South Dakota has the highest concentration of certified registered nurse anesthetists relative to its population, with nearly 44 CRNAs per 100,000 residents, according to a Becker’s analysis of May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data and 2024 U.S. Census population estimates.
The figures reflect only employed CRNAs counted by the BLS; self-employed providers are excluded. Several states — including Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Utah — had employment estimates not released by the bureau.
Below are the states with available data, ranked by CRNAs per 100,000 residents:
| Rank | State | CRNAs employed | Per 100,000 residents |
| 1 | South Dakota | 400 | 43.96 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 740 | 41.81 |
| 3 | Minnesota | 2,130 | 37.12 |
| 4 | Kentucky | 1,640 | 36.23 |
| 5 | Alabama | 1,810 | 35.43 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 490 | 35.12 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 250 | 32.08 |
| 8 | North Carolina | 3,340 | 31.22 |
| 9 | Kansas | 910 | 30.94 |
| 10 | Maine | 380 | 27.23 |
| 11 | Missouri | 1,550 | 25.02 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 990 | 24.42 |
| 13 | Tennessee | 1,690 | 23.71 |
| 14 | Michigan | 2,300 | 22.91 |
| 15 | Nebraska | 430 | 21.92 |
| 16 | Florida | 4,600 | 20.34 |
| 17 | Louisiana | 900 | 19.68 |
| 18 | Ohio | 2,300 | 19.51 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | 2,500 | 19.29 |
| 20 | South Carolina | 1,010 | 19.12 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 990 | 16.75 |
| 22 | Mississippi | 480 | 16.33 |
| 23 | Wyoming | 80 | 13.70 |
| 24 | Colorado | 800 | 13.61 |
| 25 | Maryland | 840 | 13.60 |
| 26 | Texas | 4,060 | 13.31 |
| 27 | Connecticut | 480 | 13.27 |
| 28 | New York | 2,450 | 12.52 |
| 29 | Alaska | 90 | 12.27 |
| 30 | Iowa | 380 | 11.85 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | 120 | 10.95 |
| 32 | Georgia | 1,170 | 10.61 |
| 33 | Washington | 760 | 9.73 |
| 34 | Illinois | 1,140 | 9.08 |
| 35 | Indiana | 600 | 8.74 |
| 36 | Oregon | 370 | 8.74 |
| 37 | Virginia | 700 | 8.03 |
| 38 | Massachusetts | 500 | 7.16 |
| 39 | Vermont | 40 | 6.18 |
| 40 | California | 2,230 | 5.70 |
| 41 | Arizona | 310 | 4.17 |
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