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What to Pay a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in Louisville, KY (2026)

Last updated: May 15, 2026 Built for: Total Rewards, Comp, HR Sample: BLS OEWS + disclosed-range postings
Market Median
$215,000
base, annual
Competitive Range
$187K–$247K
25th–75th percentile
YoY Movement
+4.4%
trailing 12 months
Days to Fill
~44
Louisville metro average
To hire a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in Louisville at market, plan on a base salary range of $187,000 to $247,000, with $215,000 as the midpoint. To attract candidates in a market where average time-to-fill runs 44 days, expect to lead at $247K–$284K plus a sign-on bonus, common in skilled nursing settings. Kentucky does not currently require pay range disclosure in job postings.

How to set your CRNA pay range in Louisville

Three pay positions, modeled against current Louisville market data. Pick the one that matches your comp philosophy and the role's strategic value.

Lag Market
Pay Below Median
$163K–$187K
Workable in non-acute settings with strong non-cash differentiation. Expect longer fill times and turnover ~1.4× the Louisville average.
Match Market — recommended
Pay at Median
$203.8K–$227.8K
Default for most Louisville employers. Competitive enough to fill in ~44 days. A range width of ~30% (min $187,000 to max $247,000) keeps compa-ratio movement smooth across a CRNA's typical 8–12 year tenure.
Lead Market
Pay Above Median
$234.2K–$284K
Use for hard-to-fill specialties (wound care, IV therapy, bilingual), 24/7 SNF roles, or when speed-to-hire trumps budget. Reduces fill time by 35–45% on average.

CRNA salary percentile distribution in Louisville, KY

Where the Louisville market actually sits for CRNA base pay.

10th $163K
25th $187K
Median $215K
75th $247K
90th $284K

Most Louisville employers building a range for this role anchor the midpoint to the market median ($215,000) and set range width at 30–35% — a min of $187,000 and a max of $247,000. This keeps the band wide enough for experience-based progression without concentrating range penetration at the cap.

Kentucky pay transparency compliance for CRNA job postings

What you must post when hiring a CRNA in Kentucky.

Not required statewide. Kentucky has no statewide pay transparency law. Posting a range is optional — but roughly half of healthcare employers in the market now disclose ranges voluntarily, and candidates increasingly skip postings without one.

For a CRNA role in Louisville, a compliant good-faith range looks like $187,000 to $247,000. No statutory requirement applies, but if you disclose voluntarily, post a good-faith range of $187,000–$247,000 rather than a single number — it screens out misaligned candidates and reduces offer-stage fallout.

Top CRNA employers in Louisville — who you're competing against

Top healthcare employers hiring CRNAs in the Louisville metro and what they're posting.

Employer Type Disclosed Range Sign-on Bonus
Norton Healthcare Health system $202K–$258K Very common ($25K–$45K)
Baptist Health Health system $202K–$258K Very common ($25K–$45K)
UofL Health Academic medical center $202K–$258K Very common ($25K–$45K)
Jewish Hospital (UofL Health) Hospital $194K–$245K Very common ($25K–$45K)
Independent anesthesia groups Physician-led groups $228K–$280K Production-based

CRNA talent supply and hiring difficulty in Louisville

How hard is it to fill a CRNA role in Louisville.

~44
Avg Days to Fill
~90
Active Postings
~700
Louisville CRNA Workforce
Very tight
Supply : Demand

Louisville CRNA market reflects national supply constraints — anesthesia programs produce ~2,400 new grads/year. High days-to-fill and aggressive sign-on bonuses are the norm.

Skill premiums CRNA candidates command in Louisville, KY

Skill / Credential Pay Premium Demand Signal
Cardiac anesthesia +10–15% Very high
Regional anesthesia / blocks +8–12% Very high
Pediatric anesthesia +9–14% High
Independent practice +10–18% Where state allows

CRNA total compensation in Louisville — what candidates expect beyond base

Total rewards mix for CRNAs in Louisville. "Prevalence" reflects share of Louisville disclosed-range postings including each element.

Component Typical Value Prevalence in Louisville Postings
Base salary $215,000 (median) 100%
Call pay (standby + callback) $10–$16/hr standby + 2–3× hourly ~95%
Sign-on bonus $22K–$43K ~82%
Loan repayment $25K–$55K total ~48%
Production bonus $17K–$47K ~42% (independent groups)
Estimated total comp benchmark ~$258K–$305K

Shift differentials and sign-on bonuses are typically table stakes rather than differentiators. Tuition reimbursement for LPN-to-RN bridge programs is increasingly the lever that wins competitive offers, particularly for early-career candidates.

CRNA pay by setting in Louisville — SNF, hospital, clinic, home health

Where the CRNA range splits by employer type in the Louisville metro.

Setting Median Competitive Range Hiring Difficulty
Hospital OR (ACT model) $209,000 $189K–$241K Very high
Hospital OR (CRNA-only) $219,000 $198K–$249K Very high
Ambulatory surgery center $202,000 $185K–$232K Very high
Pain management clinic $206,000 $189K–$237K Tight
Independent practice $237,000 $215K–$267K Very tight

CRNA salary in Louisville vs. other Kentucky and nearby metros

What you'd pay if you hired in a nearby metro instead.

FAQ: hiring a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in Louisville, KY

Market median is $215,000 for base pay. To match market, set a range with the midpoint at $215,000 — typically $187,000 to $247,000. To lead the market, plan on $247K–$284K base plus a sign-on bonus.
No statewide law requires a posted range in Kentucky. Disclosing one voluntarily — a good-faith range such as $187,000–$247,000 — is increasingly the market norm and improves application rates.
$193,000 falls below the Louisville market median of $215,000 — roughly at the 25th–50th percentile locally. Acceptable in SNF or physician office settings where the candidate pool is deeper; below-market for hospital or specialty roles.
Roughly 82% of Louisville CRNA postings include a sign-on bonus ($22K–$43K). Physician-led independent groups outpay academic ACT models on base but with fewer sign-ons.
Average fill time is approximately 44 days in the Louisville metro. Roles paid above the 75th percentile ($247K+) fill in roughly 18–22 days. Roles below the 25th percentile ($187K) commonly take 45+ days and have elevated turnover within the first 90 days.
By Louisville-metro posting volume: Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health, UofL Health, Jewish Hospital (UofL Health), Independent anesthesia groups lead the pack.
A 30–35% range width (min to max) is standard for CRNA in Louisville — for example, $187,000 to $247,000. Narrower than 25% compresses progression and creates compa-ratio pressure within 18 months.
No. Kentucky has no pay transparency law covering internal or external postings. Note that remote roles open to candidates in states like Colorado or California may still trigger those states' disclosure requirements.

Related CRNA pay benchmarks — Kentucky metros and nearby nursing roles

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Data refreshed May 15, 2026. Next scheduled update: August 15, 2026.
© 2026 BetterComp. Market data informational only — not legal advice.