ICU Nurse vs Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist salary in Alabama
In Alabama, certified registered nurse anesthetists earn more — an estimated $194,000 a year versus $89,590 for icu nurses, a gap of about $104,410 (roughly 117% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for Alabama.
ICU Nurse — Alabama
Specialty estimateMedian annual pay
$89,590
-18% vs nationalHourly
$43.07/hr
- Typical range
- $73,780–$103,180
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $126,250
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $63,310
- Newer nurses
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist — Alabama
EstimatedMedian annual pay
$194,000
-18% vs nationalHourly
$93.27/hr
- Typical range
- $169,520–$241,370
- What most nurses earn
- High end
- $278,390
- Top earners
- Entry level
- $127,300
- Newer nurses
Why the gap in Alabama
Many CRNAs begin as ICU nurses, and the pay jump is dramatic: nurse anesthetists earn far more than critical-care staff nurses in exchange for a doctoral anesthesia program and full anesthesia scope. ICU experience is a common prerequisite for CRNA school, making this a well-worn career path. The Alabama figures apply the same local pay adjustment to both roles, so the gap here mirrors the national picture, shifted for Alabama's cost of labor. Actual pay varies with experience, specialty, shift, and employer — compare the national ICU Nurse vs Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist comparison or personalize the calculator.
ICU Nurse vs Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in Alabama — FAQ
- Do icu nurses or certified registered nurse anesthetists earn more in Alabama?
- In Alabama, certified registered nurse anesthetists earn more — an estimated $194,000 a year versus $89,590 for icu nurses, a gap of about $104,410 (roughly 117% more). Both are estimates based on national pay for each role adjusted for Alabama's local pay level.
- How much is the icu nurse vs certified registered nurse anesthetist pay gap in Alabama?
- The estimated gap in Alabama is about $104,410 a year, or roughly 117% more for certified registered nurse anesthetists. Your actual pay depends on experience, specialty, shift, and employer — use the calculator to compare both for your situation.
- Are these Alabama figures exact?
- No — they're modeled estimates, not verified Alabama wages. They start from each role's national pay and adjust for Alabama's cost of labor, and they update to verified numbers when official state data is loaded.
- Why are some figures verified and others estimates?
- National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.
Source & confidence— An estimate for a specialty that public pay data does not list on its own. A ballpark to start from, not an exact figure.
Modeled estimate (BLS national × state wage index)
Alabama figures are estimated by adjusting the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS national median for local pay levels (a state adjustment of 0.82×).
Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 3, 2026. Full methodology
Estimated figures for Alabama. Last reviewed July 3, 2026.