Best CRNA Schools in California 2024[UPDATED]

Last Updated on January 24, 2024 by Michael Tijani

During surgical operations, a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) administers anesthesia for a possibly painless surgical process. CRNA has become one of the fastest and most rewarding career paths in the medical profession. In this article, we are going to walk you through some of the best CRNA Schools in California where you can apply to study to become a Certified Registered Nursing Anesthetist.

Best CRNA Schools in California in 2024

In the list below, we meticulously compiled some of the institutions with the best CRNA programs in California to aid you in making an informed decision on your new career path. We provided their respective minimum GPAs and every other admission requirement of these institutions to help you even further.

1. University of Southern California

The University of Southern California is one of the best CRNA schools in California. The school equips you with the advanced knowledge required to provide care for anesthesia patients. In addition, the University of Southern California boasts of its qualitative teaching ability, which is achieved by providing an excellent student-friendly environment.

The University also includes clinical rotation in its scheme which helps expose the students to various clinical equipment and environments, improving their skills.

Moreover, USC claims that owning to how they train their students, most of the graduates pass their certification exam at once, and they usually get employed within the first six months after their graduation. This makes USC an excellent school to pursue a career in anesthesia nursing.

Therefore, if you’re looking for the best CRNA school to pursue a career in nursing, you should consider applying for admission to the University of Southern California.

Program Cost: $150,962

Duration: 36 months

Program Requirement:

* You must have a BSN, BA, or BS degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.

* You must have an active Registered Nurse license issued in California.

* You must have at least two years of experience in caring for adults and neonatal patients at a health care center.

* You will be submitting three recommendation letters.

* You need to complete a shadowing experience. Also, you would submit your GRE score.

* You also need to complete all pre-requisite courses.

2. Loma Linda University

LLU provides students with the flexibility to learn the first few courses online (with only a few visits to the school) for about six months, after that, your physical presence will usually be required.

Loma Linda University also offers vast training in anesthesia nursing to students. To help enhance what the students have learned in school, they usually make students undergo clinical rotations in various places, thus building their versatility in the use of clinical tools.

Program Cost: $138,666

Duration: 39 months

Program Requirement:

* You must have a BSN or MSN degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.

* You must have an active Registered Nurse license issued in California and a Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certificate.

* You must have at least one year of experience in clinical care.

* You will be submitting three recommendation letters and a “personal goals” statement.

* You need to complete a shadowing experience. Also, you would submit your GRE score.

* You also need to complete all pre-requisite courses.

3. California State University Fullerton

California State University Fullerton offers training to its students in partnership with Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia, a reputable school known to have produced many of the best nurse anesthesia.

As a graduate of this school, you would have been trained with the most employable skills you’ll need. This helps most of their students to get employed immediately after they graduate — some students even get job opportunities even before graduating.

So, if you think you’d like to enroll in a reputable California school, well-recognized for its qualitative training, you should consider California State University Fullerton.

Program Cost: $90,791

Duration: 3 years

Program Requirement:

* You must have a BSN or MSN degree with a minimum of 3.2 GPA.

* You must have an active Registered Nurse license issued in California.

* You must have a current working experience in clinical care.

* You should have your CCRN certificate as it will be required.

4. National University

National University is a veteran school widely held in high esteem for its ability to produce Nurse Anaesthetist who are concerned with the health of patients. In addition, they offer some of their courses for the program online, which is helpful for students who want to study while working.

Moreover, CRNA students of the National University are well tutored so that they can pass the National Exam in one go, scoring as high as 90% and above. They also train their students with the highest level of clinical skills. Therefore, the students can land jobs as soon as they graduate.

Program Cost: $116,235

Duration: 36 months

Program Requirement:

* You must have a BSN or BS degree with a minimum of 3.25 GPA.

* You must have an active Registered Nurse license issued in California.

* You must have at least one year of working experience in clinical care.

* You should have your CCRN, CEN, or CFRN certificate as one of them will be required.

* Optionally, get shadow hours by joining anesthesiologists when they go to operating rooms. This can help increase your chance of approval by the National University.

