How Much Do Nurse Anesthetists Make?

Last updated: August 26, 2024

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Contents
Featured Programs
What Factors Can Affect Wages
How Much Anesthetists Make
How Location Can Affect Wages
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nurse anesthetist salary

Key Takeaways:

  • Nurse anesthetists earn an average annual salary of $174,790, with a wide range depending on factors like location and experience.
  • Top-paying states for nurse anesthetists include Montana and California, with salaries reaching up to $246,370.
  • Location significantly impacts earnings, with substantial wage differences even between nearby cities or states.

There are several reasons why an individual may choose to become a nurse anesthetist, and their excellent wage potential is often at the top of the list. Becoming a nurse anesthetist requires several years of education, work experience, and training. Upon graduation, the nurse anesthetist generally finds excellent career opportunities as well as the potential to earn very good wages. Several factors come into play when determining how much a nurse anesthetist might earn.

Here is some interesting information regarding nurse anesthetists and how much they make. Of course, one element of concern to many professional nurses is time. Online MSN programs are often flexible if you need to keep working while you get your degree. But if you can afford to take a year off you might want to consider an accelerated online MSN program.

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What Factors Can Affect Wages

The wages earned by nurse anesthetists can vary by many factors.

• Degree – A nurse anesthetist with a doctoral degree will generally have more career opportunities and a higher wage potential than one with a master’s degree.

• Certifications – The more certifications and credentials the nurse anesthetist has earned, the higher the wage potential.

• Work Experience – A nurse anesthetist with several years of experience working as a nurse anesthetist will usually earn a higher wage than one fresh out of college and little experience. The more experience the candidate has, the less on-the-job training is required.

• Employer – Wages can vary from one employer to the next. A small healthcare facility will usually pay lower wages than a large facility.

• Geographic Location – Wages can fluctuate a lot from state to state or even from city to city. Large cities generally offer higher wages than small cities or towns, although this is not always the case.

How Much Anesthetists Make

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) have the potential to earn very good wages. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that nurse anesthetists nationwide earned an average annual wage of $174,790 as of May 2018. Their wages range from $116,820 at the low end and $198,470 at the high end. The average hourly wage nationwide is $84.03.

How Location Can Affect Wages

Location can play a huge role in determining wages. Here are the five top-paying states for nurse anesthetists followed by the five lowest-paying states as reported by the bureau.

• Montana – $246,370

• California – $212,210

• Iowa – $209,130

• Oregon – $205,730

• Wisconsin – $204,820

• Idaho – $143,270

• Arizona – $144,670

• Tennessee – $150,880

• Georgia – $151,070

• Indiana – $156,580

As can be seen from the comparisons, there can be a huge difference in salaries from state to state. The difference between Montana and Idaho is $103,100, which is a substantial amount.

Wages can also vary from one city to the next. The difference between the average annual wages for a nurse anesthetist in Milwaukee, WI ($181,960) and Eau Claire, WI ($192,500) is $10,540. The difference between wages in Mobile, AL($170,370) and Birmingham ($155,470) is $14,900. The difference between nurse anesthetists average wages in Los Angeles, CA ($170,090) and San Francisco, CA ($204,560) is $34,470. While some might think these differences don’t amount to a lot, others find the amounts substantial, especially considering only a couple of hundred miles separate the cities.

Individuals interested in earning a high wage while still working in a capacity where they can help patients and make a difference in their lives often choose to become nurse anesthetists. This profession offers candidates the chance at a career where they can make a lot of money and work in various healthcare facilities.

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College Values Online is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.