Nurse Practitioner, Midwife & Anesthetist (APRN)
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.
What the job is
- The work
- Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and may provide primary and specialty healthcare.
BLS
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners work in a variety of healthcare settings, including hospitals, physicians' offices, and clinics. Most advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) work full time.
BLS
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Registered nurses who want to diagnose, treat and, in many states, prescribe: a long route that starts with the RN license.
- Career cluster
- Healthcare & Human Services
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners).
- Median pay
- $134,920 a year ($64.87 an hour)
BLS
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 399,000
- Typical entry
- Master's degree
- Training after hire
- None
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +36%, which BLS calls "much faster than average"
BLS
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +144,000 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners must earn at least a master’s degree in one of the APRN roles. They must also be licensed in their state and pass a national certification exam.
BLS
Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 20 Oct 2026
- In short
- APRNs are registered nurses with at least a master's degree in their role, a national certification exam and a state APRN license. Nurse anesthetist programs also ask for 1 year of critical-care RN experience.
- License
- State boards of nursing. Nursing license steps
- By state
- Nursing state matrix
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
-
StateChoose a state
- AlabamaState board
- AlaskaState board
- ArizonaState board
- ArkansasState board
- CaliforniaLicense rules
- ColoradoState board
- ConnecticutState board
- DelawareState board
- District of ColumbiaState board
- FloridaLicense rules
- GeorgiaLicense rules
- HawaiiState board
- IdahoState board
- IllinoisLicense rules
- IndianaState board
- IowaState board
- KansasState board
- KentuckyState board
- LouisianaState board
- MaineState board
- MarylandState board
- MassachusettsState board
- MichiganState board
- MinnesotaState board
- MississippiState board
- MissouriState board
- MontanaState board
- NebraskaState board
- NevadaState board
- New HampshireState board
- New JerseyState board
- New MexicoState board
- New YorkLicense rules
- North CarolinaState board
- North DakotaState board
- OhioState board
- OklahomaState board
- OregonState board
- PennsylvaniaLicense rules
- Rhode IslandState board
- South CarolinaState board
- South DakotaState board
- TennesseeState board
- TexasLicense rules
- UtahState board
- VermontState board
- VirginiaState board
- WashingtonState board
- West VirginiaState board
- WisconsinState board
- WyomingState board
Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Advanced practice nurse (NP, CNM, CRNA): RN to APRN license
See the roadmap
Route 1: BSN → RN → master's → NP or nurse midwife · Route 2: RN → critical care → nurse anesthesia program → CRNA
More careers in Healthcare & Human Services
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 20 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.