How much is CRNA School in California?

The cost of the Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetist program in California varies and depends on the school you choose. On average, it costs $100,000 or more to enroll in the program in California, which also depends on the school you choose. There are also a few that cost less than $100,000.

For example, you’ll pay $138,666 to take the course at Loma Linda University, but you can expect to pay only $ 90,791 at California State University Fullerton which is a few dollars less than $100,000.

Cheapest CRNA School in California

Most schools where you can take the Certified Registered Nurse Anaesthetist program, including those in California, are costly. Thus, not giving people with a lower budget the chance to enroll in most of these schools. But that is not to say that there isn’t any cheap institution that offers the CRNA program in California. Here are the cheapest CRNA Schools in California.

Samuel Merritt University

Samuel Merritt University, located in Oakland, California, has the cheapest fees compared to other universities in California. At Samuel Merritt University, you’ll be made to work in different sections such as the emergency clinic and dental care center to enhance your knowledge. You’ll also be trained in pain management, which is a major part required to improve a patient’s health.

More often than not, you would land a job within 6–8 months after graduating from this university since it is also a very reputable school popularly known for producing excellent students.

Saying that Samuel Merritt University is one of the cheapest universities in California does not necessarily mean that the fees are very cheap — it only means that their fees are slightly lower when compared to other institutions.

One very great thing about this University is that you’ll get more than the value of your investment in the school if you try enrolling with them. So, if you have a low budget for your studies, you should consider registering with Samuel Merritt University.

Program Cost: $96,507

Duration: 66 credit hours

Program Requirement:

* You must have a BSN or MSN degree with a minimum of 3.0 GPA.

* You must have an active Registered Nurse license issued in California.

* You must have a current working experience in clinical care.

* You should have your CCRN certificate as it will be required.

How to be a CRNA in California

To become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in California, here are some of the processes you will be required to go through before being certified.

1. Earn A Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.

First, you need to have prior knowledge about nursing before you think about becoming a Nursing anesthetist. To achieve that, you must get your bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN) from a reputable and accredited university. If your degree is in a non-nursing field, you can enroll in an accelerated BSN program. It will take about 2–3 years to get your BSN degree when you enroll in the accelerated BSN program.

2. Pass the NCLEX-RN Exam

Prior to becoming a Nursing anesthetist, you need to take and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for RNs. This exam takes about six hours, and it covers a wide variety of topics such as patient communication and education.

3. Enrol in a CRNA program

Enroll in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) program in any with the CRNA program.

4. Get Certified by NBCRNA

To get certified as a nursing anesthesia practitioner, you need to take the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetist exam. This exam contains a wide variety of questions based on physiology, anatomy, and administering and managing anesthesia.

5. Get Licensed

To practice nursing anesthesia in hospitals or any other place it is required, you’re required to have a state license that permits you to practice nursing anesthesia. Every state has its specific license they award to nursing anesthesia practitioners in their state.

6. Get employed

Since what nursing anesthetists do is suppress and cure pains, they’re open to employment in various medical facilities. For example, they may work in hospitals, clinics, military bases, or surgical centers. Fortunately, there is a high demand for nursing anesthetists which means you can apply for a job in any hospital, and you’ll most likely get the job.

NOTE: Most times, the school you’re enrolling in will require that you have at least 1–3 years of experience before enrolling. In such cases, you’re advised to find and work at a healthcare center for at least a year, preferably two, before you enroll in the program. That way, you would have gained the necessary first-hand experience needed for enrollment.

Final Thoughts

Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook as of May 2023 reveals that the average nurse anesthetist’s salary is $195,610 making them the highest-paid registered nurses in the world. In this article, we have looked at different schools in California where you can pick up a career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and have vast experience and a good-paying job after graduating within a short time.

Furthermore, we have put our very best into ensuring the accuracy of the information provided in this article. But then, kindly keep in mind that admission statistics and data are dynamic and are subject to change at any time by these institutions. Therefore, we always encourage you to verify these details from the official school admissions office.