Active AANA membership costs $775 for 2026, rising to $840 for 2027, per the AANA's own help center. Students join through their nurse anesthesia programs, and reduced categories exist for new graduates, inactive members, and retirees.
Everything CRNA is independent of the AANA. This page lays out the facts so you can decide whether the dues earn their keep for your situation.
Key points
- Active dues: $775 in 2026, $840 in 2027, plus separate state dues.
- Membership is optional; certification, licensure, and jobs don't require it.
- Newly certified CRNAs pay half; graduates pay $100 until certified.
- Advocacy and CE discounts are the two benefits most members cite.
What it costs
From the AANA membership help pages, as of October 2026:
| Category | Dues |
|---|---|
| Active CRNA | $775 (2026), $840 (2027) |
| Newly certified, February 1 to August 31, 2026 | 50% dues ($420) for the first renewal |
| Associate member, graduate (not yet certified) | $100/year |
| Inactive | $50/year |
| Emeritus (25+ years active, fully retired) | $300 one-time |
Dues are not prorated for mid-year joining, and the AANA has stated dues are increasing into 2027. Verify current amounts on aana.com before paying, since categories and prices change.
State association dues are separate and vary by state, so the real annual cost of full participation is national dues plus your state's.
For employed CRNAs, some contracts include professional dues as a benefit; it is a standard ask in contract negotiation. For 1099 CRNAs, dues are generally a deductible business expense; confirm with a CPA.
What members get
The concrete benefits:
- Advocacy. The AANA lobbies federally and supports state associations on scope of practice, reimbursement, and supervision rules, including opt-out fights. This is the benefit members cite most and the hardest to value individually, since wins apply to all CRNAs whether or not they paid.
- Continuing education. Discounted and included CE, prior-approved for the Class A credits that NBCRNA recertification requires, plus member pricing for Annual Congress and other meetings.
- The AANA Journal and practice resources: clinical guidelines, position statements, and practice management documents.
- Credit reporting. Class A CE vendors report credits to the AANA transcript for active members, which simplifies recertification record keeping.
- Insurance access. AANA Insurance Services sells malpractice coverage and related products. You do not need membership to buy malpractice insurance generally, but the AANA-affiliated options and some discounts are member-linked.
- Networking and committees. Leadership pathways, special interest groups, and the meetings where a lot of job-market movement actually happens.
State associations
Each state has its own nurse anesthesia association, legally separate from the AANA, with its own dues, board, and lobbyist. State associations do the ground war: practice acts, board of nursing rules, and state supervision requirements are state law, so the scope battles that affect your daily practice are fought there.
Some CRNAs who are lukewarm on national membership still join their state association for exactly this reason. Note that some state associations require or encourage AANA membership for joint membership; check your state's rules.
Do SRNAs join?
Yes. Student membership is coordinated through nurse anesthesia programs rather than by individual signup, and many programs enroll their cohorts as a matter of course. Students get member CE access, Congress pricing, and the networking surface of the profession while in school.
After graduation, the associate graduate category ($100) covers the gap between finishing school and passing the NCE, and the newly certified discount softens the first full renewal.
Pros and considerations, factually
The case for joining:
- Advocacy is the profession's collective defense, and it is funded by dues. CRNA scope and reimbursement rules are actively contested, and the AANA and state associations are the organized voice on the CRNA side.
- If you consume CE anyway, member CE access and Congress discounts recover a meaningful share of the dues.
- The transcript, practice resources, and insurance access are conveniences that compound over a career.
- Committee and leadership roles run through membership, which matters if you want a chief CRNA or association leadership path.
The considerations:
- Dues are significant and rising: $840 for 2027 before state dues.
- The advocacy benefit is collective. Non-members receive the same scope-of-practice outcomes, which is the honest free-rider argument people make.
- Membership is not required to practice. NBCRNA certification, licensure, and employment do not depend on it, and CE can be bought from any approved vendor.
- Some CRNAs disagree with specific AANA positions or priorities and weigh that in the decision.
Membership rates among CRNAs remain high relative to many professions, but the decision is yours and purely professional, not regulatory.
Is AANA membership required to work as a CRNA?
No. Certification, licensure, and employment do not require it. Some state association perks and AANA-linked insurance discounts do.
How much are AANA dues?
$775 for 2026 and $840 for 2027 for active CRNAs, with reduced categories for new graduates ($100 associate), inactive ($50), and emeritus ($300 one-time). Check aana.com for current figures.
Do students have to join?
No, but most programs coordinate SRNA membership, and student pricing on CE and meetings is part of the pitch.
Are dues tax deductible?
For 1099 CRNAs, professional dues are generally a business expense, minus any portion attributable to lobbying as stated on the dues notice. W-2 employees generally cannot deduct them federally. Confirm with a CPA.