How Much Do Nurse Anesthetists Make? A Complete Guide
- Nurse anesthetists made a median salary of $223,210 in 2024, making them the highest-paid nursing specialists.
- The bottom quarter percentile of nurse anesthetists made less than $187,110, and those in the 75th percentile made over $239,200.
- Montana and Massachusetts have the highest average certified registered nurse anesthetists salaries, both topping $290,000 in 2024.
- Entry-level nurse anesthetists made roughly $79 per hour, while experienced nurse anesthetists made over $100 per hour in 2025.
Certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) have administered anesthesia care since 1956. Each year, CRNAs provide 50 million patients with anesthetics. They also earn the highest salaries of all advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), making over six figures annually.
This guide breaks down salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and other resources to show how CRNA salaries vary by region, industry, and work experience. Find out in which states CRNAs earn the most.
How Much Do Nurse Anesthetists Make?
Nurse anesthetists made a median salary of $223,210 in 2024, according to the BLS.
The bottom quarter of nurse anesthetists made less than $187,110, and those in the top quarter percentile made over $290,000.
What Makes Pay for Nurse Anesthetists Different?
Salaries for nurse anesthetists vary based on various factors, including region, industry, and level of experience.
Nurse Anesthetists’ Salaries by State
Montana and Massachusetts have the highest average CRNA salaries, both exceeding $290,000.
At slightly above $130,000 salaries per year, Utah, Arkansas, and Rhode Island have the lowest average annual salaries for CRNAs.
Nurse Anesthetists’ Pay by Industry
According to BLS, the most common workplaces for nurse anesthetists were offices of physicians, where they earned an annual mean salary slightly above $237,000.
Offices of physicians are officially designated as facilities that provide routine, non-emergency healthcare. This includes specialized branches of medical care such as dermatology, pediatrics, dentistry, and women’s health.
Another top-paying settings for CRNAs are outpatient care centers, where they earned average salaries of $278,060.
Outpatient care centers provide routine preventative care, noncritical acute care, and minor surgical procedures. In contrast to hospitals, outpatient care facilities house patients who do not require overnight stays. Specialty hospitals, as their name suggests, provide expert care in specific areas, such as orthopedic surgery.
Nurse Anesthetists’ Pay by Level of Experience
According to Payscale, nurse anesthetists’ hourly pay rises roughly 45% over the course of their careers.
Entry-level nurse anesthetists made roughly $79 per hour as of September 2025. As they entered midcareer, they made around $94. Experienced nurse anesthetists made more than $100 per hour.
Nurse Anesthetists Continue to Be Top Earners in the Nursing Profession
Nurse anesthetists were the top earners among nurses, making an average salary of $205,770 in 2022.
