Nurse Anesthetists
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.
Also called: Anesthesia Physician, Anesthesia Specialist, Certified Nurse Anesthetist, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), Nurse Anesthetist, Staff Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (Staff CRNA)
Median pay
$236,590
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$155,250 – $339,500
People employed
51,840
Holland code
SIR
Social · Investigative · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 4.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 5.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 6.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Tight deadlines are common
Nurse Anesthetists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (44 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What nurse anesthetists do
- 01Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- 02Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
- 03Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
- 04Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.
- 05Select, prepare, or use equipment, monitors, supplies, or drugs for the administration of anesthetics.
- 06Assess patients' medical histories to predict anesthesia response.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Active Learning
- Speaking
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Education and Training
Work styles that stand out
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Cooperation
- Achievement Orientation
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from nurse anesthetists
- Medical Dosimetrists51% · −38%
- Athletic Trainers51% · −74%
- Surgical Assistants48% · −72%
- Midwives48% · group pay
- Orthotists and Prosthetists48% · −66%
Change into nurse anesthetists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Midwives77% · $65,790
- Orthotists and Prosthetists77% · $81,110
- Athletic Trainers76% · $62,520
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary71% · $107,310
- Medical Dosimetrists70% · $147,470
Majors that lead here
- Nurse Anesthetist
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.