CRNA Salaries. Have They Gone Down?

loveanesthesia · Oct 18, 2008

Have CRNA salaries gone down? I do know they vary by different areas and regions of the US, but after looking into it, its seems like overall they have too a significant drop?
What can one expect starting out as a CRNA? And as your expierience increases could someone possibly provide a break down chart, and let me know typically what does a CRNA max out at?

I don't think salaries have 'took a significant drop', and CRNAs 'max out' depending on how hard and smart they work. I do think there is potential for health care reform to have an impact on CRNA's income. It could go either way depending upon how it is shaped. It will be important that CRNAs pay attention and make their voices heard. No one will give us a seat at the table without us working for it.

Celicastrtrcr · Oct 18, 2008

I don't think salaries have 'took a significant drop', and CRNAs 'max out' depending on how hard and smart they work. I do think there is potential for health care reform to have an impact on CRNA's income. It could go either way depending upon how it is shaped. It will be important that CRNAs pay attention and make their voices heard. No one will give us a seat at the table without us working for it.

So if you are a CRNA, which Im sure you are is there talk about soon CRNA will need a Doctorial Degree? I am very interested myself to become a CRNA or even an Anetheseologist, but not sure which path to take. I would love to get some nursing under my belt but by the time I finish everything i hope there will be some type of transition if i was to become a CRNA and if I wanted to go back to school to become a Dr. Phd Anetheseologist I could. Dont get me wrong but it is not all about the income to me. I take interest in Medicine and I love the wonders it could do for people, but salary does play an important part of my life, if i want to settle down, get married, have a family one day, I will need to be able to provide and support for them. I heard salaries for CRNA range from $140,000-$210,000 a yr, not sure if this is true, and Anetheseologist can make $320,000-$400,000 a yr, not sure if this is true either? Could you possibly answer this for me? Is the potential there to make that kind of money? :typing I really appreciate your response from earlier and would like to thank you for replying.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 18, 2008

http://www.gaswork.com/ has the largest job/salary listings. Current lisitngs have salary starting $150,000-160,000 on average

loveanesthesia · Oct 19, 2008

I would love to get some nursing under my belt but by the time I finish everything i hope there will be some type of transition if i was to become a CRNA and if I wanted to go back to school to become a Dr. Phd Anetheseologist I could.

A CRNA with a PhD is not an Anesthesiologist, he/she is a CRNA with a PhD. An Anesthesiologist is a physician who has specialized in anesthesia. The Doctoral degree which has been discussed for advanced practice nursing is a clinical doctorate, the DNP. Anesthesiologists have a higher income than CRNAs do, I beleive the ranges you site are fairly accurate. There is a lot of information available here and elsewhere in the web about the requirements to become a CRNA, and you can easily find out the path to becoming a physician. I guess you need to compare the two and decide which direction you want to go.

Screen name · Nov 11, 2008

I don't think the salaries have been too effected at this point. But don't forget supply and demand. When half of my nursing patho class are wanting to be CRNAs even if 1/3 of them go for it you know at some point there will be a saturation of them across many parts of the country.

californianurse · Nov 13, 2008

I don't think the salaries have been too effected at this point. But don't forget supply and demand. When half of my nursing patho class are wanting to be CRNAs even if 1/3 of them go for it you know at some point there will be a saturation of them across many parts of the country.

I like your point, but remember the baby boomers are aging and will need our services, which will increase demand.

turtle and the hare · Feb 20, 2009

It appears that CRNA salaries are climbing at a less dramatic rate. Salaries for CRNA as the person mentioned above, is based on supply and demand. Only a few years ago there were mid 20K, now there are, I think 36,000 CRNA's nationwide. quite a jump.

loveanesthesia · Feb 22, 2009

I think those numbers are a little off, we were stuck at around 32,000 CRNAs for several years, but have starting to gain some ground in the past 4 years or so. The increases are needed, but we don't want to go the path of the NPs where large numbers are graduated with minimal clinical experience. Some colleges are wanting to start nurse anesthesia programs modeled on their NP programs. That is a concern and the nurse anesthesia standards need to stay high.

codyj · Feb 28, 2009

CRNA's need to be careful who we affiliate with- heard the term "dual-degree"-- we DONT want that.

Jdog19s · Apr 30, 2009

Some CRNA's are only making 110,000 dollars, so it really depends on where you are working and what the cost of living is going to be that should make up your mind. The benefits in nurse anesthesia are fantastic though. Most companies pay for the entire family to have health insurance and that alone is a huge step up from nursing. Most CRNA students come out of school with over 100,000 in student loans, most MDA's come out with probably over 300,000 (just a guess). If you end up going the CRNA route, by the time you get your experience and apply, most programs may be phd programs already. By 2015 I believe all schools have to have the doctorate degree and no program is allowed to be "just a masters" program anymore. Although, I havent heard that this will do anything for the starting pay you will as a CRNA.

NurseBobbyJack · Aug 27, 2009

Actually, the doctorate is not required until the year 2025, Chicken Little. :chuckle