Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are the highest-paid nurses in the US. Travel CRNAs earn $4,000–$6,500/week — and crisis cardiac or rural contracts regularly hit $7,500+/week.
2025 AANA Doctoral Mandate — What It Means for Travel CRNAs
Effective January 1, 2025, all new CRNA graduates must hold a doctoral degree (DNAP or DNP-NA). CRNAs who completed an MS-level program before 2025 are grandfathered and remain fully licensed. Most travel contracts require current NBCRNA certification — your specific degree level rarely appears in contract language. If you graduated before 2025, your existing certification remains valid for practice. Questions? Our credentialing team will verify your specific situation before you accept any contract.
Real-time openings from our job database. Pay packages include taxable base + tax-free housing + meal stipends.
New CRNA openings are loaded daily.
CRNA positions move quickly. Contact us to get on our priority list — we'll notify you the moment a matching opening is posted.
Join the Priority ListCRNA pay varies more by setting and procedure complexity than almost any other nursing specialty. Cardiac surgery and rural independent-practice contracts command the absolute premium.
| Anesthesia Setting | Standard Travel Pay | Crisis / Overtime Pay | Demand Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiac / Open-Heart Surgery | $5,200–$6,500/wk | $6,500–$7,500/wk | Very High |
| Neurosurgery | $4,800–$6,000/wk | $6,000–$7,000/wk | High |
| Pediatric Anesthesia | $4,800–$5,800/wk | $6,000–$7,000/wk | High |
| Level I Trauma Center | $4,500–$5,500/wk | $5,500–$6,500/wk | Very High |
| Rural / Critical Access Hospital | $4,200–$5,200/wk | $5,500–$6,500/wk | Extreme |
| Obstetric Anesthesia (OB) | $4,000–$5,000/wk | $5,200–$6,000/wk | High |
| Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) | $3,800–$4,800/wk | $5,000–$5,800/wk | Moderate |
| Pain Management | $3,500–$4,500/wk | $4,500–$5,500/wk | Moderate |
Pay includes taxable base + tax-free housing + tax-free meal stipends. Total weekly package; individual components vary by contract.
Open-heart and TAVR procedures require advanced hemodynamic monitoring, TEE interpretation, and rapid crisis response. The CRNA often manages cardiopulmonary bypass in opt-out states. This rare skill set commands a genuine market premium — not just a shortage premium.
In rural critical-access hospitals and opt-out states, CRNAs are the sole anesthesia provider. The facility cannot do surgery without you — this leverage is reflected in pay. Rural Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska CRNAs routinely out-earn urban anesthesiologists on a per-hour basis.
Because CRNA base pay is already very high, the tax-free stipend component (housing + meals, typically $1,500–$2,500/wk) represents a smaller percentage of total comp than for RNs. Still, for a CRNA earning $5,000/wk, the stipend saves an additional $500–$700 in federal taxes per week vs. pure W-2.
CRNAs who can practice independently (without physician supervision) command higher pay and more control. Opt-out states are a significant strategic advantage for your career.
| State | Why Travel CRNAs Target It | Avg Travel Pay | NLC Compact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | CRNAs practice independently with no physician supervision | $5,400/wk | ✓ Compact |
| Alaska | Remote hospitals, extreme shortage, highest base rates | $5,600/wk | ✓ Compact |
| California | AB 394 ratios drive OR demand, non-compact but premium pay | $5,200/wk | ✗ Non-Compact |
| Texas | NLC Compact, 0% state tax, massive health system footprint | $4,800/wk | ✓ Compact |
| Florida | NLC Compact, 0% state tax, aging population drives OR volume | $4,600/wk | ✓ Compact |
| Montana | Independent practice, critical access hospital premium | $5,000/wk | ✓ Compact |
Note: The APRN Compact (separate from the NLC) covers CRNA licensure portability. Adoption is limited as of 2026 — most states still require individual APRN/CRNA license applications.
Board certification (NBCRNA) is the baseline for all travel CRNA contracts. These advanced certifications move you into the premium pay tier.
| Certification | Pay Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DNAP/DNP-NA | Required for new CRNAs (2025 mandate) | AANA-accredited program required; replaces MS-level entry |
| Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) | Required — baseline | Maintained throughout career |
| Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) | Required for peds cases | Most hospital contracts require this |
| Difficult Airway Course (DAC) | +$200–$400/wk | Valued at Level I trauma centers and academic centers |
| Regional Anesthesia Certification | +$300–$500/wk | Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks — ASC and orthopedics premium |
| Cardiac / Transesophageal Echo (TEE) | +$400–$600/wk | Open heart and cardiac surgery — highest CRNA pay segment |
Day-Heavy Schedule
Most CRNA contracts are Monday–Friday, day shift — following the OR schedule. This is dramatically different from bedside RNs who work 12-hour overnight shifts. CRNAs typically work 40–50 hours/week with call requirements varying by contract.
Call Requirements
Most hospital CRNA contracts include weekend call. Call pay ranges from $5–$20/hour + activation pay if called in. Always negotiate call frequency before signing — rural hospitals often require more call than urban centers.
Credentialing Timeline
Hospital credentialing for CRNAs typically takes 6–10 weeks (longer than floor RNs). Plan ahead — most travel CRNAs start the credentialing process 2–3 months before their target start date.
| Factor | Travel CRNA | Permanent CRNA |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Pay | $4,000–$6,500 | $2,800–$4,200 |
| Tax-Free Stipend | Yes ($1,500–$2,500) | No |
| Schedule Flexibility | High — choose contracts | Fixed employer schedule |
| Benefits | CatSol health/dental/vision | Full employer benefits |
| State Variety | Multi-state experience | Single location |
| Job Security | Contract-to-contract | High (salaried) |
| Best For | High earners, adventurers | Stability, family roots |
Travel CRNA pay packages typically range from $4,000–$6,500/week depending on setting, geography, and contract length. A standard package includes a taxable base hourly rate plus tax-free housing and meal stipends. Rural critical-access hospitals and cardiac surgery centers command the highest rates. Crisis/overtime contracts in shortage markets can push total weekly compensation to $7,000–$8,000+.
Yes — effective January 1, 2025, the AANA (American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology) mandated doctoral-level entry (DNAP or DNP-NA) for all new CRNAs. CRNAs who graduated before 2025 with an MS-level degree are grandfathered. Most travel CRNA contracts do not grandfather; they require current state licensure and board certification (NBCRNA) which implies appropriate credentials.
Yes, in 23 states (called "opt-out" states), CRNAs can practice without physician supervision under state law and the federal CMS opt-out. These states include Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, and Alaska, among others. Travel CRNAs often target opt-out states specifically because those contracts offer the highest pay and autonomy. Always verify current opt-out status before signing a contract.
Standard travel CRNA contracts are 13 weeks (3 months), the same as RN travel contracts. However, many facilities offer 26-week extensions, and some rural hospitals prefer 39-week commitments due to the difficulty of CRNA recruitment. Shorter crisis contracts (4–8 weeks) exist but are typically for acute staffing emergencies and often pay at the highest crisis rates.
The Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) covers RNs and LPNs/LVNs but NOT CRNAs. CRNAs hold an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) license, which has a separate APRN Compact that was enacted in 2020 but has only been adopted by a handful of states as of 2026. Most travel CRNAs apply for individual state APRN/CRNA licenses — a process that typically takes 4–12 weeks depending on the state. CatSol's credentialing team handles multi-state license applications.
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CatSol's CRNA recruiters specialize in high-acuity anesthesia placements — cardiac, trauma, rural, and pediatric. We handle multi-state credentialing, housing coordination, and contract negotiation.