Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary 2026
Anesthesiologist assistants earn some of the highest pay of any master’s-level healthcare career. In 2026, the average total compensation for a certified anesthesiologist assistant (CAA) is about $247,000 per year, with an average base salary near $227,000, according to salary transparency data compiled by Merit Health.
New graduates start at roughly $239,000 in total compensation, and top earners exceed $327,000.Below is the full breakdown: national pay ranges, hourly rates, pay by state, starting salaries, and how CAA earnings compare to CRNA pay.
Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary: Quick Answer
CAA pay data from multiple 2026 sources paints a consistent picture:
- Average total compensation: $247,000 per year (Marit Health, April 2026)
- Average base salary: $227,000 per year (Marit Health)
- Typical range: $220,000 to $270,000 (25th to 75th percentile)
- Top earners: $327,000+ (90th percentile)
- New graduate starting pay: $239,000 average total compensation, including a $220,500 base, a $6,500 bonus, and roughly $12,000 in other income (Marit Health)
- Average sign-on bonus: $34,500 for new graduates, plus an average $8,000 relocation bonus
A note on data: broad job aggregators like ZipRecruiter report much lower CAA averages (around $140,000–$150,000). Those figures appear to mix in unrelated job titles such as anesthesia technicians and medical assistants.
The figures above come from CAA-specific sources, self-reported CAA salary data and advertised CAA job postings and are far more reliable for this profession.
Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary by Level and Setting
The following table uses CAA-specific 2026 data. “Total compensation” includes base pay plus bonuses, overtime, call pay, and other income, while base salary is the guaranteed portion.
| Level/Setting | Annual Salary | Hourly | Notes |
| New graduate CAA | $239,000 total ($220,500 base) | ~$115/hr | Average from 59 new graduate salaries, Marit Health |
| Early-career CAA (1–5 years) | $225,000–$260,000 | ~$108–$125/hr | Typical advertised ranges; sign-on bonuses common |
| Experienced CAA (median) | $247,000 total ($227,000 base) | ~$119/hr | National average total compensation, Marit Health |
| Top earners (90th percentile) | $327,000+ | ~$157/hr | Includes overtime, bonuses, and call pay |
| Hospital setting | ~$247,000 | ~$119/hr | Hospitals are the most common employer |
| Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) | $250,000–$316,800 | ~$120–$152/hr | One 2026 ASC posting in Indiana advertised $316,800 base ($180/hr) plus a $50,000 sign-on bonus |
| Academic medical center | $249,500 | ~$120/hr | Slightly higher base, lower bonuses vs. non-academic settings |
Anesthesiologist Assistant Hourly Pay
CAAs typically work about 39.8 hours per week with 6.8 weeks of paid time off, per Merit Health’s 2026 data. Based on standard full-time equivalents:
- Average hourly equivalent: about $109/hr on base salary ($227,000) or $119/hr on total compensation ($247,000), assuming 2,080 hours
- High-end advertised rates: up to $180/hr, as seen in a 2026 Indiana job posting for a CAA at an orthopedic surgery center ($316,800 annual base)
- Locum tenens (temporary) CAA work: rates of $200–$250+/hr are reported by anesthesia staffing firms, well above permanent staff rates
Overtime and extra income are significant in this field. About 42% of CAAs report other income such as overtime or leadership stipends, averaging $14,090. Around 38% receive call pay averaging $1,057 per year, and 46% receive an annual bonus averaging $6,220. Extra shifts, weekend calls, and holiday coverage are the main ways CAAs boost their take-home pay.
Starting Salary for New CAAs
New CAA graduates enter one of the strongest starting pay markets in healthcare:
- Average starting total compensation: $239,000 (Marit Health, based on 59 new graduate salaries)
- Average starting base salary: $220,500
- Average starting bonus: $6,500
- Average other income: ~$12,000
- Average sign-on bonus: $34,500
- Average relocation bonus: $8,000
Facilities compete aggressively for new graduates because CAA training programs are fewer than CRNA programs, so the pipeline of new CAAs is small relative to demand.
Real 2026 job postings illustrate this: a Texas anesthesia practice advertised a $250,000 starting salary with a choice of a $50,000 sign-on bonus or $75,000 in student loan repayment; a Denver practice posted a $234,000–$265,000 base with average total earnings of $250,000–$315,000.
Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary by State
CAAs can currently practice in about 23 US jurisdictions, so state-level data only exists where the profession is authorized. The most detailed state ranking comes from BagMask, a specialized anesthesia job board, which analyzed full-time CAA job postings listing salary ranges.
