A nurse anesthetist working in the US has a yearly salary of $164,030 – the highest nurse anesthetist salary in all English-speaking countries. New Zealand closely follows US with NZ$214,524 (US$150,012), while a nurse anesthetist working in Canada will earn C$178,181 (US$133,563) per year. Professionals in Australia and the UK earn on average AU$165,030 (US$125,346) and £87,441 (US$109,309), significantly less than the top salaries for this profession worldwide. The lowest salaries for nurse anesthetists are registered in South Africa with R141,499 (US$10,373) and India with >Rs244,898 (>US$3,773).
How Much Does a Nurse Anesthetist Make Per Year?
| Nurse Anesthetist Salary |
US | Canada | UK | Australia | New Zealand | India | South Africa |
| Hourly Wage | $78.86 | C$85.66 (US$ 64.22) |
£42.04 (US$ 52.61) |
AU$79.34 (US$ 60.27) | NZ$103.14 (US$ 72.15) | >Rs117.74 (> US$ 1.814) |
R68.03 (US$ 4.987) |
| Annual Wage | $164,030 | C$178,181 (US$ 133,563) |
£87,441 (US$ 109,309) |
AU$165,030
(US$ 125,346) |
NZ$214,524 (US$ 150,012) | >Rs244,898 (>US$ 3,773) |
R141,499 (US$ 10,373) |
Nurse Anesthetists are specialized in administering anesthesia, monitoring their patients’ vital signs, and overseeing their patients’ recovery from their induced anesthesia. They also assist the primary anesthetist, as well as surgeons, dentists, and other physicians. Understandably, the nurse anesthetist salary is one of the highest in the field.
People pursuing the nurse anesthetist salary have to be registered nurses and to have the necessary specialized graduate education. All the education and training required for the job certainly contribute to the average starting certified registered nurse anesthetist salary.
Factors that Influence the Nurse Anesthetist Salary
Depending on the geographic area (country to country and state to state), the level of experience, and the industry in which they are working, the salary of a nurse anesthetist can vary greatly.
Geographic Area
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in the US
The average nurse anesthetist salary in the United States is about $164,000 per year. The starting salary for a nurse anesthetist in the US is $95,006. On the other hand, late-career professionals will take home about $194,248 per year. Bonuses can account for an extra income of up to $15,062, profit sharing for up to $20,134, and commission for about $8,000 per year.
Nurse anesthetists working in the US report a high job satisfaction. About half of the professionals in the field have less than 5 years of experience; almost 85% have medical insurance, about 69% have dental, and 55% enjoy vision insurance. Almost 15%, however, have no health benefits whatsoever.
Most states have highly varying salaries, depending on their own financial status and current need for the professionals. Unfortunately, the states offering the highest median certified nurse anesthetist salary will seldom have enough job openings.
Highest Levels of Employment for Nurse Anesthetists in the US
Below, you can find a table of the states with the highest levels of employment in the country:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Florida | 3,160 | 0.40 | 1.39 | $70.07 | $145,740 |
| Texas | 3,050 | 0.26 | 0.92 | $70.95 | $147,570 |
| North Carolina | 2,380 | 0.58 | 2.02 | $76.98 | $160,120 |
| Ohio | 2,330 | 0.44 | 1.55 | $72.08 | $149,920 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,210 | 0.39 | 1.35 | $73.49 | $152,850 |
The metropolitan areas with the highest level of employment in the United States are as follows:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,350 | 0.46 | 1.62 | $76.21 | $158,520 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 1,060 | 0.87 | 3.04 | $69.35 | $144,250 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,020 | 0.54 | 1.91 | $80.85 | $168,170 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 900 | 0.79 | 2.77 | $68.90 | $143,320 |
| New York – Jersey City-White Plains, NY – NJ Metropolitan Division | 880 | 0.14 | 0.47 | $80.17 | $166,760 |
| Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 840 | 0.95 | 3.33 | $68.71 | $142,930 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC – SC | 780 | 0.70 | 2.46 | $79.82 | $166,030 |
| Boston – Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division | 700 | 0.40 | 1.39 | $68.86 | $143,230 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 690 | 0.28 | 0.99 | $84.69 | $176,150 |
| Knoxville, TN | 670 | 1.78 | 6.24 | $83.32 | $173,300 |
Meanwhile, the nonmetropolitan areas that offer the highest employment levels for somebody with a nurse anesthetist salary are the following:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 200 | 1.71 | 5.98 | $79.25 | $164,830 |
| Piedmont North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.38 | 1.31 | $85.25 | $177,330 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.35 | 1.21 | $115.16 | $239,540 |
| Southeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.46 | 1.60 | $70.93 | $147,530 |
| Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.37 | 1.30 | $75.30 | $156,630 |
Highest Salaries for Nurse Anesthetists in the US
As you can see, they are different from the states offering the highest nurse anesthetist salary:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Montana | 70 | 0.15 | 0.51 | $117.09 | $243,550 |
| New Hampshire | – | – | – | $104.60 | $217,560 |
| Wyoming | 50 | 0.16 | 0.57 | $101.06 | $210,210 |
| Wisconsin | 490 | 0.18 | 0.62 | $99.63 | $207,220 |
| California | 1,090 | 0.07 | 0.25 | $99.11 | $206,150 |
Of course, just because states like Louisiana or cities like Chicago don’t show up on the above lists, it doesn’t mean that they have no nurse anesthetist programs or that it’s impossible to get hired there. It just means that there are fewer opportunities than in a big city like NYC.
