How to Become a CRNA
Anesthesia gets administered tens of millions of times a year in U.S. operating rooms, labor and delivery suites, and outpatient clinics, and CRNA’s are behind a large part of it.
How to Become a CRNA, a Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Anesthesia gets administered tens of millions of times a year in U.S. operating rooms, labor and delivery suites, and outpatient clinics, and CRNA’s are behind a large part of it. If you’re wondering how to become a CRNA yourself, the honest answer is that the path to CRNA is long, but it has clear, well-defined steps (despite how mysterious it can seem at first). This guide covers what a CRNA does, the full timeline from BSN to certification, the CRNA school requirements and prerequisites, and what the career and the pay look like once you get through it all.
What Is a CRNA?
What is a CRNA? A CRNA is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who administers anesthesia and manages a patient’s care throughout a medical procedure. CRNAs are one of four APRN roles, alongside nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, and certified nurse midwives, with anesthesia being the CRNA’s specific focus of practice.
You’ll find them working in hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, pain clinics and dental offices. In a lot of rural hospitals, the entire anesthesia department might be one very well-trained CRNA. In the military, CRNAs have long been the main providers of anesthesia care in the field and at military treatment facilities.
The training paths differ between a CRNA and an anesthesiologist, despite the fact that both provide anesthesia care. A CRNA follows a nursing pathway and the APRN credential, while an anesthesiologist is a physician who has completed medical school and residency.
What does CRNA stand for?
CRNA stands for Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. A CRNA is an APRN who administers anesthesia and monitors patients before, during, and after surgical, obstetric, and diagnostic procedures. The credential is awarded after a candidate passes the National Certification Examination administered by the NBCRNA. State licensure is a separate, additional requirement to practice.
What Does a CRNA Do?
A CRNA begins the procedure with a pre-operative assessment, reviewing a patient’s health history and current condition. Then they build an anesthesia plan and obtain informed consent. From there, they calculate and administer the right anesthetic and sedative dosages, manage the patient’s airway, and monitor vital signs closely while managing the patient’s pain. Once the procedure ends, a CRNA oversees the patient’s emergence and recovery until they’re stable. Depending on the state, a CRNA may do this work independently or as part of a care team alongside an anesthesiologist.
How Long Does It Take to Become a CRNA?
How long does it take to become a CRNA? The direct answer is 7 to 10 years, from the start of nursing school to earning the credential.
That breaks down into three main phases:
– A BSN, which takes about 4 years
– Critical care experience, typically 1 to 2 years, completed before applying to CRNA school
– An accredited doctoral nurse anesthesia program, which runs about 3 years
Non-traditional paths can last more than 10 years. The two variables that impact the timeline the most are where you start (a traditional BSN versus a bridge or accelerated program) and how long you spend building ICU hours before applying, since programs increasingly expect 2 to 3 years of critical care experience, which is well above the 1-year national minimum.
Common non-traditional paths include transitioning to a BSN after an associate degree in nursing (ADN), or entering nursing through an accelerated BSN after a non-nursing bachelor’s degree. These paths delay when critical care experience can begin, and some sources say the longer routes can stretch to 13 years or more.
| Stage | Typical duration | What it means |
| Earn a BSN | ~4 years, or ~16 months via an accelerated BSN | Complete the nursing degree and prepare for the NCLEX-RN |
| Pass the NCLEX-RN | Months of study, leading up to and following graduation | Become a licensed registered nurse (RN) |
| ICU or critical care experience | 1 year minimum, 2 to 3 to stay competitive | Build the required high-acuity nursing experience |
| DNP or DNAP program | ~3 years (about 36 months) | Complete doctoral nurse anesthesia training as an SRNA |
| Pass the NCE and get licensed | Weeks to months after graduation | Earn the CRNA credential and state APRN license |
| Total | ~7 to 10 years (up to 13+ for some paths) | From starting a BSN to practicing as a CRNA |
CRNA School Requirements and Prerequisites
Nurse anesthesia programs share the same baseline requirements, but the details vary by school after that. As of 2025, every accredited program requires a doctoral degree. The Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) set this rule for students entering on or after January 1, 2022, which ended the possibility of joining a program with a master’s degree.
Programs award either a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP), and both lead to the same certification exam. There are roughly 150 COA-accredited programs across the U.S., though the exact count shifts as programs open or close. Beyond the doctoral requirement, CRNA prerequisites split into an academic bar and a clinical bar, covered next.
Academic Prerequisites for CRNA School
Most CRNA prerequisites start on the academic side: a BSN, or another bachelor’s degree paired with an active RN license, along with prerequisite coursework in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and chemistry. GPA counts more than anything else: A 3.0 might get them to read your application, but accepted students tend to have a higher GPA.
The GRE requirements depend on the program. Some schools ask for a combined score of around 300, while many have dropped the GRE entirely. Check each program’s site for its current policy. A CCRN credential and documented CRNA shadowing hours aren’t universally required, but both can strengthen an application.
Clinical Experience and Certification Requirements
Every program requires a minimum of one year of full-time experience as an RN in a critical care setting, most often in an adult ICU, although many RN’s extend this out to two to three years to be more competitive. Operating-room-only roles usually don’t count toward this requirement unless the role involves managing critically ill patients directly, since the requirement is built around experience with high-acuity, unstable patients. Beyond the clinical hours themselves, programs commonly require Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification, and sometimes Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) as well, all kept current.
