Updated July 2026 · 9 min read

CRNA Moonlighting Income Potential 2026

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Financial Disclaimer: This article is general educational information. Tax treatment of 1099 income and locum arrangements varies; consult a CPA who works with independent contractor clinicians.

CRNAs are among the most sought-after locum tenens providers in healthcare, commanding premium rates precisely because anesthesia is a critical-shortage specialty. A CRNA who uses off days, vacation weeks, or weekends strategically can add $50,000 to $150,000 in annual income above their primary employment salary.

What Moonlighting Looks Like for CRNAs

Moonlighting for CRNAs typically falls into two categories: local per diem work at a nearby facility (a second hospital or ASC) picked up on days off, and locum tenens contracts arranged through a staffing agency for short-term coverage at remote facilities.

Local per diem work is simpler administratively — single license, no travel costs — but rates tend to be lower, typically $100 to $200/hour. Locum work through agencies carries higher rates ($175 to $350+) plus housing and travel stipends, but involves managing multi-state licenses, travel logistics, and variable case complexity.

Locum CRNA Rates by Setting

Annual Income from Moonlighting

Consider a CRNA on a primary salary of $230,000 who takes locum contracts 4 weeks per year at $250/hour, working 40-hour weeks:

4 weeks × 40 hours × $250 = $40,000 in additional gross income. Add a housing stipend of $150/day for 28 days = $4,200 (non-taxable if structured correctly). Net of 15.3% self-employment tax on the $40,000 (the 1099 portion), after deductions for malpractice insurance, licensing fees, and professional expenses, the net benefit is approximately $28,000 to $32,000 per year in additional income for just 4 weeks of locum work. At 8 weeks of locum per year, this doubles to $56,000 to $64,000.

How to Find Locum CRNA Work

Several national locum tenens agencies specialize in placing CRNAs:

Barton Associates, CompHealth, Weatherby Healthcare, and Staff Care are among the largest. These agencies handle the logistics — credentialing at the facility, malpractice coverage (tail coverage is critical to verify), housing arrangements, and travel reimbursement. Work with multiple agencies simultaneously; each has different facility relationships and you're not exclusive to any of them.

Direct hospital outreach is also effective: cold-contacting rural hospitals and ASCs in opt-out states with an offer of locum coverage often yields above-agency-market rates because you're cutting out the middleman. This requires you to manage your own malpractice insurance and credentialing, but keeps 15 to 25% more of each hour billed.

The 1099 Tax Picture

Locum CRNA income paid to an independent contractor (you, 1099) is subject to self-employment tax (15.3% on the first $168,600 in self-employment income, declining for amounts above the Social Security wage base). This is on top of regular federal and state income tax. Key deductions that offset this:

Business deductions available to 1099 CRNAs

Malpractice insurance premiums, professional licensing fees, CME costs, travel expenses for locum assignments (if not reimbursed), professional dues (AANA membership), continuing education, and home office deduction if applicable. A CRNA operating as an S-Corporation (not just a sole proprietor) can further reduce self-employment tax on locum income by taking a reasonable salary and taking the remainder as a distribution, which is not subject to the 15.3% SE tax. Consult a CPA before setting up an S-Corp — the paperwork overhead only justifies the structure above approximately $50,000 to $80,000 in annual 1099 income.

Related: CRNA salary by state, CRNA job outlook, overtime and 1099 tax implications.