Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Every CE requirement verified against official state nursing board sources. How RenewRN verifies the data →
Reviewed by Keegan, RN · ER & NICU travel nurse
Updated June 19, 2026
Becoming a certified registered nurse anesthetist is one of the longest and best-paid paths in nursing: become an RN, earn at least a year of critical-care experience, complete a COA-accredited doctoral program, pass the NBCRNA exam, and get your state APRN license. Here is the full roadmap, what each step actually requires, and how long it realistically takes.
Become a registered nurse
Earn a BSN (or a graduate nursing degree) and pass the NCLEX-RN to hold an unencumbered RN license. A BSN is the standard foundation for nurse anesthesia school.
Gain critical-care experience
Work at least one year full-time as an RN in a critical care setting, the floor set by the COA. Qualifying units manage invasive hemodynamic monitoring, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive drips, like a surgical, cardiac, medical, pediatric, or neonatal ICU. Competitive applicants often have more.
Complete a COA-accredited doctoral program
Enroll in a nurse anesthesia program accredited by the COA. Since January 1, 2022, every new student must enroll in a doctoral program (DNP or DNAP). Programs run from 36 to 51 months.
Pass the NBCRNA National Certification Exam
After graduating, sit for the National Certification Examination (NCE) administered by the NBCRNA. Passing it confers the CRNA credential and is required before you can practice.
Get your state APRN license, then practice
Apply to your state board for the APRN license or authorization that lets you practice. After that you can begin practicing as a CRNA, maintaining your credential through the NBCRNA's continued-certification program.
Path confirmed against the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology and the Council on Accreditation.
The COA requires a minimum of one year of full-time RN experience (or its part-time equivalent) in a critical care setting. That is the eligibility floor, not a typical number: many programs prefer more, and competitive admissions often favor two or more years. A qualifying setting is one where you routinely manage invasive hemodynamic monitors, mechanical ventilation, and vasoactive infusions. Surgical, cardiothoracic, coronary, medical, pediatric, and neonatal ICUs commonly qualify. Emergency-department time is frequently not sufficient on its own, so confirm with each program.
Nurse anesthesia is now a doctoral-entry profession. Since January 1, 2022, every student matriculating into a COA-accredited program must enroll in a doctoral program, a DNP or a DNAP. By 2025, entry-into-practice graduates are doctorally prepared. Programs run a minimum of 36 months, and the AANA notes they range from 36 to 51 months. CRNAs who certified under the older master's standard keep their credential.
Your program must be accredited by the COA (Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs); graduating from a COA-accredited program is the prerequisite to sit the exam. After graduation you take the National Certification Examination (NCE), administered by the NBCRNA. Passing the NCE confers the CRNA credential and is required to use the title. You then keep your certification current through the NBCRNA's continued-certification program, which is itself transitioning to a renamed cycle around 2026, so check the NBCRNA for the current requirements.
| Stage | Typical time |
|---|---|
| BSN | About 4 years |
| Critical-care RN experience | 1 year minimum (often more in practice) |
| COA-accredited doctoral program | 36 to 51 months |
| Typical total from the start of nursing school | About 7 to 8 years |
The component figures are authoritative; the summed total is an estimate, not a number any single body publishes. Actual time depends on how long you spend in the ICU before applying and your program's length.
Nurse anesthetists are the highest-paid of the advanced-practice nursing roles the BLS tracks. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $223,210 for nurse anesthetists (May 2024), well above nurse practitioners ($129,210) and nurse midwives ($128,790). That figure is the nurse-anesthetist-specific median, not the $132,050 combined median you will sometimes see for the three roles together. Pay varies by region, setting, and experience.
General educational information, not academic or career advice. Program, certification, and licensure requirements vary by school, the COA, the NBCRNA, and your state board, and change over time. Confirm current requirements with the program, the NBCRNA, and your state board of nursing.
Anesthesia school takes years, and your RN license has to stay current the whole way. RenewRN tracks your renewal date and CE so nothing lapses while you study, free.
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