CNA vs CRNA: pay, outlook, education and work, side by side.
Every row comes from one named source and says which career leads on that one dimension. There is no overall score.
CNA vs CRNA: BLS classifies them as different occupations (SOC 31-1131 and 29-1151). The national median annual wage is $42,260 for CNAs and $236,590 for CRNAs (BLS, May 2025). BLS projects national employment to change +2.6% for CNAs and +9.7% for CRNAs from 2025 to 2035. Typical entry-level education: Postsecondary nondegree award vs Master's degree. Which fits better depends on what you value; the table shows who leads on each dimension, with no overall winner.
Side by side
Data Differences smaller than a stated threshold read “About the same” (pay 5%, growth 2 points, openings 10%, one education level, ORS 10 points, O*NET 0.2).
Pick what matters to you; the matching rows are highlighted. Nothing is combined into a score.
| Dimension · source | CNASOC 31-1131 | CRNASOC 29-1151 | Leads on this dimension |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wageBLS OEWS, May 2025 (national) | $42,260 | $236,590 | CRNA |
| EmploymentBLS OEWS, May 2025 | 1,448,910 | 51,840 | Not ranked |
| Projected employment change, 2025–35BLS Employment Projections (national) | +2.6% | +9.7% | CRNA |
| Projected numeric change in jobs, 2025–35BLS Employment Projections (national) · A count, not a rate: it scales with the size of the occupation. | +39,000 jobs | +5,300 jobs | Not ranked |
| Projected openings (annual average)BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35 | 196,200 a year | 2,400 a year | CNA |
| Typical entry-level educationBLS Employment Projections · typical, not a legal requirement | Postsecondary nondegree award | Master's degree | CNA |
| Typical work experience in a related occupationBLS Employment Projections | None | None | About the same |
| Typical on-the-job trainingBLS Employment Projections | None | None | Not ranked |
| Pressure level (O*NET, 1–5; lower = less)O*NET® 31.0 work context | 3.58 | 4.13 | CNA |
| Social-contact level (O*NET, 1–5)O*NET® 31.0 work context · not ranked: neither direction is better | 4.27 | 4.62 | Not ranked |
| Freedom to make decisions (O*NET, 1–5)O*NET® 31.0 work context | 3.11 | 4.70 | CRNA |
| Work styles O*NET rates most importantO*NET® 31.0 work styles (occupation ratings, not a personality test) | Empathy, Cooperation, Dependability | Attention to Detail, Stress Tolerance, Dependability | Not ranked |
Choose based on what matters to you
Data Each line restates a measured difference from the table; nothing here predicts how you will feel about a job.
- a shorter typical education path matters (Postsecondary nondegree award vs Master's degree)
- a lower-pressure work environment matters (3.58 vs 4.13)
- higher median pay matters most ($236,590 vs $42,260)
- faster projected national growth matters (+9.7% vs +2.6%)
- more decision-making freedom matters (4.70 vs 3.11)
Which skills each one leans on
Data O*NET 31.0 skill ratings: level (0–7) and importance.
Skill-profile match: 0% (similarity of the two O*NET skill profiles, importance × level; 100% = identical).
No skill is rated meaningfully higher than for CRNA.
- Operations Analysis (+3.0 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Science (+3.0 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Equipment Selection (+2.8 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
- Equipment Maintenance (+2.1 on O*NET's 0–7 skill-level scale)
What each career involves
Data Core tasks from O*NET 31.0.
CNA
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
CRNA
- Manage patients' airway or pulmonary status, using techniques such as endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, pharmacological support, respiratory therapy, and extubation.
- Respond to emergency situations by providing airway management, administering emergency fluids or drugs, or using basic or advanced cardiac life support techniques.
- Monitor patients' responses, including skin color, pupil dilation, pulse, heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, ventilation, or urine output, using invasive and noninvasive techniques.
- Select, order, or administer anesthetics, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids or blood products as necessary.
Largest employing industries
Data Share of all jobs in each occupation, BLS Employment Matrix 2025.
CNA
- Nursing and residential care facilities (47.4% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Hospitals; state, local, and private (32.4% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Ambulatory healthcare services (7.8% of all jobs in this occupation)
CRNA
- Ambulatory healthcare services (61.6% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Hospitals; state, local, and private (32.0% of all jobs in this occupation)
- Educational services; state, local, and private (2.1% of all jobs in this occupation)
Moving between these careers
Data The comparison shows which; the career-change guides show how.
- CNA → CRNA: skills to build: Operations Analysis, Science, Equipment Selection.
- CRNA → CNA: skills to build: no skill rated half a point higher.
Go deeper
CNA career hub · CNA salary · CNA how to become · CRNA career hub · CRNA salary · CRNA how to become
Common questions
Which pays more, CNA or CRNA?
Which is growing faster?
Which is better?
How this page is built
BLS classifies them as different occupations (SOC 31-1131 and 29-1151). Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025 national median for each occupation's SOC code. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 (growth, numeric change and annual openings are separate metrics). Requirements rows: 2025 preliminary BLS Occupational Requirements Survey, shown only when both roles have detailed-occupation estimates. Work environment: O*NET 31.0 work context. This page includes information from the O*NET® 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. TryHired has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Searches this page answers include “crna vs cna”, “cna vs crna”, “cna vs crna salary” (Ahrefs, U.S.).
- Any one employer's pay, schedule or culture.
- Job security, ease of hiring or work-life balance: these are not measured here.
- Which career you will prefer: the rows describe the occupations, not you.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates (public domain).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–35 national projections (growth, openings, typical entry-level education and experience).
- O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. TryHired selected, ranked and combined the data; O*NET is not responsible for these pages.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Requirements Survey, 2025 estimates (preliminary: two of the third wave's samples, collected August 2023 to July 2025; released January 16, 2026), public domain.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–35 National Employment Matrix (all jobs, including self-employed).