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The differences between nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a nurse anesthetist, becoming a nurse practitioner takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a nurse anesthetist has an average salary of $170,563, which is higher than the $100,033 average annual salary of a nurse practitioner.
The top three skills for a nurse anesthetist include patients, CRNA and patient care. The most important skills for a nurse practitioner are patients, diagnosis, and home health.
| Nurse Anesthetist | Nurse Practitioner | |
| Yearly salary | $170,563 | $100,033 |
| Hourly rate | $82.00 | $48.09 |
| Growth rate | 40% | 40% |
| Number of jobs | 62,419 | 27,912 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2.67 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Master's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A nurse anesthetist specializes in administering anesthesia to patients while under the supervision of physicians or an anesthesiologist. Their responsibilities mainly revolve around inspecting a patient's medical history to identify any diseases or allergy, assist by preparing them for the surgery, prepare anesthetics, determine the appropriate dosage, and discuss the extent of surgery, including any long or short-term side effects. Moreover, it is crucial to monitor a patient's vital signs while administering anesthetics to ensure that everything will go smoothly.
A nurse practitioner's role is diverse. It revolves around supervising nurses in a particular area and providing immediate care and treatment to patients through extensive knowledge and clinical experience. Among the duties of a nurse practitioner involves diagnosing and treating medical conditions, performing research and analysis through various tests, evaluating data and results, operating different kinds of medical equipment, and gathering samples from patients. Furthermore, a nurse practitioner must maintain an active line of communication and coordination among fellow health workers in a hospital or clinic.
Nurse anesthetists and nurse practitioners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Nurse Anesthetist | Nurse Practitioner | |
| Average salary | $170,563 | $100,033 |
| Salary range | Between $89,000 And $325,000 | Between $62,000 And $161,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Trinity Health | Pace University |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | - |
There are a few differences between a nurse anesthetist and a nurse practitioner in terms of educational background:
| Nurse Anesthetist | Nurse Practitioner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Master's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between nurse anesthetists' and nurse practitioners' demographics:
| Nurse Anesthetist | Nurse Practitioner | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% | Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 4.7% Asian, 7.2% White, 81.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 77.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 32% | 12% |