Uses ultrasound and other noninvasive tests to examine arteries and veins for blockages, clots, and aneurysms. BLS does not publish separate figures for diagnostic medical sonographers; it counts them within diagnostic medical sonographer (SOC 29-2032), whose median pay is $96,590 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 29-2032
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Vascular Technologist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $96,590a year, or $46.44/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $68KTop 10% $129K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +13.9%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+13.9%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +13.9% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,00092,200 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202592.2K
- Projected 2035105.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 92.2K Projected 2035 105.1K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Registered Vascular Technologist, RVT, Vascular Sonographer, Registered Vascular Specialist, Vascular Ultrasound Technologist.
Pay
How much do Diagnostic Medical Sonographers make?
Every vascular technologist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$96,590
Middle half earn $80,430 to $106,930
- 10th
- $67,820
- 25th
- $80,430
- 75th
- $106,930
- 90th
- $129,370
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $67,820 |
| 25th | $80,430 |
| Median | $96,590 |
| 75th | $106,930 |
| 90th | $129,370 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $96,590
- Median hourly wage
- $46.44/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $97,240
- People employed
- 90,160
Versus all US occupations
At $96,590, Diagnostic Medical Sonographers earn 89% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $45,610 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 6% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $129,370 or more while the bottom 10% earn $67,820, a gap of 1.9×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 69% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($128,530), but once local prices are taken into account Oregon leads at $116,311 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Diagnostic Medical Sonographers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $128,530 | $116,086 | 10,110 |
| 2Hawaii | $124,430 | $113,169 | 210 |
| 3Washington | $121,340 | $113,388 | 2,190 |
| 4Oregon | $120,220 | $116,311 | 1,210 |
| 5District of Columbia | $112,020 | $101,928 | 160 |
| 6Colorado | $108,410 | $105,199 | 1,430 |
| 7Massachusetts | $107,480 | $101,629 | 2,190 |
| 8Alaska | $105,670 | $103,235 | 140 |
| 9Vermont | $104,100 | $106,270 | 140 |
| 10New York | $103,920 | $96,293 | 6,880 |
Job outlook
Is Vascular Technologist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +13.9% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographers | +13.9% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers to change 13.9% over 2025–2035, roughly 4.0× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 12,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,000 openings are projected each year, 6.5% of the 92,200 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Vascular Technologist
Most vascular technologists complete a CAAHEP-accredited diagnostic medical sonography program with a vascular concentration, offered at the certificate, associate, or bachelor's level. Some move into vascular work after general sonography training.
The main credentials are the Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), which requires passing the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation exam plus a vascular specialty exam, and the Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS) from Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Accredited vascular labs, through the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission, generally require credentialed staff.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Vascular Technologist do?
Vascular technologists perform noninvasive studies of the blood vessels throughout the body. Using duplex ultrasound and Doppler, they scan the carotid arteries for stroke risk, leg veins for deep vein thrombosis, abdominal arteries for aneurysms, and arteries in the arms and legs for peripheral artery disease. They also measure blood pressures at the ankles and toes and run physiologic tests of circulation.
They take a brief history, position the patient, capture images and flow measurements, and write a preliminary technical report that a physician uses to interpret the study. Some also map veins before bypass surgery or dialysis access and assist with vein ablation procedures.
Day-to-day tasks
- Perform duplex ultrasound of carotid, abdominal, and peripheral arteries
- Scan leg and arm veins to detect deep vein thrombosis and reflux
- Measure ankle-brachial indexes and segmental pressures
- Map veins before bypass surgery or dialysis access
- Record images, velocities, and waveforms for physician interpretation
- Write preliminary technical findings for each study
- Maintain ultrasound equipment and lab quality standards
- Explain procedures to patients and position them for scanning
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Vascular technologists work in hospital vascular labs, outpatient imaging centers, vascular surgery and cardiology practices, and vein clinics. They spend much of the day scanning, which involves reaching, sustained arm positions, and helping patients move. Hospital roles include some evening, weekend, or on-call coverage for urgent clot studies.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the timeRegular bending or twisting.
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Critical Thinking3.6
- Writing3.3
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.6 |
| Writing | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Operation and Control3.4
- Coordination3.3
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Service Orientation3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Instructing3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Operation and Control | 3.4 |
| Coordination | 3.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Vascular Technologist?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RIS) built on O*NET's Diagnostic Medical Sonographer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Vascular Technologist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic5.9
- Investigative5.0
- Conventional4.8
- Social4.3
- Enterprising1.5
- Artistic1.3
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Vascular Technologist
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician
$74,310median a year
Most earn $39K to $121K
+3.7%Associate's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with diagnostic medical sonographers highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Vascular Technologist$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Vascular Technologist | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Vascular Technologist appears on
Questions
Vascular Technologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Diagnostic Medical Sonographers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for diagnostic medical sonographers. It counts them within diagnostic medical sonographer, whose median pay is $96,590 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $80,430 and $106,930, and the top 10% earn $129,370 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Vascular Technologist?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
Is Vascular Technologist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 13.9% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Vascular Technologist do?
Vascular technologists perform noninvasive studies of the blood vessels throughout the body. A typical task: perform duplex ultrasound of carotid, abdominal, and peripheral arteries. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Diagnostic Medical Sonographers the most?
The highest state medians for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are California ($128,530), Hawaii ($124,430), Washington ($121,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Oregon moves to the top at $116,311.
What personality type suits a Vascular Technologist?
O*NET scores Diagnostic Medical Sonographers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.