Do Registered Nurses or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more?

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more, with a national median of about $236,590 a year vs $97,550 for Registered Nurses — a gap of roughly $139,040 per year.

How big is the pay gap between Registered Nurses and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists?

The difference is about $139,040 a year, or roughly 143% more for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.

Why do Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more than Registered Nurses?

Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists complete more training and take on more clinical responsibility, which is reflected in pay.

Why are some figures verified and others estimates?

National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

RN vs CRNA Salary

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more — a national median of $236,590 vs $97,550, a gap of about $139,040 per year.

Registered Nurse

Verified public wage data

$97,550 / yr median

Median $97,550

$68,940Middle 50%: $80,330–$112,350$137,470

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Verified public wage data

$236,590 / yr median

Median $236,590

$155,250Middle 50%: $206,730–$294,350$339,500

Annual pay, side by side

Registered NurseVerified public wage data$97,550$46.90/hr
Certified Registered Nurse AnesthetistVerified public wage data$236,590$113.75/hr

What the difference comes down to

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn far more than staff registered nurses — one of the largest pay gaps in nursing. CRNA is a doctoral advanced-practice role that administers anesthesia with a high degree of autonomy, while the RN is the baseline nursing license. The gap reflects years of additional graduate education, critical-care experience, and scope. Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers of the gap. Use the calculator to personalize either path by your state, experience, and work setting.

Estimate your payPersonalize by role, location & experience Submit your salaryAnonymous · improves the data for everyone

RN vs CRNA Salary by state

Estimated pay gap for this comparison in each state.

Source & confidence— A verified figure from official U.S. public wage data.

BLS OEWS (May 2025, national)

National wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2025 national data.

Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology

Last reviewed July 3, 2026.

RN vs CRNA Salary FAQ

Do Registered Nurses or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more?: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more, with a national median of about $236,590 a year vs $97,550 for Registered Nurses — a gap of roughly $139,040 per year.
How big is the pay gap between Registered Nurses and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists?: The difference is about $139,040 a year, or roughly 143% more for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.
Why do Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists earn more than Registered Nurses?: Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists complete more training and take on more clinical responsibility, which is reflected in pay.
Why are some figures verified and others estimates?: National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.