08/28/2026
Three sets of letters. Three very different numbers.
RN β $97,550 median
NP β $132,300 median
CRNA β $248,320 mean
That's a $34,750 step from RN to NP, and $150,770 from RN to CRNA. All BLS, May 2025.
Two honest caveats. RN and NP are medians; the CRNA figure is a mean, which runs higher. And none of this accounts for what the qualification costs you in tuition and lost income while you study β we'll do that maths properly next week.
But if you've been told advanced practice "isn't really worth it financially," that is not what the federal wage data says.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Which set of letters are you working toward?
