CRNA Travel Nurse Salary (2026)
Our estimate for a CRNA travel nurse is $130/hr in taxable wages, about $4,680 a week on a 36-hour contract. Most of a travel package's value sits on top of that: tax-free housing and meal stipends, capped by the GSA per diem rate for the assignment's location, run from $1,267 to $3,199 a week (FY2027, 2026-27).
CRNAs administer anesthesia and manage patient care before, during, and after surgical procedures. Travel CRNAs are among the highest-paid healthcare travelers.
Data reviewed July 3, 2026 · 50 states, 221 cities, FY2027 GSA rates
Specialty and state pay figures on this page are our own editorial estimates, reviewed July 31, 2026 — not survey or government wage data. How we produce these numbers.
Taxable hourly (our estimate)
$130/hr
#1 of 14 specialties we track; +$82/hr vs Med-Surg
Taxable weekly, 36 hours
$4,680
$130 × 36. Before stipends and before tax.
Tax-free stipend ceiling (GSA)
$1,267–$3,199/wk
(Lodging + M&IE) × 7, FY2027. Source: GSA per diem rates.
Calculate a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Travel Nurse Offer
The calculator starts at our $130/hr estimate. Replace it with the taxable rate and stipends from your actual offer to see the weekly gross, the stipend check against the GSA ceiling, and federal tax and FICA.
Travel Nurse Pay Breakdown
Estimate your take-home pay, taxes, and blended rate in seconds.
Federal tax applies to wages after the $16,100 standard deduction; FICA applies to all wages. Tax-free stipends are excluded from both.
Same-state assignment, and TX levies no wage income tax, so no state income tax return is due on these wages.
Overtime (Optional)
Blended Hourly Rate
$168.89
Based on 36 hours in TX.
Gross Weekly Pay
$6,080
Taxable Weekly Income
$4,680
Estimated Weekly Taxes
$1,241
True Net Weekly Pay
$4,839
Assignment Projections
13-Week Assignment
$62,906
Net Pay
26-Week Assignment
$125,811
Net Pay
Annual (52 weeks)
$251,623
Net Pay
Take Home vs Taxes
Take Home
$4,839
per week
Taxes
$1,241
per week
Total Gross: $6,080 per week
🏠 Housing Stipend Analysis
Your Weekly Housing Stipend
$1,000
≈ $4,330/month
Est. 1BR Rent in Texas
$1,100
Monthly average
✅ Potential Tax-Free Pocket Money
+$3,230
Your stipend covers rent with $3,230 left over each month.
Find apartments under $1,100/month in Houston:
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Cost of Living Analysis in Texas
After rent, this is what you'll have left each month for other expenses
National average = 100. Texas's cost of living is lower than the national average by 7.3 points.
Rent figures are our own editorial estimates, not survey or listings data. Actual rent varies by neighborhood and housing type.
Resources for Your Assignment
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How Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Pay Compares
The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median pay of nurse anesthetists at $236,590 a year (May 2025; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). That is a wage-only figure. Travel contracts pay a taxable wage plus stipends, so compare a travel offer's whole weekly package, not its hourly rate, against a staff job.
Our taxable-rate estimates for each specialty, highest first:
| Specialty | Taxable hourly | Weekly at 36 hrs |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist | $130 | $4,680 |
| Cardiac Catheterization Lab | $62 | $2,232 |
| Operating Room | $56 | $2,016 |
| Intensive Care Unit | $55 | $1,980 |
| Pediatric Intensive Care Unit | $55 | $1,980 |
| Emergency Room | $54 | $1,944 |
| Neonatal Intensive Care Unit | $54 | $1,944 |
| Cardiac | $54 | $1,944 |
| Post-Anesthesia Care Unit | $53 | $1,908 |
| Labor & Delivery | $52 | $1,872 |
| Oncology | $51 | $1,836 |
| Telemetry | $50 | $1,800 |
| Psychiatric | $49 | $1,764 |
| Medical-Surgical | $48 | $1,728 |
Editorial estimates, not survey data. The stipend ceiling does not depend on specialty.
