9 Best CRNA Schools in Florida – 2025

Written By: Editorial Staff @ NursingProcess.org

As a graduate of one of the CRNA programs in Florida, you will be sought after by many employers both inside and outside the Sunshine State. You’ll also earn a salary of $174,390 a year on average since Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists are the most highly paid specialists in the nursing profession. Demand for these specialists in Florida is expected to increase by 24 percent in the next decade. Could this be your next career move? Find out more by looking through this list of the 9 best CRNA schools in Florida for 2025.

RECOMMENDED ONLINE NURSE PRACTITIONER PROGRAMS

WHAT ARE THE BEST CRNA SCHOOLS IN FLORIDA (ONLINE & CAMPUS) FOR 2025?

(Based on our ranking methodology, the following are the 9 Best Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Programs in Florida (Online & Campus).)

1) Barry University – Miami Shores

Programs Offered: Post-Baccalaureate (DNP), Post-Masters (DNP), and Post-Graduate Certificate

About the School: As a graduate of one of the best CRNA schools in Florida, you will be sought after by employers across the country. If you are mulling over entering the field of nurse anesthesia or keen on a career advancement in this promising field, then Barry University’s top-ranking CRNA programs can prove to be the best bet. Known for its stellar nurse anesthesia education since 1993, the college offers three CRNA programs, so depending on your academic background you can enroll. These three CRNA programs in Florida not only boast of an outstanding performance on the certification exam but also prepare you for the workplace through ample hands-on practice at the college’s hi-tech simulation lab and extensive clinical training at affiliate sites throughout Florida. Moreover, to further enhance job preparedness you can opt to complete rotations, three times more than the required number of hours for graduation. Well, if you are ready for the next step, then now is the time to learn about the three CRNA program options at Barry, which include a post BSN, post master’s DNP, and a post-graduate certificate.

Post-Baccalaureate (DNP): This post-BSN to DNP program trains you for the CRNA certification with the highest level of clinical skills, seamlessly after your baccalaureate nursing education. To prepare you for this program, the college offers a preparatory online course of three credits which introduces you to the CRNA coursework. To qualify for the program, apart from completing this preparatory course, you must have a BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and at least one year of critical care experience as a registered nurse. Graduation requires you to complete a total of 86 credits over nine semesters.

Post-Masters (DNP): Open to CRNAs prepared at the master’s level, this program builds upon your advanced practice nursing education & experience. Counted among the popular CRNA schools in Florida, Barry offers this coursework through online classes, thereby making it feasible for working nurses to accommodate this rigorous academic schedule into their busy lives. Here, you will master clinical, organizational, financial, and leadership skills and knowledge to design programs that improve overall healthcare outcomes. To earn your DNP degree, you will complete 36 to 37 credits in DNP courses, including an anesthesiology scholarly project.

Post-Graduate Certificate: If you have a DNP degree and now desire to get certified as a nurse anesthetist, then this nurse anesthesia program in Florida will rather serve you well. The coursework of the program is individualized, based on the courses previously completed by you. Upon graduation, you will be eligible to take the national certification exam for nurse anesthetists.

2) University of South Florida-Main Campus - Tampa

Programs Offered: Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia (DNP)

About the School: The University of South Florida, counted among the best CRNA schools in Florida has been actively promoting health in the state through innovation and excellence in education. The school accepts students from diverse backgrounds, creating an enriching environment of diversity and cultural tolerance. This adds to the learning experience by preparing culture-sensitive nurses who serve patients, crossing across cultural and economic differences. The program is housed inside a state-of-art simulation center to provide you with ample clinical practice before you apply these skills in real-world settings. As an integral part of the USF Health Simulation Consortium which is a comprehensive education center, this simulation center is a well-equipped facility, fitted with high fidelity simulators to provide you with a close-to-real clinical scenario.

Program Overview: This 36-month program is a full-time coursework that requires 94-credits in didactic and clinical training. The program starts in May and spans nine consecutive semesters. The first two semesters are dedicated to didactic learning with clinical exposure starting at the beginning of the third semester. The didactic courses are complemented by simulation learning at the lab. During this phase, you will master concepts in healthcare policy, informatics, leadership, anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, pharmacology, and basic and advanced principles in anesthesia practice. In the second year of the program, you go through extensive clinical rotations at more than 30 sites. During this 27-month long phase, you will be provided with hands-on experiences at level I & II trauma centers, a cancer institute, and Veterans administration centers where you provide anesthesia care to patients ranging from pediatrics to the adult gerontology populations. Upon completion of the program, you will be eligible to get certified as a nurse anesthetist in Florida.

Admission Requirements: To be eligible for this CRNA program in Florida, you must have a BSN and an unencumbered RN license in Florida. Additionally, three letters of recommendation, a personal goals statement, a current resume, and a CCRN certification are required to enhance your chances of admission.

3) University of Miami – Coral Gables

Programs Offered: BSN-DNP

About the School: As a DNP increasingly becomes the in-demand qualification for a nurse anesthetist, to become a CRNA in Florida the first step ideally should be to enroll in one of the best CRNA programs in Florida that takes your baccalaureate degree in nursing, seamlessly to the doctoral level. At the University of Miami, you can complete your doctorate by enrolling in its evidence-based BSN to DNP program. Here, through exceptional didactic and clinical training at more than 13 advanced clinical sites, you will be trained as a clinical expert who will impact change in healthcare at all levels. The good news is that these superior clinical learning experiences are located within a short distance from the college, thereby saving you considerable travel time. Furthermore, within the college campus, clinical skills are mastered in its state-of-art simulation lab where you can immediately apply theoretical principles to practice. Besides, in a culturally diverse environment that embraces students coming from varied backgrounds, you greatly enhance cultural competence, a vital skill required to optimize health outcomes for the state’s diverse patient population.

Program Overview: This 36-month nurse anesthesia program in Florida has been an offering since 2014 and today accepts 35 students each year. To take your BSN to the DNP level you must complete a total of 124 credits. Through the didactic courses, you master concepts in advanced pharmacology, health assessment & diagnostic reasoning, health care management, economics, financing & ethics, structure & process, translational science, health systems development & leadership, and global health. Additionally, you learn population-based health & healthcare disparities, and towards the end of the program, you complete a DNP project where you apply the newly acquired knowledge to solve a healthcare issue.

Admission Requirements: To fulfill the admission requirements for this program, you must have a BSN degree from an accredited university. Also, you must have a science GPA of 3.0 and complete a statistics course. Additionally, the college requires you to submit three letters of recommendation, a personal goals statement, and a current resume. Furthermore, at least two years of critical care experience is required to qualify for this CRNA program in Florida.

4) Florida International University - Miami

Programs Offered: Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNP-NA)

About the School: As a registered nurse, are you ready for a challenging yet fulfilling career as a nurse anesthetist? If you find your calling in providing safe and quality anesthesia care, then you are in the right place as Florida International University’s graduates have been leading the way in cost-effective and safe anesthesia practice. The college not only trains you to practice in urban areas, where you practice as a team alongside an anesthesiologist but also to work in rural settings, where you may enjoy autonomy as the sole provider of anesthesia care. Regardless of where you intend to practice, this is one of the first CRNA schools in Florida to integrate simulation learning throughout the program. Through a rigorous curriculum that includes well-designed didactic courses and extensive clinical practice using high-fidelity simulations, you will be prepared to practice in any type of clinical setting. Thereafter, you are provided with real-world clinical experiences at five major health centers in Miami, where you hone skills in every aspect of anesthesia practice.

Program Overview: This CRNA program requires completing 107 credits and 3,180 clinical hours over three years. Here, you will be trained in all forms of anesthesia, including general, regional, and monitored anesthesia care for all specialty areas. Typically, you will learn about the scientific and theoretical foundations of advanced practice nursing, patient safety, organizational dynamics of health systems, healthcare informatics, culture & advanced practice nursing, healthcare finance, and health policy. Furthermore, you will master concepts in evidence-based clinical practice, technology & equipment in nursing anesthesiology, advanced bioscience regional anesthesia & pain management, translational research, chemistry & physics, and basic & advanced principles of anesthesiology nursing. Also, the coursework includes a DNP project and an anesthesiology nursing clinical residency in a hospital.

Admission Requirements: Like most other sought-after CRNA schools in Florida, if you are keen on enrolling here, then you must know that this college is highly competitive in its admission process and selects only highly qualified candidates. To ensure your application gains preferential points you must have several years of experience in critical care, out of which at least one year must be in the ICU. Also, having a high GPA and GRE score will certainly strengthen your application. Other factors to fulfill the minimum eligibility criteria include an accredited BSN with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and an active RN license in Florida.