Plus, compared to other countries, the US has far better job opportunities, at least for aspiring nurse anesthetists. In Canada, for example, the CRNA (certified registered nurse anesthetist) position doesn’t even exist, while in the UK the job competition is far greater than in the United States.
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in Canada
In Canada, a nurse anesthetist earns about C$178,181 (US$133,563) per year. A beginner in this field will earn about C$151,000 (US$113,174) per year, while an experienced professional will take home over C$200,000 (US$149,840).
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in the UK
The average salary for a nurse anesthetist in the UK is set at £87,441 (US$109,309) per year. The starting salary for nurse anesthetist in the UK revolves around £60,988 (US$76,235). After 15-20 years in this field, a professional can expect a salary of £101,961 (US$127,481) or higher. Bonuses can account for another £5,370 in income per year.
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in Australia
Nurse anesthetists working in Australia earn a yearly salary of AU$165,090 (US$125,557) on average. The starting salary for a nurse anesthetist is set around AU$100,000 (US$76,067), while a professional who has worked in this field for more than 15-20 years can expect salaries well above the national average. In addition, bonuses can account for an extra AU$9,094 (US$6,918).
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in New Zealand
According to SalaryExpert.com, the average base salary for nurse anesthetists is NZ$214,524 (US$150,012). Bonuses can account for an extra NZ$7,165, or US$5,013. The starting salary for nurse anesthetists in New Zealand is NZ$190,682, or US$133,420, while a professional who worked in this field for more than 15 years can expect a yearly salary of NZ$249,000 (US$174,250) or higher.
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in India
Although no information is available about the nurse anesthetist salary in India, we can take the registered nurse salary as a reference. A registered nurse working in operating rooms earns Rs244,898 on average.
For comparison, a US-based registered nurse working in operating rooms earns about $64,792 per year, while one working as a nurse anesthetist takes home about $164,030. Therefore, we can expect the nurse anesthetist salary in India to be significantly higher than Rs244,898.
Nurse Anesthetist Salary in South Africa
The average salary of a nurse anesthetist in South Africa is ZAR141,499 (US$10,373). The starting salary of a nurse anesthetist in this country revolves around ZAR84,000.
Experience
While the average starting nurse anesthetist salary is usually decent when compared to other starting salaries in healthcare, it grows sharply with the employee’s experience.
The industry and the geographical location of an anesthetist nurse position are relevant, but experience guides most raises. Overall, a $10,000 increment per ten years of experience was reported for the nurse anesthetist salary in most English-speaking countries, but this increment usually tempers off after the first three decades.
Industry
The industry in which an aspiring nursing employee starts their tenure, be it as an assistant, a traveling CRNA, a chief nurse anesthetist, or a pediatric nurse anesthetist, makes a huge difference in their pay grades.
The industries with the highest level of employment for the occupation are the following:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Offices of Physicians | 21,910 | 0.87 | $75.45 | $156,940 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 11,740 | 0.22 | $81.76 | $170,060 |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 1,470 | 0.18 | $70.39 | $146,420 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 1,370 | 0.19 | $84.06 | $174,850 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 940 | 0.05 | $76.63 | $159,390 |
Surprisingly, most of the industries that offer the highest nurse anesthetist salary are also the ones that are hiring. This is a rare occurrence, as most industries that are hiring usually offer lower pay. The highest paying industries for the occupation are as follows:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 430 | 0.17 | $85.97 | $178,810 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 1,370 | 0.19 | $84.06 | $174,850 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 11,740 | 0.22 | $81.76 | $170,060 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 940 | 0.05 | $76.63 | $159,390 |
| Offices of Physicians | 21,910 | 0.87 | $75.45 | $156,940 |
Working hours
Here is why CRNAs usually make so much money. There are no established work hours since most nurse anesthetists work very hectic schedules. From working nights to working weekends and holidays, most CRNAs have tight and tiresome schedules.
Shifts are also very common, as is working on call. Therefore, most certified registered nurse anesthetists rarely have the chance to make schedules or appointments and keep them. According to many practicing the profession, there is never a dull moment and they work for every single penny of their salary. From 24 hour shifts to working all nights and being on call, CRNAs have some of the most chaotic work hours in the medical industry.
Bonuses and Benefit Packages
While the bonuses for most nurse anesthetists vary from industry to industry and from employer to employer, most often they don’t really receive sign-on or any other types of bonuses. However, their benefits are usually in tens of thousands of dollars in most English-speaking countries, as most employers have to offer a number of insurances. They are usually as follows:
- Malpractice insurance: up to $10,000
- Health insurance: up to $7,200
- Dental insurance: up to $600
- Disability insurance: up to $3600
- Retirement account: up to $30,000
Job Outlook
Growing much faster than the average for all occupations in the United States, the employment rate of nurse anesthetists, regardless of rank and specialization, will raise by as much as 31% by 2024. There are many reasons for this above-average growth, but the truth remains that most aspiring nurse anesthetists will be able to get a job over the next years.
Conclusion
The main reasons for this worldwide predicted growth are the recent changes in healthcare legislation, an increased emphasis on preventive care, as well as the aging baby-boomer population. The long, chaotic hours and extremely stressful work environment makes the nurse anesthetist salary one of the highest in healthcare, and the highest among all nurses. If you are interested in anesthesiology and want to pursue a nursing career in this field, you can also check out our guide to the anesthesiologist assistant salary.