Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) Salary in Wisconsin (BLS May 2025)
Nurse anesthetists in Wisconsin earned a median of $273,170 a year ($131.33 an hour) in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That is 15% above the national CRNA median of $236,590, and it ranks 12th of the 44 states with a published BLS CRNA median.
BLS reports this occupation as "nurse anesthetists" (SOC 29-1151). It is the same job people call CRNA — Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist — the credential every practicing nurse anesthetist holds.
Median salary
$273,170
Median hourly
$131.33
Average (mean)
$272,470
CRNAs employed
990
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates for Nurse Anesthetists (SOC 29-1151), retrieved 2026-10-25. Employed (wage-and-salary) nurse anesthetists in all settings — hospitals, surgery centers, physician and dental offices; excludes self-employed CRNAs and locum contracts.
CRNA pay range in Wisconsin
Half of Wisconsin's nurse anesthetists earned between $245,730 and $288,540. The spread from the 10th to the 90th percentile is $96,940, which reflects practice model (independent vs anesthesia-care-team), call burden, setting (hospital vs ambulatory surgery center) and region within the state.
| Percentile | Wisconsin annual | Hourly equivalent | U.S. annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $223,690 | $107.54 | $155,250 |
| 25th percentile | $245,730 | $118.14 | $206,730 |
| Median (50th) | $273,170 | $131.33 | $236,590 |
| 75th percentile | $288,540 | $138.72 | $294,350 |
| 90th percentile | $320,630 | $154.15 | $339,500 |
Hourly equivalent = annual ÷ 2,080 hours, the convention BLS uses to annualize hourly wages. BLS publishes the median hourly wage directly ($131.33); small differences are rounding.
Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) vs registered nurse and nurse practitioner pay in Wisconsin
Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), median
$273,170
$131.33/hr · 990 employed
Registered nurse, median
$95,530
$45.93/hr · 68,060 employed
Nurse practitioner, median
$131,980
$63.45/hr · 5,160 employed
In Wisconsin the CRNA median is $177,640 (186%) higher than the RN median and $141,190 (107%) higher than the NP median. All figures are BLS estimates for May 2025. The CRNA role requires an RN license plus critical-care experience, a graduate nurse anesthesia program (now a doctorate for new entrants), the NBCRNA national certification exam and state APRN licensure.
Registered nurse salary in Wisconsin · Nurse practitioner salary in Wisconsin
What a median CRNA paycheck looks like in Wisconsin
Gross pay at the Wisconsin median, and the federal taxes on it for a single filer taking the 2026 standard deduction. Retirement, insurance and other payroll deductions vary by employer and are not included.
| Yearly | Monthly | Every 2 weeks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay (median) | $273,170 | $22,764 | $10,507 |
| Federal income tax | $58,744 | $4,895 | $2,259 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $16,059 | $1,338 | $618 |
| Wisconsin income tax | Not included (we only publish sourced state tax figures) | ||
Taxes: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 brackets and standard deduction, SSA 2026 wage base, including the 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages over $200,000. See methodology. Run your own numbers in the tax calculator.
Wisconsin vs neighboring states
Median nurse anesthetist pay in the states that border Wisconsin:
| State | Median salary | Median hourly | vs Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $273,170 | $131.33 | — |
| Illinois | $286,830 | $137.90 | +$13,660 |
| Iowa | $273,070 | $131.29 | −$100 |
| Minnesota | $266,190 | $127.98 | −$6,980 |
| Michigan | $247,010 | $118.76 | −$26,160 |
The Nurse Licensure Compact covers RN and LPN licenses only. A CRNA needs APRN recognition in each state where they practice, and scope (independent practice vs physician supervision) differs by state. Compact license lookup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do nurse anesthetists make in Wisconsin?
Nurse anesthetists in Wisconsin earned a median of $273,170 a year ($131.33 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average (mean) was $272,470 ($130.99 an hour). That median is 15% above the national CRNA median of $236,590 and ranks 12th of the 44 states with a published BLS CRNA median.
What do the highest-paid nurse anesthetists in Wisconsin make?
The top 10% of nurse anesthetists in Wisconsin earned at least $320,630 a year, and the top quarter at least $288,540. The bottom 10% earned less than $223,690. These are BLS percentile estimates for employed nurse anesthetists across all settings, not offers for a specific job.
How does CRNA pay compare with RN pay in Wisconsin?
The CRNA median in Wisconsin ($273,170) is $177,640 a year, or 186%, above the registered nurse median of $95,530, both from BLS for May 2025. The role requires an RN license plus critical-care experience, a graduate nurse anesthesia program (now a doctorate for new entrants), the NBCRNA national certification exam and state APRN licensure.
What is a nurse anesthetist's paycheck in Wisconsin?
At the Wisconsin median of $273,170, gross pay is about $22,764 a month or $10,507 every two weeks. For a single filer with the standard deduction, 2026 federal income tax plus Social Security and Medicare come to about $74,802 a year. Wisconsin state income tax is not included in that figure, so actual take-home is lower.
How many nurse anesthetists work in Wisconsin?
BLS estimated 990 nurse anesthetists employed in Wisconsin in May 2025, the 17th largest CRNA workforce of the 38 states with a published BLS CRNA employment estimate.
About this data
These figures are the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) estimates for May 2025, the latest published. OEWS surveys employers, so it measures employed nurse anesthetists in all settings — hospitals, surgery centers, physician and dental offices; excludes self-employed CRNAs and locum contracts. Means are pulled up by high earners, which is why we lead with the median. BLS does not publish a wage above its top code; where a percentile sits there, the table says so instead of showing a number.
See nurse anesthetist salary in every state for the full ranking, or registered nurse salary in Wisconsin.