Anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists both sit high on the healthcare compensation ladder. The distance between them is compressing, and the data behind that compression matters for every ASC and health system making anesthesia staffing decisions right now.
The average total salary for anesthesiologists is $565,071 as of June 16, according to Marit Health, with an average base salary of $514,547. The average annual salary for CRNAs is $290,002, with an average base salary of $271,430, based on Marit Health’s compilation of 537 salaries as of the same date. The raw gap is approximately $273,069 in total compensation, but that number does not tell the full story.
CRNA salaries grew 59% from 2019 to 2026, rising from $181,000 to $288,000, according to Marit Health and AANA data, which is nearly twice the 29% growth rate for anesthesiologists over the same period, according to a report from healthcare consulting firm Veralon. The practical result: while the absolute dollar gap remains wide, the rate of change is eroding the economic advantage of anesthesiologist-heavy staffing models faster than most health system finance teams anticipated.
The setting premium adds another layer. Anesthesiologists employed by medical groups earn an average of $569,000, compared to $564,500 for those at hospitals or health systems, which is a modest difference. For CRNAs, the setting gap is more pronounced. Those working in outpatient care centers earn an average of $263,960 annually, meaningfully more than peers in hospitals or physician offices. The premium reflects strong demand for anesthesia coverage in ASCs, where orthopedic and cardiac cases continue to migrate from inpatient settings. For surgery centers competing for CRNA coverage, that outpatient premium functions simultaneously as a recruiting advantage and a cost pressure.
Geography stretches the range further. The average advertised CRNA salary reaches $400,000 in Alaska, the highest of any state, with at least $350,000 average compensation in eight states as of the first quarter of 2026, according to a report from BagMask.com. Alabama sits at the opposite end at $216,364. New Hampshire saw the largest single-quarter increase between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, jumping more than $50,000.
A gender gap runs through the CRNA workforce as well. Male CRNAs report average total compensation of $287,500, compared to $272,500 for female CRNAs. This $15,000 difference is driven by higher average base salaries and other income among male respondents. The gap exists within a profession that is itself highly compensated, but it mirrors broader gender compensation patterns documented across clinical specialties.
The workforce math underneath all of it may be the most consequential data point. CRNAs now outnumber anesthesiologists. There are 46,540 actively practicing CRNAs in the U.S., compared to 37,430 anesthesiologists, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That shift, combined with the compression of the pay gap, means the economic case for CRNA-heavy care teams, built on a $200,000-plus salary differential, is narrowing. The question health systems and ASCs have not fully answered is at what point the gap compresses enough to change the staffing calculus entirely.