Stabilizing Pay, Shifting Incentives: The New CRNA Compensation Landscape
While compensation for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) is still on the rise, growth is starting to stabilize after two years of steep increases. However, market shortages for this workforce will likely continue to impact pay for the next 5-10 years.
CRNA Compensation
Median total cash compensation for CRNAs and pediatric CRNAs has risen roughly 20% since 2023.
Select a tab to compare base and total cash hourly rates by year.
Total Cash Compensation (TCC) Hourly Rate calculated using 2,080 annual hours excluding premium.
CRNA
TCC up 19.3% from 2023-2026
YOY change in TCC
2026
6.3%
Base $122.60 · TCC $125.00 · TCC is $2.40 (2.0%) above base
2025
5.2%
Base $115.12 · TCC $117.55 · TCC is $2.43 (2.1%) above base
2024
6.7%
Base $109.58 · TCC $111.76 · TCC is $2.18 (2.0%) above base
2023
Base $102.91 · TCC $104.77 · TCC is $1.86 (1.8%) above base
Pediatric CRNA
TCC up 19.7% from 2023-2026
YOY change in TCC
2026
9.9%
Base $121.03 · TCC $125.44 · TCC is $4.41 (3.6%) above base
2025
2.3%
Base $113.18 · TCC $114.17 · TCC is $0.99 (0.9%) above base
2024
7.4%
Base $109.50 · TCC $111.63 · TCC is $2.13 (1.9%) above base
2023
Base $99.00 · TCC $103.93 · TCC is $4.93 (5.0%) above base
*TCC = total cash compensation. Bars share one axis (starting at $80) across both tabs.
CRNA Pay Practices
Compensation beyond base pay increases remain a key focus.
Select a tab to see how your organization compares to national benchmarks.
Bonus Practices
82%
of organizations offer sign-on bonuses
Median amount: $20,500
Median amount: $20,500
47%
of organizations offer retention bonuses
94%
require payback if a CRNA leaves within 2 years
Median amount: $10,000
Median amount: $10,000
Employment Practices
66%
of organizations employ their CRNAs
45%
use employment agreements for some or all of their CRNAs
Extra Shifts
70%
of exempt CRNAs are eligible for extra shift pay
Shift Differentials
49%
of organizations provide shift differentials
*Most pay a dollar per hour increase, while others pay a percentage of base rate.
Prevalence by Type
63%
Weekday Evening
77%
Weekend Evening
80%
Weekend Night
Student Loan Repayment
Prevalence
CME Allowance
Prevalence
Average Allowance Range
$2,50025th
Percentile
Percentile
$2,50050th
Percentile
Percentile
$3,00075th
Percentile
Percentile
