OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the inpatient burden among women diagnosed with vulvar cancer using the 2009 Healthcare Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (HCUP-NIS) database.  METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional study design was used.  Inpatient burden among women with vulvar cancer (cases) was compared to those without vulvar cancer (controls).  Further, factors predicting average length of stay (LOS), total charges, and mortality among cases were determined.  Analyses (PROC SURVEY procedures) were performed using SAS ver.9.2.  RESULTS: In 2009, there were 6,318 hospitalizations among women with vulvar cancer in the US.  The overall rate of vulvar cancer-related hospitalizations was 31.89/100,000.  The average total hospital charges, comorbidity scores, and number of procedures recorded were higher among cases versus controls.  Average LOS was significantly longer among cases discharged to other health facilities as compared to cases that were routinely discharged.  Greater number of diagnoses and procedures recorded were associated with longer LOS.  An increase in the number of procedures recorded and longer LOS were associated with higher total charges.  Inpatient mortality was higher among women of lower income and those admitted to rural hospitals.  Mortality among women with vulvar cancer also increased with LOS and number of diagnoses on record.  CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to use a nationally representative database to provide information related to inpatient burden among women with vulvar cancer.  Policy makers could use study results when making resource allocation decisions, with the aim of improving inpatient outcomes among women with vulvar cancer.