How much does a nurse anesthetist make?
a year · about $114 an hour
A typical nurse anesthetist in the United States makes $236,590 a year, about $114 an hour, about 4.6× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
Before surgery, they check a patient's health and plan anesthesia; in the operating room, they give it and watch breathing and vital signs. Afterward, they monitor the patient waking up and help manage pain.
Did you know? Nurses first gave anesthesia to wounded soldiers on U.S. battlefields during the Civil War.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $155,250 and $339,500How do you become one?
Earn a bachelor's nursing degree, pass the RN exam, and work at least a year in critical care. Then complete an accredited doctoral anesthesia program, pass the national CRNA exam, and meet state licensing rules.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the United States, pay can differ by location and workplace: BLS data show different patterns for physician offices, hospitals, and outpatient centers, and across states. Certification and the exact role also matter; working more or fewer hours changes total earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New York ($321,030), lowest in Alabama ($190,300).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $155,250 | $236,590 | $339,500 | about 52,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $321,030 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $295,550 | about 500 |
| California | $292,410 | about 2,000 |
| West Virginia | $278,530 | about 740 |
| Washington | $274,390 | about 760 |
Official definition: Administer anesthesia, monitor patient’s vital signs, and oversee patient recovery from anesthesia. May assist anesthesiologists, surgeons, other physicians, or dentists. Must be registered nurses who have specialized graduate education.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitio
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes291151.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1151.00
- www.aana.com/about-us/about-crnas/become-a-crna
- college.mayo.edu/academics/explore-health-care-careers/careers-a-z/nurse-anesthe
- www.coacrna.org/about-coa/requirements-to-practice-as-a-nurse-anesthetist-in-the
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY