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Vascular RN Salary 2026: Vascular Nurse Pay by State, Setting & Certification
Vascular RN Salary 2026: Vascular Nurse Pay by State, Setting & Certification
The average vascular RN salary in 2026 is $82,000–$100,000/year for staff vascular nurses, with experienced endovascular procedure nurses and those in hybrid cath/vascular labs earning $95,000–$118,000. Vascular nursing is a high-acuity specialty covering peripheral artery disease (PAD), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), aortic aneurysm, wound/limb salvage, and endovascular procedures — and the shortage of experienced vascular RNs is acute enough that many hospital systems offer sign-on bonuses of $10,000–$20,000 for qualified candidates.
Vascular RN Salary by Setting (2026)
| Setting | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vascular Lab / Endovascular Suite | $95,000–$118,000 | Procedure-heavy; scrub + circulate EVAR, stent, AV fistula; premium for procedural competence |
| Vascular Floor / Inpatient | $82,000–$98,000 | Post-op vascular patients, wound assessment, ABI monitoring, anticoagulation management |
| Cath Lab / Vascular Hybrid RN | $98,000–$118,000 | Combined cardiac + peripheral procedures; highest paid vascular nursing setting; call required |
| Outpatient Vascular Clinic | $72,000–$85,000 | Wound care, duplex surveillance, ABI, pre/post procedure; M–F, no call; lower pay |
| Wound & Limb Salvage RN | $78,000–$92,000 | Critical limb ischemia (CLI) wound management; CWON or CWS certification valued |
| Travel Vascular RN | $2,200–$3,100/wk | 13-week contracts; high demand in FL, TX, AZ; $900–$1,400 tax-free stipend included |
Vascular RN Salary by State (2026)
| State | Avg Annual Salary | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| California | $108,000 | UCSF vascular surgery, Cedars-Sinai, Keck; nurse ratio laws + union contracts drive wages |
| Washington | $101,000 | UW Medical Center vascular surgery, Virginia Mason; SEIU-represented |
| New York | $99,000 | NYP, Mount Sinai, Stony Brook vascular programs; NYC premium; LI/upstate lower |
| Massachusetts | $97,000 | Mass General, Beth Israel; aortic program density drives endovascular RN demand |
| Texas | $88,000 | Houston Medical Center, Dallas/Fort Worth; no income tax; hybrid cath/vascular labs common |
| Florida | $85,000 | High PAD/CLI patient volume (elderly population); Naples, Tampa, Jacksonville demand; no income tax |
| Arizona | $84,000 | Banner, Honor Health; diabetic PAD burden drives vascular volume in Phoenix/Tucson |
| Minnesota | $89,000 | Mayo Clinic vascular surgery nationally ranked; Rochester rates above national avg |
| Ohio | $82,000 | Cleveland Clinic heart and vascular institute; Nationwide Children's vascular; strong academic market |
| North Carolina | $80,000 | UNC, Duke, Wake Forest; growing academic vascular programs; Research Triangle pay improving |
Vascular RN Certifications & Their Salary Impact
- CVN (Certified Vascular Nurse) — Offered by AVN (Association for Vascular Access — formerly). Now administered through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Requires 2 years vascular experience + exam. Adds 6–10% ($5K–$9K) to base salary. Most hospital systems require or prefer CVN for lead and senior vascular RN positions.
- CVRN (Cardiovascular Registered Nurse) — ANCC cardiac-vascular credential covering both cardiac and vascular nursing. Valued in hybrid cath/vascular lab settings.
- RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist) — If you circulate in a vascular/endovascular suite. Not a nursing credential, but RNs who hold RCIS command procedure lab premiums of $8K–$15K.
- CWON or CWS (wound care) — For vascular wound/limb salvage RNs managing CLI wounds. Adds outpatient wound center career path and $4K–$7K premium.
What Vascular RNs Actually Do (Scope & Skills)
Vascular nursing requires a unique combination of procedural competence and medical-surgical assessment. Key responsibilities include:
- Procedural circulation/scrub: EVAR (endovascular aortic repair), carotid stenting, iliac/femoral stenting, AV fistula/graft placement, thrombolysis, mechanical thrombectomy
- Post-procedural monitoring: Arterial sheath management, groin site assessment, distal pulse checks, pedal Doppler monitoring, hematoma identification
- Anticoagulation management: Heparin drip titration, bivalirudin monitoring, UFH/LMWH transitions, PTT/ACT interpretation
- Wound assessment: ABI (ankle-brachial index) measurement, wound grading (Wagner, WIfI), wound photography and documentation, debridement assist
- DVT/PE management: Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter pre/post care, catheter-directed thrombolysis monitoring, sequential compression device protocols
Vascular RN Job Outlook 2026
The vascular RN shortage is driven by multiple converging factors: the aging baby boomer population with high PAD/diabetes burden, the expansion of outpatient endovascular procedures (moving cases from OR to vascular suite), and the relatively small pipeline of RNs who trained in vascular settings. The national vacancy rate for experienced vascular nurses exceeds 18% at major vascular programs. This structural shortage is why sign-on bonuses ($10K–$20K) and travel contract rates ($2,200–$3,100/week) are consistently high — and why experienced vascular RNs with RCIS or CVN credentials rarely stay on the market longer than 2–3 weeks.
Salary data aggregated from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, AVN member surveys, and Ava Health placement data. Ranges reflect 25th–75th percentile of offers for experienced (3+ year) vascular nurses in 2026.
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