5) Florida Gulf Coast University - Fort Myers

Programs Offered: BSN to DNP, and MSN to DNP

About the School: Whether you are starting to establish your career as a nurse anesthetist, or aspire to take your anesthesia practice to the doctoral level, you should consider completing your education from one of the best CRNA schools in Florida such as the Florida Gulf Coast University. Here you will graduate with exceptional skills that not only help you excel on the certification exam but also will prepare you to influence change in anesthesia care. You could be an RN with a BSN or someone who is already holding the CRNA certification, the college offers two anesthesia programs, a BSN to DNP and an MSN to DNP to suit your academic needs. These two CRNA programs in Florida have produced many nurse leaders who through evidence-based practice and innovative research transform the lives of patients locally as well as globally. As a program graduate, you will demonstrate a caring and compassionate attitude along with enhanced skills in critical thinking, cultural competence, and communication.

BSN to DNP: The BSN to DNP is open to BSN graduates with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and an active RN license in Florida. The program comprises 112 credits and can be completed within nine semesters. This full-time program leads to a doctorate and certification as a nurse anesthetist in Florida. In addition to clinical rotations in diverse clinical sites, the program takes you through theoretical learning in advanced health assessment, pathophysiology, chemistry & physics, principles of anesthesia, pharmacology, advanced nursing research, healthcare informatics, health policy, biostatistics & epidemiology, and organizational system & leadership. Additionally, you also learn about the economics & management of anesthesia practice.

MSN to DNP: To qualify for this MSN to DNP program, you must have an unrestricted Florida APRN license as a Nurse Anesthetist, besides an accredited MSN degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The 37-credits of the program consist of didactic and clinical training in nursing information management, regional anesthesia, pain management, biostatistics & epidemiology, evidence-based practice, health policy, and organizational systems & leadership. To graduate, you must complete all the courses with a minimum grade of ‘B’, in addition to clinical rotations and a DNP project.

6) University of North Florida - Jacksonville

Programs Offered: BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesiology

About the School: Nurse Anesthetists are highly in demand across the nation to provide specialized anesthesia care to civilians and servicemen, alike. Well, to become a CRNA in Florida you can consider applying to the University of North Florida’s CRNA program. Counted among the well-known nurse anesthesia programs in Florida, the program is one of the many university-based nurse anesthesia programs in the state. Here, the rigorous training includes clinical rotations in military & civilian healthcare sites, besides the extensive simulations that take you through anesthesia scenario training and airway management. Whether your goal is career advancement or rising in the professional hierarchy, through this program you will learn to collaborate as a member of an interprofessional healthcare team to meet the growing health needs of the community.

Program Overview: To earn your DNP degree in nurse anesthesiology, you are required to compere 110 credits post your BSN over nine semesters. Some of the topics that you master through the course of this program include healthcare informatics, advanced pathophysiology, health assessment, pharmacotherapeutics, principles of anesthesia nursing, research methods, evidence-based practice, global health care & culture, and principles of anesthesia nursing. Towards the end of the coursework, you complete an anesthesia residency and a doctoral project. Additionally, the clinical rotations offer a broad spectrum of hands-on experiences at various partner sites, including the Mayo Clinic, St. Vincent Medical Center, Tampa General Hospital, Orange Park Medical Center, and Marion Community Hospital, to name a few.

Admission Requirements: This nurse anesthesia program in Florida is available to BSN-prepared registered nurses with at least two years of work experience in critical care. Additionally, a current RN license in Florida and a minimum GPA of 3.0 are required to be eligible.

7) Florida State University - Tallahassee

Programs Offered: Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia

About the School: If you are keen on enrolling in one of the accredited CRNA schools in Florida that prepares you to become a nurse anesthetist at the master’s level, then you may want to look no further than the Florida State University. Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs, FSU’s CRNA program has been training high-quality nurse anesthetists, since 2015. Here, you receive a well-rounded education that includes intensive learning inside and outside the classroom. Besides, the college fosters participation in study abroad opportunities and involvement in the student organization to further broaden the learning curve. To ensure you graduate with exceptional skills in critical thinking, communication, and professionalism, the college provides clinical learning opportunities, starting within the first week of the program. This way you can immediately apply theoretical concepts to practice and enhance your learning outcome.

Program Overview: This CRNA program leads to a master’s in science degree and national certification as a nurse anesthetist. The first two semesters of the program entail taking didactic courses, four days a week and attending the simulation lab once a week. Thereafter into the latter part of the second semester, the college takes you through a month-long clinical intensive. The remaining three to seven semesters of the program mainly comprise of clinicals with few didactic classes. The program educates you on advanced health assessment, basic & advanced principles of anesthesia, pharmacology for anesthesia, professional aspects of nurse anesthesia, and research & evidence-based practice. Additionally, the clinical rotations that take place at various affiliate sites ranging from AdventHealth, Baptists Beaches Medical Center, to Bay Medical Centre Sacred Heart Health Systems and Jackson Hospital, provide the required exposure to real-world clinical settings before you transition to the workplace. To graduate, you are required to complete all the courses with a minimum grade of 3.0.

