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Nurse anesthetist salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$292,410median pay per year in California, or $140.58 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $200,530lowest 10% earn less
  2. $277,92025th percentile
  3. $292,410median
  4. $315,99075th percentile
  5. $335,550top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $236,590[3]

The median pay for nurse anesthetists in California was $292,410 a year[1]. That was $55,820 above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
2,230[4]
Rank by median pay
4 of 44[5]
Compared with US median
+23.6%[6]

How much do nurse anesthetists make in California?

The median wage for nurse anesthetists in California was $292,410 a year, or $140.58 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $283,780 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $236,590[3], so California was $55,820 (23.6%) higher[6]. California had the 4th highest median among the 44 states with a published figure[5]. For all jobs in the state, the median was $58,240[8], and nurse anesthetists were $234,170 above it[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $200,530 a year[2]. The 25th percentile was $277,920 and the 75th was $315,990[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $335,550[2].

Among metro areas in or partly in California, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario had a median of $298,910[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Vallejo and Santa Rosa-Petaluma each showed $239,200 or more[10]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed, and its wages leave out bonuses and the cost of benefits like health insurance[11].

California vs US pay

Pay for nurse anesthetists in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$292,410[1]$236,590[3]
Median per hour$140.58[1]$113.75[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$200,530[2]$155,250[12]
Top 10% earn more than$335,550[2]$339,500[12]
Jobs2,230[4]51,840[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for nurse anesthetists, and the median pay in each[10].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA[10]$239,200+460
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$298,910140
Vallejo, CA$239,200+70
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$239,200+30

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for nurse anesthetists in the states that border California, highest first[13].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[13]$272,330370
Arizona$248,660310

Median pay for nurse anesthetists in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for nurse anesthetists are projected to grow 9.7% from 2025 to 2035[14]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: master's degree[15].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a nurse anesthetist make in California?
The median wage for nurse anesthetists in California was $292,410 a year[1]. The average was $283,780 a year[7].
How much does a nurse anesthetist make an hour in California?
The median was $140.58 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $96.41 an hour and the 90th was $161.32[16].
Which city in California pays nurse anesthetists the most?
Among the metro areas listed, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario had a median of $298,910 a year[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Vallejo and Santa Rosa-Petaluma each showed $239,200 or more[10].
Is California a good state for nurse anesthetists?
California had the 4th highest median annual wage for nurse anesthetists among 44 states with a published median[5]. Its median was 23.6% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a nurse anesthetist in California?
Across the US, the typical education for entry is a Master's degree, with no work experience in a related job or on-the-job training listed[15]. This is a US figure, not one for California.

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nurse Anesthetists in California was $292,410 per year and $140.58 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nurse Anesthetists in California: 10th percentile $200,530, 25th percentile $277,920, 75th percentile $315,990, 90th percentile $335,550. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nurse Anesthetists in the US as a whole was $236,590 per year and $113.75 per hour, with about 51,840 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,230 people worked as Nurse Anesthetists in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 4th highest median annual wage for Nurse Anesthetists out of the 44 states with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nurse Anesthetists in California ($292,410) was $55,820 (23.6%) higher than the US median ($236,590). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Nurse Anesthetists in California was $283,780 per year and $136.43 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nurse Anesthetists in California was $234,170 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nurse Anesthetists in the US: 10th percentile $155,250, 25th percentile $206,730, 75th percentile $294,350, 90th percentile $339,500. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Nurse Anesthetists in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $272,330; Arizona $248,660. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Nurse Anesthetists is projected to grow 9.7% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,400 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Nurse Anesthetists: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Nurse Anesthetists in California: 10th percentile $96.41, 25th percentile $133.62, 75th percentile $151.92, 90th percentile $161.32. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.