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Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA)

$223,210
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Give anesthesia and monitor patients before, during, and after surgery and other procedures.

Where you work

Operating rooms, hospitals, and clinics

The hours

Long shifts, on-call common

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$223,210
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~2,700
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+9%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
53,800
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's or doctorate + CRNA cert.

License or certification

Requires an RN background, a graduate degree, an APRN license, and national CRNA certification.

What it takes

Anesthesia carePatient monitoringCritical thinkingComposure

The honest take

Among the highest-paid nursing roles, reached only after years as a registered nurse and advanced graduate training.

Standard Occupational Classification 29-1151. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.