Admission Requirements: Admission into this program requires you to have a BSN degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Additionally, a current RN license and health certifications in ACLS, BLS, PALS, and preferably also CCRN is required. The college also requires you to have at least one year of work experience as a nurse in critical care. Other requirements include submission of your resume, two letters of recommendation, and a GRE score.

8) Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale - Fort Lauderdale

Programs Offered: DNAP (Entry-into-Practice), and DNAP (Post-Master’s)

About the School: No matter whether you are a BSN-prepared RN or a master’s prepared CRNA, at Keiser University you may start your academic journey at any point, but you will leave the college as a well-prepared clinical leader. Listed among the best CRNA schools in Florida, Keiser is also one of the largest private, non-profit universities in the state. The college’s commitment to serving the community is apparent from its community partnerships and active engagement through various service-learning programs. The college promotes leadership and interprofessional collaboration to prepare you to provide the highest level of patient care in diverse healthcare settings. Also, the clinical training that you receive at its affiliated sites covers various specialty areas such as cardiac, intracranial, pediatrics, obstetrics, regional and general anesthesia.

DNAP (Entry-into-Practice): This DNAP program is designed for BSN graduates who are registered as nurses in Florida. It takes your BSN straight to the doctoral level and makes you eligible to sit for the CRNA exam. The program comprises 90 credits and includes 63 credits in didactic courses, 12 credits in a capstone, and 15 credits in clinical practice courses. Each course is 16 weeks long and you can opt to take two to five courses simultaneously, depending on your preference. The program takes 36 months to complete, after which you can get certified and explore jobs in various types of health settings in both, rural and urban areas of the state.

DNAP (Post-Master’s): To be eligible for this DNAP post-master’s program, you must be a certified nurse anesthetist prepared at the master’s level. With just an additional 36 credits added to your previous nursing degree, you can achieve the terminal degree that equips you to impact change in the practice of anesthesia. In the 24 months of your training, you will master concepts in policy & ethics in nurse anesthesia practice, advanced professional roles for DNAP practice, economics for anesthesia practice, healthcare informatics, quality improvement, critical illness, and anesthesia care across the lifespan.

9) AdventHealth University - Orlando

Programs Offered: Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP)

About the School: Do you feel passionate about serving the community as an advanced practice nurse? If yes, then what better than pursuing a career as a nurse anesthetist that is not only high paying than most other similar occupations but also highly valuable in the management of pain. Besides, you will enjoy a high level of autonomy in practice and a considerable rise in professional respect. To enter this field, you can consider enrolling in one of the well-known CRNA schools in Florida such as AdventHealth University. The college offers a Christian environment and prepares you as a compassionate and competent nurse anesthetist. Well-equipped with high-fidelity simulation labs, here, you will be trained in sonography-guided invasive line and regional anesthetic procedures. Furthermore, after ample simulation training, you are provided with clinical opportunities in the AdvnetHealth system where you practice anesthesia under the supervision of a mentor.

Program Overview: This CRNA program offered by one of the accredited CRNA schools in Florida culminates in a doctorate and takes 36 months of continuous full-time study to complete. The coursework comprises 127 credits and combines health and nursing sciences. The program is rigorous and working concurrently is strongly discouraged. During the three years of your study here, you will take courses in advanced health assessment & diagnostics, pharmacology, evidence-based practice, principles of science & technology for nurse anesthesia, ethical issues & public policy, healthcare finance, and population health management. Additionally, you will also be educated on the relationship between spirituality & patientcare. Furthermore, to hone anesthesia skills you will be required to complete clinical rotations at the affiliated sites. As a graduate of this program, you will be able to improve lives by offering the highest level of anesthesia care.

Admission Requirements: To be accepted into this program you must be a highly qualified student. To qualify for admission, you must have either a BSN, MSN, or DNP. As such, a BSN is the preferred minimum degree, however, you may apply even if you have a BS in a related field or an ADN. Other requirements include submitting a GRE score, having at least one year of critical care experience, and holding a current BLS and ACLS certification.


VIEW OUR RANKING METHODOLOGY

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the Total Number of Accredited CRNA Schools in Florida?

As per the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA), currently there are 9 accredited CRNA schools in Florida that offer a total of 13 Nurse Anesthesia programs.




Nearby States


Popular Related Articles