If you’re searching for a career with compassion and independence at the core, becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) may be one path to consider. These nurses administer anesthesia to patients prior to surgery. 

As advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), CRNAs need a strong educational background to provide the level of care their patients need. This page is designed to guide you through online CRNA programs—and help you decide if this is the path for you. 

Learn about available accredited online CRNA master’s programs below:

Making a decision on your CRNA program will come down to a few important factors: your goals, your schedule, program accreditation, length, admission requirements, and the type of clinical experience you’ll gain.

Your Goals

What are your career goals—and how quickly do you want to get there? Online CRNA programs are offered in a variety of formats, such as full-time and part-time, to help you achieve different goals. For aspiring nurse anesthetists, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is also a viable option—and it may help you qualify for a higher-ranking role and salary. A DNP is the highest clinical-level nursing degree you can receive, and if you already have a master’s, MSN-to-DNP CRNA programs can help you get there faster.
According to the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), all accredited programs must offer a doctoral degree for entry to practice by January 1, 2022. This means that entry into the CRNA profession will require a doctoral degree by 2025.

Schedule

Whether full-time or part-time, online programs generally offer an advantage over their on-campus counterparts: saving time. Without the need to travel or commute to a physical location, you can gain greater schedule flexibility. Many online programs blend synchronous (live) and asynchronous (non-live) elements for a balanced approach—but depending on your schedule, you may wish to select a program that offers more of one element. A primarily asynchronous program may allow you to complete work on your own time, while a program with more synchronous courses allows you to interact with your peers and instructors.

Program Accreditation

We’ve touched briefly on program accreditation—but this is one of the most important elements to consider. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from a private organization confirming that a particular program meets certain education standards and career-preparatory criteria. There are a few main accrediting bodies that focus on online CRNA programs:

• The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA)
• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

Accrediting bodies are especially important in the field of medicine. Patient treatments and care methods evolve rapidly, and these organizations ensure programs are offering the most current education to future CRNAs.

Admission Requirements

Online CRNA program admission typically matches the admission requirements for on-campus program admission. An MSN or DNP program will likely require, at minimum, the following materials:

• An application fee
• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited program
• A G.P.A. of 3.0+
• GRE testing scores
• Official transcripts of all previous academic institutions
• Two to three academic letters of recommendation
• A personal statement explaining why you wish to become a CRNA
• A professional and academic resume
• Prior ICU/clinical experience
• An active RN license (Note: some institutions require you to be licensed in the same state as the program). 

Ideally, an undergraduate program in nursing helps to prepare you to meet some of the criteria by the time you’re ready for continued education.

Curriculum

What can you expect from an online CRNA curriculum? In the beginning, you’ll take foundational courses that solidify your understanding of acute care, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and more. As you progress through a degree program, your courses will become more specialized to include the principles of anesthesia management and administration, the pharmacology of anesthesia drugs, crisis management, and clinical experience credits. 

CRNA programs online are designed to help you build, strengthen, and refine practice-specific skills in anesthesia, including:

• Identifying injection sites 
• Administering anesthesia medication
• Monitoring patient vitals under anesthesia 
• Caring for patients with acute or critical conditions
• Interpreting advanced data

Clinical experience helps you apply these skills in a real-world patient setting.

Clinical Hours Experience

By now, you know there’s a clinical experience component to APRN degree programs. The CCNE accreditation standards define clinical experience as “planned learning activities in nursing practice that allow students to understand, perform, and refine professional competencies at the appropriate program level.” 

You can expect to gain 1,000-2,000+ hours of clinical experience in nurse anesthesia, based on the COA and CCNE’s accreditation standards. 

As a CRNA, the type of care setting and patient population you work with may vary. CRNAs can work just about anywhere anesthesia is administered: acute care settings and hospitals (including the ICU, emergency room, and obstetrical centers), non-acute care settings (plastic surgery, dermatology, podiatry, ophthalmology, and dental practices), and government or military hospitals. This broad range of settings where you can work gives you freedom to help a population you care about, whether young or old. Though the position can be demanding, many CRNAs are passionate about what they do and feel rewarded and justified in their decision. 

Nearly half of the U.S. states allow CRNAs to practice independently of a physician’s supervision—including Iowa, Nebraska, Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and more. If autonomy is of importance to you, you may pursue licensure in one of the states where unsupervised practice is allowed. 

Your potential nurse salary is dependent on your experience, the job location, and the additional certifications and expertise you bring to the position. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median salary for CRNAs across the country was $183,580 in May 2020. The BLS also notes that physicians’ offices are the top employer of CRNAs.

A license is required to lawfully practice as an APRN and become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Each state has its own independent license requirements. Check with the individual state’s nursing board to confirm the specific requirements (or view our guide to state nursing licensure for the fast facts). Certain states may have specific criteria for the type of degree program you complete, so it’s best to familiarize yourself with the requirements early on. 

New CRNAs should seek certification with the National Board of Certification & Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA). The certification awarded by this organization is designed to help safeguard the public and strengthen your education in the field of anesthesia. To obtain your nursing certification, you must sit for the National Certification Exam (NCE).

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) offers the Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification for those looking to hone their experience to work as an acute care nurse anesthetist.

Your options for online nursing programs are far-reaching. If you’re looking to advance your knowledge in a specific area like anesthesiology, explore which additional degree or certificate program is right for you. 

Sponsored online nursing programs

Simmons University

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Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Earn an MSN online from Simmons University. Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP — and prepare to raise the standard of patient care.

• Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP
• Complete in as few as 24 months
• Full-time and part-time tracks available

Request more info from Simmons University.

Georgetown University

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Master of Science in Nursing

Nursing@Georgetown delivers Georgetown University’s MS in Nursing program online, preparing RNs with a BSN to pursue certification in an APRN specialty. Students can earn their degree in as few as 23 months. 

• Earn your MS in Nursing in as few as 23 months
• Choose from one of four APRN specialty areas: AG-ACNP, FNP, NM/WHNP, or WHNP
• Gain hands-on clinical experience in evidence-based practice

Request more info from Georgetown University.

St. John Fisher University

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Master of Science in Nursing

Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing. Bachelor’s in nursing and RN license-required. 

• Part-time and accelerated tracks available
• Four program options: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP

Request more info from St. John Fisher University.

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As the price of education continues to climb, financing your CRNA degree may seem daunting. But it’s not an impossible task. There are various forms of financial aid available for nursing students. Aside from general nursing financial aid, there are a couple of anesthesiology-specific scholarships to explore. 

AANA Student Scholarships

The AANA offers scholarships each year to students who are active members and enrolled in accredited CRNA programs. In the past year, the organization awarded scholarships to 60 nurse anesthetist students.

Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) Grants

This organization awards grants for CRNAs interested in the clinical research side of the field. 

Another important factor to consider? Earning your CRNA online may be cheaper than on-campus, making it easier to afford your degree.

Still wondering if CRNA is the right career for you? Here are some common questions and responses about CRNA programs and career prospects.

Information on this page was retrieved in January 2022.