Advanced Practice
CRNA / Anesthesiology
The highest-paying nursing specialty. Demanding, prestigious, and deeply rewarding.
Advanced Practice
The highest-paying nursing specialty. Demanding, prestigious, and deeply rewarding.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) administer anesthesia and manage patient pain during surgical and procedural care. They practice independently or alongside anesthesiologists and are among the highest-compensated healthcare professionals in the country — with a national average salary exceeding $200,000.
CRNA programs require a minimum of 1 year ICU experience — most competitive applicants have 2–3 years.
Chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and statistics are heavily weighted in CRNA program admissions.
Programs are 3 years and extremely competitive. Start early and apply broadly.
CRNA students complete thousands of clinical hours across surgical specialties.
The NBCRNA exam certifies you as a CRNA upon graduation.
CRNAs plan and deliver anesthesia for surgery, obstetrics, endoscopy, pain management and trauma. A typical case includes a preoperative assessment, an anesthesia plan, induction, airway management, continuous monitoring and a safe handoff in recovery. In many rural hospitals CRNAs are the sole anesthesia providers.
The path is long and competitive. Programs now award a doctoral degree, require at least one year of full-time critical care experience (most successful applicants have more), and expect strong science grades and the CCRN. Graduates must pass the National Certification Examination from the NBCRNA.
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