The latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data report a May 2025 median annual wage of $236,590 and a mean annual wage of $248,320 for nurse anesthetists nationwide. Those are different measures: the median is the midpoint of reported wages, while the mean is the arithmetic average. State figures below are mean wages, so compare mean with mean.
The BLS published the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release in 2026. This guide labels the data by its measurement period, not its release year, and does not present projections or job-posting ranges as observed wages.
National nurse anesthetist pay at a glance
- Median annual wage: $236,590
- Mean annual wage: $248,320
- Mean hourly wage: $119.38
- Estimated employment: 51,840
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook pay table and BLS May 2025 national wage table. The Occupational Outlook Handbook median and the OEWS mean answer different questions; neither is a guaranteed offer or a new-graduate starting salary.
Highest published state mean wages
The following are the ten highest published state mean annual wages for nurse anesthetists in the May 2025 BLS state file:
- Alaska — $311,110
- Massachusetts — $303,310
- New Jersey — $290,920
- Vermont — $289,870
- New York — $285,020
- California — $283,780
- Oregon — $280,010
- New Hampshire — $277,740
- South Carolina — $276,380
- West Virginia — $275,100
A high state mean does not prove that every position in that state pays more. Employer type, location, experience, schedule, call, employment classification, and sample composition can all affect the estimate and an individual offer.
CRNA mean salary by state
These figures are annual mean wages from the BLS May 2025 state file for occupation code 29-1151, Nurse Anesthetists. BLS did not publish a usable estimate for every state. “Not published” is not zero and should not be estimated from neighboring states.
- Alabama — $189,120
- Alaska — $311,110
- Arizona — $256,610
- Arkansas — $198,540
- California — $283,780
- Colorado — Not published
- Connecticut — $225,810
- Delaware — Not published
- District of Columbia — Not published
- Florida — $239,830
- Georgia — $226,330
- Hawaii — Not published
- Idaho — $265,850
- Illinois — $251,600
- Indiana — Not published
- Iowa — $253,510
- Kansas — $206,320
- Kentucky — $229,690
- Louisiana — $243,240
- Maine — $259,370
- Maryland — $218,050
- Massachusetts — $303,310
- Michigan — $253,760
- Minnesota — $259,210
- Mississippi — $217,470
- Missouri — $271,780
- Montana — $270,330
- Nebraska — $255,610
- Nevada — Not published
- New Hampshire — $277,740
- New Jersey — $290,920
- New Mexico — $149,980
- New York — $285,020
- North Carolina — $226,780
- North Dakota — $248,580
- Ohio — $236,830
- Oklahoma — $190,820
- Oregon — $280,010
- Pennsylvania — $233,320
- Rhode Island — Not published
- South Carolina — $276,380
- South Dakota — $249,720
- Tennessee — $218,870
- Texas — $255,820
- Utah — $139,750
- Vermont — $289,870
- Virginia — $254,820
- Washington — $273,760
- West Virginia — $275,100
- Wisconsin — $272,470
- Wyoming — $260,650
Official source: BLS May 2025 state occupational wage estimates. Use the downloadable state file and occupation code 29-1151 to reproduce the list.
Why some figures look surprising
OEWS is an employer survey, not a census of every nurse anesthetist or every job offer. Some state occupation estimates are based on relatively small samples, some values are suppressed, and estimates can move sharply between releases. A state with an unusually high or low mean should be treated as a labor-market signal to investigate, not a precise prediction of personal pay.
The BLS figures also have scope boundaries:
- They describe wages for employed workers covered by OEWS; self-employed workers are outside the survey.
- A mean can be pulled upward by high earners and does not describe a typical new graduate.
- The state estimate does not adjust for taxes, housing, benefits, call burden, or hours.
- Published wages do not establish independent-practice rules or explain why one state differs from another.
Mean versus median: which number should you use?
Use the median when you want the national midpoint. Use the mean when comparing this state table with the national OEWS mean. Do not compare a state mean directly with the national median and describe the difference as a premium; the measures are calculated differently.
For a job decision, compare the actual offer's base pay, expected hours, call, overtime, benefits, retirement contributions, malpractice coverage, leave, and employment classification. For an education decision, keep wage data separate from tuition and borrowing assumptions.
How applicants can use salary data responsibly
Salary can inform a school-cost scenario, but it should not choose a program for you. Start with these questions:
- What would the program cost after tuition, fees, and living expenses?
- How much income would you give up while enrolled?
- Is the salary assumption a national median, a state mean, or an actual written offer?
- What happens to the repayment scenario if pay is lower or repayment takes longer?
- Does the program meet your location, clinical, accreditation, and application needs independent of salary?
Use the CRNA school cost calculator to save a cost estimate before comparing source-linked CRNA program profiles. Calculator outputs are planning scenarios, not financial advice or promised outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CRNA make?
The BLS reports a median annual wage of $236,590 for nurse anesthetists in May 2025. The national mean was $248,320. Your pay may differ based on employer, location, experience, schedule, and employment arrangement.
What is the average CRNA salary?
If “average” means the arithmetic mean, the May 2025 BLS national estimate was $248,320 per year, or $119.38 per hour. The median was $236,590.
Which state has the highest reported CRNA salary?
Alaska had the highest published state mean in the May 2025 BLS state file at $311,110. That estimate should not be treated as a guaranteed salary or proof that Alaska will remain first in a later release.
What is the CRNA salary in California?
The May 2025 BLS mean annual wage estimate for nurse anesthetists in California was $283,780. It is a statewide mean and does not account for local cost of living or predict a specific offer.
Is this new-graduate CRNA salary data?
No. OEWS reports occupation-wide wage estimates. It does not provide a separate new-graduate figure in this state table.
Data notes
- Occupation: Nurse Anesthetists, SOC 29-1151
- Measurement period: May 2025
- Source release: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
- Page reviewed: September 10, 2026
- Missing-value rule: suppressed or unavailable state estimates remain “Not published”
Check the BLS OEWS tables for later releases. When BLS publishes a new annual file, this page should be revalidated before changing its year label or figures.