# Anesthesiologist Assistants

> Assist anesthesiologists in the administration of anesthesia for surgical and non-surgical procedures. Monitor patient status and provide patient care during surgical treatment.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/anesthesiologist-assistants
- SOC code: 29-1071.01
- Career family: Healthcare practitioners
- Median annual pay: $135,880 (10th percentile $99,380, 90th percentile $190,280)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +21.1%
- Openings a year: 11,500
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Physician assistants".

## Interest profile (code CSI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 57 |
| Investigative (I) | 60 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 65 |
| Enterprising (E) | 15 |
| Conventional (C) | 68 |

## What you'd do

- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 95/100)
- Assisting and Caring for Others (importance 93/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 93/100)
- Getting Information (importance 92/100)
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 92/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 89/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 88/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 86/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 83/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 79/100)

## Skills

Monitoring, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Active Learning, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Operations Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Service Orientation

## Knowledge

Medicine and Dentistry, Biology, English Language, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Psychology, Computers and Electronics

## Also called

Anesthesia Assistant, Anesthesia Orderly, Anesthesia Technician (Anesthesia Tech), Anesthesia Technologist, Anesthesiology Assistant, Anesthesiology Technician (Anesthesiology Tech), CAA (Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant), CAA (Certified Anesthesiology Assistant), Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Technician (Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Tech), Cer.AT (Certified Anesthesia Technician)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5109) (CIP 5109, 1,504 colleges)
- Physician Assistant Residency/Fellowship Programs (CIP 6009, 1 college)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Wagner College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wagner-college-3148) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $156,982 | $27,000 |
| [St. John's University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/st-john-s-university-new-york-2579) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $102,500 | $142,774 | $23,325 |
| [John Patrick University of Health and Applied Sciences](https://www.collegesref.com/college/john-patrick-university-of-health-and-applied-sciences-1341) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $112,673 | $122,061 | $23,437 |
| [Saint Francis University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/saint-francis-university-2301) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | not reported | $115,813 | $28,000 |
| [D'Youville University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/d-youville-university-755) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $113,290 | $114,737 | $30,703 |
| [Molloy College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/molloy-college-1749) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,567 | $111,267 | not reported |
| [Salisbury University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/salisbury-university-2329) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $75,312 | $109,739 | $23,250 |
| [Long Island University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/long-island-university-1520) | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $90,526 | $107,539 | $22,000 |

## Related careers

- [Anesthesiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/anesthesiologists): $391,490 median pay
- [Pediatric Surgeons](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/pediatric-surgeons): $559,030 median pay
- [Nurse Anesthetists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/nurse-anesthetists): $236,590 median pay
- [Cardiologists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cardiologists): $496,010 median pay
- [Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/orthopedic-surgeons-except-pediatric): $358,550 median pay
- [Emergency Medicine Physicians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/emergency-medicine-physicians): $335,550 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.