CRNA Salary in 2026: A Hiring Leader's Guide to Staff Offers and Locum Costs
James Pemberton
Summary: the short answer
The median annual wage for nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) was $236,590 ($113.75 per hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Outpatient care centers paid a mean annual wage of $253,890, while general medical and surgical hospitals reported a mean of $228,020. With roughly 50,470 employed CRNAs nationwide and surgical volume shifting toward ambulatory settings, an employer offer priced at last year's hospital median will rarely move an employed CRNA off a stable schedule or a 1099 locum assignment.
What does a CRNA earn in 2026?
Nurse anesthetists (SOC 29-1151) are one of the highest-compensated clinical specialties tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program. Using the May 2025 federal release, here is the national baseline for W-2 staff roles:
| Benchmark | Annual Wage (May 2025 BLS) | Hourly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $160,630 | $77.23 / hr |
| 25th Percentile | $201,540 | $96.90 / hr |
| National Median (50th Percentile) | $236,590 | $113.75 / hr |
| National Mean (Average) | $231,700 | $111.39 / hr |
| 90th Percentile | Exceeds $239,200 (BLS top-code) | Exceeds $115.00 / hr |
Note on the 75th and 90th percentiles: BLS caps published percentile figures at $239,200 per year ($115.00/hr). Because the national median ($236,590) sits just below that ceiling, nearly half of all W-2 nurse anesthetists earn above the federal reporting cap.
How CRNA pay varies by clinical setting
Where a CRNA works shapes both base pay and call burden. In the May 2025 BLS industry breakdown, mean annual wages were:
- Outpatient care centers: $253,890 ($122.06/hr)
- Offices of physicians: $235,630 ($113.28/hr)
- General medical and surgical hospitals: $228,020 ($109.63/hr)
- Colleges, universities, and professional schools: $214,890 ($103.31/hr)
- Offices of other health practitioners: $212,260 ($102.05/hr)
That spread explains why hospital anesthesia departments lose staff to ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). An outpatient surgery center often pairs higher hourly W-2 pay with daytime Monday-through-Friday block schedules, no overnight trauma call, and no weekend shifts.
If you want to see how candidates read these same numbers from the other side of the table, review our candidate-facing CRNA salary benchmark page and our comparison of locum vs. permanent CRNA jobs.
Why the W-2 median is only half the story for employers
When a surgical suite or ASC has an open CRNA seat, you are not only competing with the hospital across town. You are competing with the 1099 locum tenens market.
When a facility relies on locum tenens agency coverage to keep operating rooms open, the all-in agency bill rate routinely runs well above the W-2 hourly equivalent once agency margins, travel, lodging, and malpractice coverage are factored in. At the same time, internal staff CRNAs who pick up extra call to cover a vacancy quickly burn out, turning one open seat into two.
Three factors move a passive CRNA toward a permanent W-2 offer in 2026:
- Autonomy and practice model. Candidates ask immediately whether your facility runs an independent CRNA model, an opt-out state practice environment, or a medically directed care team (1:3 or 1:4 MDA supervision), and whether CRNAs perform their own regional blocks, spinals, epidurals, and OB coverage.
- Call structure and post-call protection. "Manageable call" is too vague for a passive candidate. Spell out the exact call ratio (for example, 1:6 or no call in an ASC), whether post-call days are guaranteed off, and whether call callback hours are paid at a premium rate above base.
- Predictable schedule tiers. Offering 4x10s, 3x12s, or a dedicated no-call daytime track often attracts experienced CRNAs who are ready to leave travel work without taking a steep pay cut.
How to structure a competitive CRNA offer
Before posting a generic range, calibrate the total package around the levers that actually close searches:
- Base salary aligned with setting and autonomy: Anchor your W-2 base above the $236,590 median if your role includes hospital call, OB coverage, or complex cardiac/neuro cases.
- Transparent call and overtime stipends: Separate base compensation from stipends for Beeper call, in-house overnight call, and extra shift rates so the candidate can see true W-2 earning potential.
- Retention and commencement structure: Structure sign-on and relocation incentives with clear milestone vesting rather than back-loaded multi-year cliffs that candidates discount.
- Student loan repayment and CEU allowances: Dedicated NBCRNA recertification time and CEU stipends signal a well-run department.
Why job boards rarely fill permanent CRNA seats
With roughly 50,470 CRNAs employed across the United States and BLS projecting 7% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (about 3,200 openings per year), almost every credentialed CRNA is already working. Active job-board applicants are heavily weighted toward short-term locum travelers or newly graduating SRNAs shopping multiple offers.
Reaching a tenured, locally licensed CRNA who is not browsing job boards requires direct, confidential outreach that leads with your practice model, call schedule, case mix, and compensation band on the first touch.
That is how we run CRNA recruiting at Engaged Headhunters. We map the anesthesia providers within commuting radius of your facility (plus clinicians with state license ties who are ready to come off the road) and present a calibrated shortlist rather than a pile of unvetted resumes.
What does a CRNA search cost?
At Engaged Headhunters, fees are 15 to 30% of first-year salary, with engagement fees starting at $3,500. Every search includes a replacement guarantee per your engagement agreement. We also offer contingent clinical staffing at $0 upfront contingency, payable strictly upon start date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median CRNA salary in the United States?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2025 OEWS survey, the national median annual wage for nurse anesthetists (SOC 29-1151) is $236,590, or $113.75 per hour.
Which healthcare settings pay CRNAs the highest wages?
In the May 2025 BLS data, outpatient care centers paid the highest mean annual wage at $253,890, followed by offices of physicians at $235,630 and general medical and surgical hospitals at $228,020.
How many CRNAs are employed in the United States?
BLS OEWS data from May 2025 recorded 50,470 employed nurse anesthetists nationwide, with the Occupational Outlook Handbook projecting 7% job growth and approximately 3,200 annual openings from 2024 to 2034.
How can a hospital or ASC recruit a permanent CRNA without overpaying locum rates?
Lead outreach with concrete schedule and autonomy terms (exact call ratio, guaranteed post-call days off, regional anesthesia scope, and transparent extra-shift rates) and use direct passive headhunting to reach employed local CRNAs and travelers looking to settle permanently.
Talk to us about your anesthesia opening
If an open CRNA seat is delaying surgical blocks or driving up locum spend, book a 15-minute calibration call and we will map your local market.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 29-1151 Nurse Anesthetists (May 2025 data: 50,470 employment; $236,590 median annual wage / $113.75 median hourly; $231,700 mean annual; 10th percentile $160,630; 25th percentile $201,540; 90th percentile >$239,200; industry mean wages: Outpatient Care Centers $253,890, Offices of Physicians $235,630, General Medical and Surgical Hospitals $228,020): https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291151.htm (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners (projected 7% growth for nurse anesthetists, 2024 to 2034): https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm (opens in a new tab)
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