An anesthesia technician is an individual that is part of an anesthesia team during surgical procedures. An anesthesia technician typically reports directly to either a more senior technician or the anesthesiologist.  The technician is typically given a variety of different responsibilities, which includes administering the drugs, helping to monitor the patient during the surgery, and maintaining the equipment used during surgery.

An anesthesia technician, the vast majority of the time, will work for a hospital that performs surgery.  They may also work for some private medical or dental practices, which perform some outpatient procedures.  While most anesthesia technicians will work around 40 hours per week, their schedule can vary significant from one week to the next as the nature of the job may require working at nights and on weekends.

On average, an anesthesia technician should expect to earn around $35,000 per year.  Their compensation will normally not include any additional bonus pay, but they will typically qualify for medical and dental insurance plans offered by the hospital.  If an anesthesia technician is required to work more than 40 hours per week, they will typically be paid overtime, which could increase the technician’s total compensation.

While the average salary is $35,000, the actual compensation received can vary quite a bit.  The middle 50% of technicians earn between $30,000 and $40,000.  The top few percent of all technicians report salaries of up to $50,000 per year.

One of the largest contributors to what salary is actually received depends on the level of education received and whether the technician is fully certified.  While technicians used to be trained on the job, many technicians now go through a more formal training and education program prior to starting the job.  Following completion of the formal program, a student will have to pass the National Certification Exam for Anesthesia Technicians.  Following completion of that, a person will be fully certified as a technician and they will generally earn more money than someone who is not certified.

After working for a couple of years, a certified anesthesia technician can continue their education and attempt to qualify as a Certified Anesthesia Technologist.  The technologists tend to earn up to 20% more than a technician and they generally have more room for professional growth.  Overall, the field is considered to be a great option for someone looking for growth.  The demand for anesthesia technicians and technologists is expected to rise rapidly over the next decade.