outpatient vascular clinic: Lowest acuity; routine schedule; lower pay ceiling. Good for lifestyle balance.
• Wound care / vascular access: Often hybrid roles; hospital-based or outpatient. PICC placement and maintenance are the core clinical skills.

Vascular Nurse Demand Outlook

The demographic driver behind vascular nursing demand is straightforward: peripheral arterial disease affects approximately 8.5 million Americans, and prevalence increases sharply with age. As the US population ages — particularly the large Baby Boomer cohort — vascular case volumes will continue to increase across hospital systems.

Simultaneously, advances in endovascular techniques have expanded the vascular intervention market. Procedures that previously required open surgery now have minimally invasive IR alternatives, increasing the role of IR suites (and IR RNs) in vascular care delivery.

Florida is one of the strongest vascular nursing markets in the country due to the state's older population demographics. Southwest Florida — including the Naples-Fort Myers coastal corridor — has among the highest median ages of any US metro, which directly correlates to high PAD and vascular disease prevalence. Hospital systems in this region are actively recruiting vascular RNs and IR RNs for open positions with strong compensation packages. If you're a vascular or IR nurse considering relocation, the Florida market in 2026 offers a combination of active demand, competitive pay, and the effective take-home advantage of no state income tax.