The table below reflects advertised base pay averages from that analysis (labeled 2025 data, still the best state-level source available):
| Rank | State | Average Advertised Base Pay |
| 1 | New Mexico | $282,500 |
| 2 | South Carolina | $281,000 |
| 3 | Texas | $273,000 |
| 4 | Vermont | $265,000 |
| 5 | Georgia | $252,273 |
| 6 | Florida | $250,000 |
| 7 | Wisconsin | $247,500 |
| 8 | Indiana | $245,000 |
| 9 | Colorado | $241,250 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $240,000 |
Additional state-level signals from 2026:
- Texas set the national high-water mark for advertised CAA maximums, with top offers reaching $350,000 (BagMask, Q1 2026)
- Georgia saw top advertised offers up to $340,000; Wisconsin up to $330,000
- A Washington, D.C. hospital posting listed a hiring range of $225,000–$272,500
States where CAAs are in short supply relative to surgical demand tend to pay the most. Note that state pay rankings can shift as new states authorize CAA practice and as health systems adjust staffing strategies.
CAA vs CRNA Salary
The CAA vs CRNA question comes up constantly the two roles do similar work in the operating room, but arrive through very different paths. Here’s how their pay compares:
| Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) | Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) | |
| Average/median pay | $247,000 average total comp (Marit Health, 2026) | $236,590 median wage (BLS, May 2025) |
| Recent pay growth | Median total cash comp up 8.2% year over year, up 30.2% since 2023 (SullivanCotter, 2026) | Median up 6.3% year over year, up 19.3% since 2023 (SullivanCotter, 2026) |
| Training path | Bachelor’s + master’s (24–29 months); no prior healthcare work required | BSN + RN license + 1–3 years ICU experience + doctorate (36–51 months) |
| Practice authority | ~23 jurisdictions; always on a physician-led anesthesia care team | All 50 states; independent practice where state law allows |
In short, average CAA pay is currently slightly higher than the CRNA median, and CAA compensation has been growing faster, up more than 30% since 2023. However, CRNAs can practice everywhere in the US and in some states practice independently, which gives them more geographic and practice flexibility.
Factors That Affect Anesthesiologist Assistant Salary
Several variables move a CAA’s pay up or down by tens of thousands of dollars:
- Experience: Pay climbs steeply in the first 5–10 years. Even new graduates start near $239,000, while top earners with overtime and bonuses exceed $327,000.
- State and market: High-demand states like New Mexico, South Carolina, and Texas advertise averages above $270,000, while markets with more established CAA staffing pay closer to the national average.
- Practice setting: Ambulatory surgery centers and private anesthesia groups often offer higher base pay and sign-on bonuses than academic medical centers, which trade slightly lower bonuses for stability and higher base salaries.
- Overtime, call, and bonuses: These add an average of about $20,000 to total compensation. CAAs willing to take calls, weekend shifts, and leadership stipends earn meaningfully more.
- Sign-on and retention incentives: Sign-on bonuses averaging $34,500 and job postings offering $50,000+ are common as employers compete for a limited supply of CAAs.
- Demand: Nearly 30% of anesthesiologists are expected to leave the workforce by 2033, and health systems are leaning more on CAAs to fill the gap, pushing pay upward (SullivanCotter found CAA pay growing 8.2% in a single year).
If you are exploring other healthcare support careers, compare these figures with our Phlebotomist Salary 2026 guide to see how anesthesia careers stack up against other clinical paths.
What Does an Anesthesiologist Assistant Do?
A certified anesthesiologist assistant is a master’s-trained anesthesia provider who works as part of an anesthesia care team led by a physician anesthesiologist. Typical responsibilities include performing pre-anesthesia assessments, obtaining IV access, administering anesthesia during surgical cases (general, spinal, epidural, and nerve blocks), and monitoring patients during and after procedures.
The CAA vs CRNA distinction: CAAs enter through a premedical education path (bachelor’s degree with science prerequisites, then a CAA master’s program) and always work under the direction of an anesthesiologist. CRNAs enter through nursing (BSN, RN license.
ICU experience, then a doctoral nurse anesthesia program) and in many states can practice with more autonomy. The roles overlap heavily in day-to-day OR work but differ in training model, supervision requirements, and where they are legally authorized to practice.
How to Become a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Earn a bachelor’s degree with premedical science prerequisites (biology, chemistry, physics).
- Take the MCAT or GRE most accredited CAA programs require one of these entrance exams.
- Graduate from an accredited CAA master’s program (24–29 months of training, including extensive clinical rotations across surgical specialties).
- Pass the NCCAA certification exam administered by the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants to earn the CAA credential.
- Maintain certification with 50 continuing medical education hours every two years and a Continued Demonstration of Qualifications exam every six years.
For context on other clinical career pathways and their training requirements, see our Phlebotomist Salary 2026 guide.