Requirements and Certifications for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Travel Nurses
Commonly listed in job requirements
- CRNA certification (NBCRNA)
- MSN or DNP in nurse anesthesia
- 3+ years CRNA experience preferred
- ACLS
- BLS
Specialty certification
| Credential | Awarded by |
|---|---|
| NBCRNA certification (NCE) and recertification (CPC) | National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists |
Note: whether a certification is required or only preferred varies by facility. Eligibility rules (practice hours, exam windows) are set by each certifying body; check its site before you plan around one. Our certification ROI guide covers whether one pays for itself on travel contracts.
Where the Tax-Free Stipend Ceiling Is Highest
The tax-free part of a CRNA package is capped by the GSA per diem rate for the locality you work in, at the peak month. The highest weekly ceilings we track for FY2027 (2026-27):
- Boston, MA up to $3,199/wk
- New York, NY up to $3,150/wk
- San Francisco, CA up to $2,919/wk
- Bozeman, MT up to $2,842/wk
- Alexandria, VA up to $2,709/wk
Areas without their own GSA rate use the CONUS standard rate, $1,267 a week. Look up any locality in our GSA per diem rates, or check an offer with the stipend calculator and Contract Grade.
Travel Nurse Pay by State
Our general taxable-rate estimate for each state (all specialties). Each state page has its GSA stipend ceilings, city pages and tax detail.
$42/hr
AK$55/hr
AZ$48/hr
AR$40/hr
CA$55/hr
CO$50/hr
CT$52/hr
DE$48/hr
FL$51/hr
GA$51/hr
HI$58/hr
ID$46/hr
IL$48/hr
IN$42/hr
IA$40/hr
KS$41/hr
KY$40/hr
LA$43/hr
ME$46/hr
MD$50/hr
MA$56/hr
MI$45/hr
MN$48/hr
MS$38/hr
MO$42/hr
MT$44/hr
NE$41/hr
NV$50/hr
NH$48/hr
NJ$52/hr
NM$46/hr
NY$58/hr
NC$44/hr
ND$42/hr
OH$52/hr
OK$40/hr
OR$54/hr
PA$48/hr
RI$50/hr
SC$42/hr
SD$40/hr
TN$41/hr
TX$46/hr
UT$45/hr
VT$48/hr
VA$47/hr
WA$56/hr
WV$38/hr
WI$44/hr
WY$44/hr
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do CRNA travel nurses make?
Our editorial estimate for a CRNA travel nurse is $130 per hour in taxable wages, about $4,680 a week on a 36-hour contract. That is an estimate, not survey data: real offers vary with the city, the facility and the season. On top of the taxable wage, a traveler who keeps a qualifying tax home can receive tax-free housing and meal stipends up to the GSA per diem ceiling for the assignment's location: from $1,267 a week in standard-rate areas to $3,199 a week in the most expensive locality we track (FY2027). For comparison, the Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median pay of nurse anesthetists at $236,590 a year in May 2025.
What certifications do CRNA travel nurses need?
Facilities commonly list CRNA certification (NBCRNA), MSN or DNP in nurse anesthesia, 3+ years CRNA experience preferred, ACLS, BLS. The specialty certification most associated with CRNA nursing is NBCRNA certification (NCE) and recertification (CPC) (National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists). Whether a certification is required or only preferred varies by facility, so check the job listing before you submit.
Which states pay the most for CRNA travel nurses?
By our own state estimates (not survey data), the highest taxable rates are in Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Alaska. The tax-free part of a package follows the GSA per diem rate of the assignment's locality, not the state; the highest weekly ceilings we track for FY2027 are in Boston / Cambridge, MA; New York City, NY; San Francisco, CA. Compare whole packages, not hourly rates.
Are CRNA travel nurse stipends taxable?
Housing and meal stipends are tax-free only if you maintain a tax home you are duplicating costs at, and only up to the GSA per diem rate for the assignment location. Without a qualifying tax home the stipends are taxable wages. The ceiling is the same for every specialty: it depends on where you work, not what you do. Check a location in our GSA rate pages or the stipend calculator.
How do I find CRNA travel nurse jobs?
CRNA travel nurse jobs are posted by staffing agencies and on travel job boards that collect listings from many agencies. Most listings ask for recent CRNA experience (often one to two years) and the certifications above, and the facility screens your profile before an interview. Working with two or three agencies widens the jobs you see. Before you accept, check the package line by line: the taxable rate, the stipends against the GSA ceiling for that city, guaranteed hours and the cancellation terms. TravelNurseCalc does not list jobs; our calculators help you compare the offers you get.