CRNA vs Nurse Practitioner: pay, jobs and what each takes

Certified registered nurse anesthetists, by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025): a median of $113.75 an hour ($236,590 a year), against $63.61 ($132,300 a year) for nurse practitioners, $50.14 an hour more. The open jobs on this board today post medians of $158.25 an hour for certified registered nurse anesthetists and $80 for nurse practitioners.

On this board today: 1,423 open certified registered nurse anesthetist jobs and 4,305 nurse practitioner jobs, read from each employer's own job board. BLS expects about 2,400 openings a year for certified registered nurse anesthetists and 29,400 for nurse practitioners, with employment changing +9.7% and +41.0% over 2025-2035.

Nurse anesthetists give anesthesia and keep patients safe through surgery, childbirth and procedures, from pre-op assessment to waking up. They work in hospitals and surgery centers, alone or in a team with anesthesiologists. Nurse practitioners examine patients, order and read tests, diagnose and prescribe, often with their own panel of patients. They work in primary care, specialty clinics, hospitals, urgent care and telehealth.

An RN license and critical care experience, then a doctoral nurse anesthesia program (DNP or DNAP) and the national exam. (BLS: Master's degree.) A registered nurse license, then a master's (MSN) or doctoral (DNP) nurse practitioner program and a national board exam. (BLS: Master's degree.) Each occupation's page lists its credentials and who grants them: Certified registered nurse anesthetists, Nurse practitioners.