A nationwide survey of CRNAs found compensation continued to rise in 2025, but many clinicians remain open to changing jobs, highlighting ongoing workforce pressures for hospitals and health systems.
APEX Anesthesia Review surveyed 634 CRNAs and student registered nurse anesthetists nationwide. Seventy-seven percent of CRNAs reported year-over-year salary growth, and 36% said their compensation increased by more than 10%, according to a June 3 news release. Only 4% reported a salary decrease.
The survey also found that 60% of CRNAs were open to new opportunities, although only 11% said they were actively searching for a new role. Nearly half said they were receptive to hearing about positions even if they were not conducting a job search.
Compensation transparency emerged as a major recruiting factor. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they skip job postings that do not include salary information. Location mismatch and insufficient job details were the next most-cited deterrents.
The findings also suggest flexibility remains a key workforce priority. Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they had already or would consider relocating for better compensation or work-life balance, while 43% reported never working weekends or holidays. Among CRNAs working locum or travel assignments, 52% reported hourly earnings between $200 and $249.