How to hire a cardiac/vascular sonographer

How to hire a cardiac/vascular sonographer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step cardiac/vascular sonographer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a cardiac/vascular sonographer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new cardiac/vascular sonographer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a cardiac/vascular sonographer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A cardiac/vascular sonographer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, cardiac/vascular sonographers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of cardiac/vascular sonographer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Cardiac/Vascular Sonographer	Description	Hourly rate
   Cardiac/Vascular Sonographer	Diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians, including vascular technologists, operate special imaging equipment to create images or to conduct tests. The images and test results help physicians assess and diagnose medical conditions... Show more	$23-65
   Ultrasound Technologist	An ultrasound technologist is responsible for assisting medical professionals in operating high-end equipment to diagnose patients' illnesses and monitor health conditions. Ultrasound technologists regularly inspect the efficiency and reliability of the machine and report inconsistencies and defects for immediate repair or replacement... Show more	$24-67
   Vascular Technician	Typically working together with physicians and nurses, a vascular technician specializes in performing imaging and diagnostic examinations to assess a patient's vascular health. Their responsibilities usually include gathering and analyzing patient information and medical history, operating diagnostic equipment, performing adjustments, discussing the extent of procedures to patients, and assisting them, making them feel comfortable every step of the way... Show more	$23-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Echocardiogram
   • Patient Care
   • BLS
   • Ultrasound Equipment
   • Venous
   • ICAEL
   • EKG
   • Cardiac Ultrasound
   • Vascular Ultrasound
   • ABI
   • Color Flow
   • Bubble Studies
   • Cath Lab
   • TTE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Perform high quality studies as indicated for the referring physician, in accordance with ICAEL and ICAVL requirements.
   • Submit for and obtain accreditation from ICAEL for echo laboratory.
   • Perform general diagnostic radiology examinations.
   • Train on 3D and Stress/Dobutamine Echos.
   • Perform general diagnostic radiology examinations.

   More cardiac/vascular sonographer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your cardiac/vascular sonographer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A cardiac/vascular sonographer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a cardiac/vascular sonographer in Missouri may be lower than in Rhode Island, and an entry-level cardiac/vascular sonographer usually earns less than a senior-level cardiac/vascular sonographer. Additionally, a cardiac/vascular sonographer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average cardiac/vascular sonographer salary

   $82,550yearly

   $39.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level cardiac/vascular sonographer salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 31, 2025

   Average cardiac/vascular sonographer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$119,374	$57
   2	Washington	$107,187	$52
   3	Oregon	$104,700	$50
   4	New Mexico	$92,915	$45
   5	Illinois	$92,482	$44
   6	Michigan	$90,260	$43
   7	New Hampshire	$87,982	$42
   8	North Carolina	$83,790	$40
   9	Virginia	$81,691	$39
   10	Nebraska	$80,276	$39
   11	Ohio	$79,821	$38
   12	Florida	$79,563	$38
   13	Texas	$78,369	$38
   14	Colorado	$74,902	$36
   15	South Carolina	$66,395	$32

   Average cardiac/vascular sonographer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Roper St. Francis Healthcare	$131,302	$63.13	7
   2	AdventHealth	$121,686	$58.50	47
   3	John Muir Health	$90,494	$43.51	3
   4	Nebraska Medicine	$90,256	$43.39	5
   5	Aledade	$86,538	$41.60
   6	Northwestern Medicine	$85,856	$41.28	30
   7	Ascension Michigan	$83,653	$40.22	22
   8	St Joseph Medical Group	$81,774	$39.31	23
   9	PeaceHealth	$78,591	$37.78	49
   10	Houston Methodist	$78,465	$37.72	15
   11	HealthTrust	$78,261	$37.63
   12	LifePoint Health	$78,232	$37.61	16
   13	Sparrow Health System	$77,207	$37.12	1
   14	West Virginia University	$76,593	$36.82
   15	UC Health	$76,267	$36.67	39
   16	Catholic Medical Center	$75,450	$36.27	3
   17	UCHealth	$75,144	$36.13	20
   18	The Cardiac & Vascular Institute	$75,072	$36.09	4
   19	North Kansas City Hospital	$69,724	$33.52	2
   20	Texas Health Resources	$66,619	$32.03	7

4. Writing a cardiac/vascular sonographer job description

   A job description for a cardiac/vascular sonographer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a cardiac/vascular sonographer job description:

   Cardiac/vascular sonographer job description example

   At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?
   Description
   
   $5,000 Sign-On Bonus!
   
   The Angiographer II reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
   
   Responsibilities:
   
   Operates equipment to produce diagnostic radiographs and for appropriate age groups for interpretation(s) by a physician.
   Maintains proficiency in clinical and equipment competencies in all clinical settings.
   Ability to operate cardiac cath lab equipment, to include x-ray units, monitors, hemodynamic unit, with knowledge and expertise.
   Ability to operate angiography equipment with knowledge and expertise.
   Ability to coordinate and prioritize in emergent or critical patient situations.
   Demonstrates efficiency in the use of supplies and equipment while maintaining sterility during procedures.
   Assists in the assessment of patient condition throughout procedures.
   Utilizes technical and clinical skills to assist the physician during procedures to assure patient safety.
   Monitors all procedure functions to assist in the prevention of adverse outcomes.
   Able to alter examination relative to patient status to provide optimal outcome.
   Provides the physician with proper clinical diagnosis and patient history documentation.
   Works with the physician to provide optimal exam for accurate diagnosis.
   Coordinate schedule for optimal equipment utilization and patient flow.
   Maintains adequate supplies and workspace for efficient daily operation.
   Maintains quality control for all equipment in accordance with manufacturer and regulatory guidelines.
   Ability to start IVs as indicated for contrast injection with proper documentation.
   Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span, and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patients status. Includes being able to interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patients requirements relative to the patients age-specific needs.
   This position integrates the CHS values of genuine respect, passionate caring and a joyful spirit into each of the responsibilities of this job and daily communication with all customers and co-workers.
   This position adheres to and is responsible for the safety standards of Northwestern Medicine including the completion of the mandatory organizational safety standards on an annual basis.
   This position actively maintains confidentiality for our patients and their families as outlined in the NM Patient Confidentiality Policy and shows the same level of respect for every Associate with in NM.
   This position performs other duties as assigned.
   
   Qualifications
   
   Required:
   
   American Registered Radiologic Technology (ARRT).
   Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety Certified (IDNS).
   CPR certification.
   Physical ability to perform functional requirements of position.
   
   Preferred:
   
   Interventional Cardiovascular Registered (CVT).
   Intra-aortic Balloon Insertion & Operation experience.
   ACLS certification.
   1 or more years hospital Medical Imaging experience.
   
   #INDNW
   
   #LI-RWI
   
   Equal Opportunity
   
   Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right cardiac/vascular sonographer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with cardiac/vascular sonographers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit cardiac/vascular sonographers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your cardiac/vascular sonographer job on Zippia to find and recruit cardiac/vascular sonographer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with cardiac/vascular sonographer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new cardiac/vascular sonographer

   Once you've found the cardiac/vascular sonographer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new cardiac/vascular sonographer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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