Career Outlook
The outlook for anesthesiologist assistants is one of the strongest in healthcare:
- Pay growth: CAA median total cash compensation grew 8.2% from 2025 to 2026 and is up 30.2% since 2023 the fastest growth of any advanced practice provider role tracked by SullivanCotter’s 2026 survey of 892 healthcare organizations.
- Staffing shortage: Hospitals and surgical centers face a structural anesthesia shortage, with nearly 30% of anesthesiologists expected to leave the workforce by 2033. Organizations are responding with higher salaries, relocation incentives, and retention bonuses.
- Advertised pay ceilings keep rising: Top advertised CAA offers climbed from $330,000 in late 2025 to $350,000 in early 2026 (BagMask).
- BLS note: The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish a separate category for anesthesiologist assistants, so no BLS-specific outlook exists for CAAs. The profession is small but expanding as more states authorize CAA practice.
FAQs
How much does an anesthesiologist assistant make a year?
The average total compensation is about $247,000 per year, with an average base salary of $227,000, according to Merit Health’s 2026 data from 170 self-reported CAA salaries. Most CAAs earn between $220,000 and $270,000, and the top 10% earn $327,000 or more.
What is the starting salary for a new CAA graduate?
New CAA graduates earn an average of $239,000 in total compensation, including a $220,500 base salary, a $6,500 bonus, and about $12,000 in other income. The average sign-on bonus for new grads is $34,500, with some employers offering $50,000 or more.
Is an anesthesiologist assistant the same as a CRNA?
No. CAAs and CRNAs perform similar anesthesia work, but CAAs come through a premed bachelor’s degree plus a master’s program and always work on a physician-led anesthesia care team. CRNAs come through nursing school, ICU experience, and a doctoral program, and can practice in all 50 states, sometimes independently.
Who earns more, a CAA or a CRNA?
On average, CAAs currently earn slightly more: average CAA total compensation is $247,000 (2026) versus a CRNA median wage of $236,590 (BLS, May 2025). CAA pay is also growing faster, up 30.2% since 2023 compared with 19.3% for CRNAs.
How much does an anesthesiologist assistant make per hour?
The average hourly equivalent is about $109/hr on base salary or $119/hr on total compensation. Advertised postings reach $180/hr, and locum tenens (temporary) CAA assignments pay $200–$250+/hr.
How long does it take to become an anesthesiologist assistant?
About 6–7 years after high school: a 4-year bachelor’s degree with premed prerequisites, followed by a 24–29 month accredited CAA master’s program and NCCAA certification. No prior healthcare employment is required, which makes the path 2–4 years shorter than the CRNA route.
Where can anesthesiologist assistants practice?
CAAs are authorized to practice in about 23 US jurisdictions, always under the direction of a physician anesthesiologist. CRNAs, by contrast, can practice in all 50 states. The number of states authorizing CAAs has been growing.
Do anesthesiologist assistants get bonuses?
Yes. About 46% receive an annual bonus averaging $6,220, 42% report other income such as overtime or leadership stipends averaging $14,090, and 38% receive call pay averaging $1,057. New graduates also commonly receive sign-on bonuses averaging $34,500.
What is the highest paying state for anesthesiologist assistants?
New Mexico leads with an average advertised base pay of $282,500, followed by South Carolina ($281,000) and Texas ($273,000), per BagMask’s analysis of CAA job postings. Texas also posted the highest individual advertised offers, reaching $350,000.
Is becoming a CAA a good career choice?
The data strongly suggests yes: six-figure-plus starting pay near $239,000, the fastest compensation growth of any advanced practice provider role (up 30% since 2023), a growing scope of states authorizing the profession, and a structural anesthesia staffing shortage that is pushing demand and pay higher.
Conclusion
Anesthesiologist assistant is one of the best-compensated master’s-level careers in American healthcare, with average total pay of $247,000 in 2026, starting salaries near $239,000 for new graduates, and top earners above $327,000.
Pay is growing faster than any other advanced practice provider role, and sign-on bonuses averaging $34,500 reflect how hard employers are competing for CAAs. If you are weighing the CAA path against alternatives like CRNA, the CAA route offers a shorter training timeline and currently slightly higher average pay with the trade-off of practice being limited to about 23 jurisdictions under physician supervision.
Sources: Marit Health salary data via Becker’s ASC (April 2026); BagMask anesthesia job board data via Becker’s ASC (2025–2026); SullivanCotter 2026 Advanced Practice Provider Compensation and Productivity Survey Report (October 2026).
Bureau of Labor Statistics (CRNA median wage, May 2025); CAA Guide CAA vs CRNA comparison (August 2026); Glassdoor CAA salary reports; 2026 CAA job postings (Deaconess Health, US Anesthesia Partners, MedStar Health).
