Anesthesiologist Assistants: Job Description
Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.
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What Tasks Do Anesthesiologist Assistants Do?
The core tasks performed by anesthesiologist assistants span:
- Provide airway management interventions including tracheal intubation, fiber optics, or ventilary support.
- Respond to emergency situations by providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), or pediatric advanced life support (PALS).
- Verify availability of operating room supplies, medications, and gases.
- Pretest and calibrate anesthesia delivery systems and monitors.
- Participate in seminars, workshops, or other professional activities to keep abreast of developments in anesthesiology.
What Anesthesiologist Assistants Need to Know
Effective anesthesiologist assistants rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Anesthesiologist Assistants Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Anesthesia Assistant
- Anesthesia Specialist
- Anesthesia Technician
- Anesthesia Technologist
- Anesthesiologist Assistant
- Anesthesiologists' Assistant
- Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Technician
- Certified Anesthesia Technician
Employment and Demand
There are about 117,012 anesthesiologist assistants working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +15.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Anesthesiologist Assistants Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $116,229 |
| Hourly median | $55.88 |
| 10th percentile | $67,027 |
| 25th percentile | $91,628 |
| 75th percentile | $140,830 |
| 90th percentile | $165,431 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $163,020 |
| California | $161,080 |
| Washington | $156,990 |
| New York | $152,650 |
| Oregon | $149,130 |
| Rhode Island | $141,600 |
| New Jersey | $140,490 |
| New Mexico | $139,990 |
| Minnesota | $139,300 |
| Missouri | $139,200 |
| Delaware | $138,720 |
| Vermont | $138,610 |
| Connecticut | $138,440 |
| Massachusetts | $138,090 |
| New Hampshire | $137,330 |
| Alaska | $136,350 |
| Virginia | $135,490 |
| Arizona | $135,240 |
| Utah | $134,390 |
| Maryland | $134,100 |
| Nevada | $133,450 |
| Iowa | $133,400 |
| Wyoming | $133,330 |
| Montana | $132,980 |
| Wisconsin | $132,820 |
| Texas | $132,810 |
| Indiana | $132,200 |
| Michigan | $131,980 |
| Colorado | $131,910 |
| Maine | $131,250 |
| District of Columbia | $131,070 |
| Oklahoma | $130,750 |
| Louisiana | $129,610 |
| Idaho | $129,000 |
| North Carolina | $128,540 |
| Nebraska | $128,240 |
| South Dakota | $128,130 |
| Florida | $127,200 |
| Ohio | $126,760 |
| North Dakota | $126,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $124,880 |
| Kansas | $124,440 |
| Illinois | $122,990 |
| West Virginia | $122,970 |
| South Carolina | $119,190 |
| Tennessee | $113,990 |
| Kentucky | $110,300 |
| Georgia | $109,990 |
| Mississippi | $104,570 |
| Arkansas | $103,550 |
| Alabama | $101,620 |
Where Anesthesiologist Assistants Earn the Most
Earnings for anesthesiologist assistants differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $157,044 | 13.6% | 0.84 |
| Middle Atlantic | $143,124 | 21.7% | 1.62 |
| New England | $137,767 | 7.1% | 1.57 |
| Plains States | $134,318 | 6.5% | 1.04 |
| Southwest | $133,406 | 10.3% | 0.84 |
| Rocky Mountains | $132,190 | 4.5% | 1.14 |
| Great Lakes | $129,056 | 12.3% | 0.92 |
| Southeast | $123,075 | 24.1% | 1.10 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $215,600 | |
| Napa, CA | CA | $183,930 | |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $180,540 | 130 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $178,520 | 200 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $167,090 | 1,980 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $166,730 | 1,160 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $163,940 | 330 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $163,700 | 170 |
Top Industries Employing Anesthesiologist Assistants
The bulk of anesthesiologist assistants are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 143,290 | $132,820 |
| Educational Services | 3,820 | $127,900 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,140 | $157,590 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 450 | $127,870 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 380 | $117,220 |
| Finance and Insurance | 40 | $134,840 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of anesthesiologist assistants reflects the following characteristics:
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
Most anesthesiologist assistants positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Primary-Long)
- Radiation Therapists (Supplemental)
- Respiratory Therapists (Supplemental)
- Registered Nurses (Supplemental)
- Acute Care Nurses (Supplemental)
- Critical Care Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future anesthesiologist assistants typically earn programs in:
21 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1071.01 (Physician Assistants).
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