Steps to Become a CRNA, From RN to Certification
What are the steps to become a nurse anesthetist? Once you’ve cleared the CRNA school requirements above, the steps to become a CRNA are almost the same for everyone. In short: earn a BSN, pass the NCLEX-RN, build critical care experience, complete the required certifications, finish a doctoral program, then pass national certification and get licensed in your state.
These CRNA steps are consistent nationwide, what varies is how each program weighs prerequisites, and how each state licenses CRNAs after they receive national certification. The six steps below walk through the milestones in order, from your first nursing class to your first day as a CRNA.
1. Earn a BSN or Accelerated BSN
2. Pass the NCLEX-RN and Get Your RN License
3. Gain ICU or Critical Care Experience
4. Earn BLS, ACLS, and PALS Certifications
5. Complete an Accredited DNP or DNAP Program
6. Pass the NCE and Earn CRNA Certification
Step 1: Earn a BSN or Accelerated BSN
The first milestone is a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an accredited program. Most nurses complete a traditional four-year BSN, though those that hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree can take an accelerated BSN in as few as 16 months. Either route covers foundational coursework in anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology, along with supervised clinical rotations in a hospital setting.
Step 2: Pass the NCLEX-RN and Get Your RN License
Graduates apply through their state board of nursing for authorization to test, then pass the NCLEX to earn RN licensure. Most new graduates complete the test within a couple of months after finishing school. Once a nursing graudate passes, they become a licensed, practicing RN, which is the credential the next steps build upon.
Step 3: Gain ICU or Critical Care Experience
New RNs should target an ICU or critical care role right away to gain critical experience. Aim for a minimum of one year, noting that two to three years will make your application more competitive. Medical, surgical, cardiac, and trauma ICUs are the units most likely to count. Many new grads get in through a nurse residency program or an ICU internship, which each give structured support during that first high-acuity year.
Step 4: Earn BLS, ACLS, and PALS Certifications
All programs also require Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification, and many ask for Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification too. All three need to stay current through your ICU years, not just at the time you apply. A CCRN credential is a common addition that strengthens an application, though it isn’t required.
Step 5: Complete an Accredited DNP or DNAP Program
A COA-accredited doctoral program is the longest step. This consists of either a DNP with a nurse anesthesia focus or a DNAP, taking about 36 months to complete. Coursework covers advanced pharmacology, physiology, and pathophysiology, paired with supervised clinical anesthesia hours. During this stage you’re officially a Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist, or SRNA. This is when the workload gets heaviest and the only side hustle anyone recommends is sleep. Core Anesthesia’s SRNA resources are built for exactly this stage.
Step 6: Pass the NCE and Earn CRNA Certification
The last step is passing the National Certification Examination (NCE) from the NBCRNA, which earns you the CRNA credential. From there, state APRN licensure is what actually gives you the ability to practice. First-time pass rates on the NCE have stayed strong in recent years, sitting around 90.5% in 2025. Certification isn’t a one-time achievement either. CRNAs keep it current through NBCRNA’s Maintaining Anesthesia Certification (MAC) program, which took over from the older CPC model in 2024.
The Path to CRNA and Nurse Anesthesia Career Path
Once you’re a certified nurse anesthetist, your career path can diverge in a number of different ways. Many build their career around a specialty, such as pediatric, obstetric, cardiovascular, or pain-management anesthesia. CRNAs can go on to work in hospitals, surgery centers, pain clinics, and rural facilities where they’re often the only anesthesia provider on site. Your degree of independence can also vary, depending on your state’s scope-of-practice laws.
The payoff of a CRNA career shows up in the numbers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report (May 2024) that nurse anesthetists are the highest paid nursing specialty, with a mean annual salary of about $223,210. The highest paying U.S. states include Illinois, Massachusetts, Montana, New York, and Vermont. The BLS projects 10 percent nurse anesthetist job growth from 2023 to 2033, well above the average across all occupations.
How Core Anesthesia Helps SRNAs Prepare for CRNA School
The process of becoming a CRNA can feel unclear at first, but this guide aims to make it more approachable by laying out a structured, step-by-step path. It’s a journey that Cole Dill and Tanner Hulin know well as certified nurse anesthetists.
They began working to simplify this path while still students themselves, launching the Core Anesthesia podcast to support their own learning. Since then, Core Anesthesia has expanded into a broader platform offering SRNA board review materials, ICU and CCRN exam prep, practice questions with detailed rationales, and CEUs for practicing CRNAs.
None of this is something you need yet if you’re still early, building ICU hours or just researching the path. When you’re closer, Core Anesthesia‘s resources are worth a look.
FAQs about Becoming a CRNA
Is a BSN required to apply to CRNA Programs?
Most CRNA programs require a BSN, or another bachelor’s degree paired with an active RN license. A BSN is the standard path. Nurses holding an associate degree typically complete a BSN or an RN-to-BSN bridge program before applying. Program-specific degree rules vary, so confirm requirements with each school.
Are CRNA Programs Competitive?
Yes, admission is highly competitive. Programs weigh GPA, critical care experience, certifications like the CCRN, and interviews, and many accept only a fraction of applicants. A strong ICU record, a GPA near 3.5, and shadowing hours help an application stand out when spots are limited.
Do you need ICU Experience to become a CRNA?
Yes. Accredited nurse anesthesia programs require at least one year of full-time experience in a critical care setting, most often an adult ICU. Two to three years makes an application more competitive. Programs want to see hemodynamic monitoring, ventilator management, and vasoactive titration experience, and this is where you build it.