[Brenna's Dad]

Hoping all current or future students can help.

For an upcoming project, I need to know how the tution costs compare for CRNA programs across the US.

Could you please tell me:

1. The amount of credits you graduate from your program with

2. Cost/Tuition per credit

3. Program you are attending/ will attend if possible

Thanks for your help.

[CougRN]

50 credits total

$540 per credit

St. Joseph's RI and Univ of New England

[nilepoc]

47

950$/credit

Georgetown University

[TraumaNurse]

58

$332 / credit (Instate)

UMDNJ/OLL

[UCDSICURN]

You could go to the AANA website. Under the accredited programs area you can select a state which then has the direct link to the program. With a little digging you can find the number of units needed and the total costs associated with CRNA school. Most schools have "fees" above and beyond tuition and from what I've seen that can be a substantial chunk of money.

*Edit* Provided a link to the accredited program query page.

http://www.aana.com/coa/accreditedprograms.asp

Good luck.

Donn C.

[Brenna's Dad]

Thanks for all your responses so far. And, thanks for the link Donna. I'm trying to be lazy and ask the students what their tuition costs are. But... if this doesn't work, that'll be great.

If program fees are that substantial, maybe I should also ask...

4. What is the total of "other" fees paid during the program if known

Thanks again.

[lsucrna04]

Here in New Orleans, the tuition is about $8700 per year, and we are one of the 32 month programs.

[Roland]

I have also read about some "scary" clinical fees running into the thousands of dollars! How common are these type of fees "above and beyond" tuition. Considering that Stafford, limits work out to 18K per year is there ANY flexibility with regard to extending SOME of these fees into the third year (that is to say for those programs going beyond 24 months). Also, do schools tend to have ANY significant flexibility in working with you on fees that exceed the 18K per year loan limit? In our situation the one of us who continues to work will be earning about 60K per year (working full time PLUS as an ICU nurse). Thus, we could probably afford to pay the school about $500.00 or so per month above and beyond the 18K Stafford loan limit (if required). However, will this "cut it" or are most schools likely to want a lump sum up front?

[rockabye06]

At Rush Univ. in Chicago, IL, we are on the quarter system. The program totals 27 months or 9 quarters. The cost per quarter hour is $494 if part-time or $5620 per quarter if full time (12 hours or greater). The program requires a minimum of 78 quarter hours for completion of the MSN degree. However, this quote is for the 2003-2004 school year. Tuition costs for 2004-2005 are not published yet and it is highly likely that they will increase. The cost of attending this nurse anesthesia school is not as easily calculated as one might think, however. This is due to the fact that every person completes the degree requirements differently. For example, if one quarter you have 11 credits, the cost would be $5434 (11 X 494). Another quarter, you might have 17 credits and the cost would be $5620, the cost for one quarter at full time rate. Many, if not most, students choose to take many of the core courses (about 12 courses) prior to officially beginning the program, even if not yet accepted. By doing this, the academic load can be lightened substantially during the 27-month program, but the cost may be increased due to a la carte pricing ($494 per quarter hour). One way around this is by working at Rush while taking classes, which many choose to do. By working part-time or greater (at least 20 hours/wk), Rush pays for up to 6 quarter hours (approximately 2 classes) per quarter. The only catch is that this is technically considered income and the medical center deducts taxes from the cost of tuition. Further complicating this issue is the fact that during the final 15 months of this program (the residency), usually students are eligible to receive a monthly stipend of approximately $500-$600.

If a student was to go through the entire program of study in 27 months (not taking any of the core courses ahead of time as described above) according to the "Sample Program of Study" as listed in Rush's website, the cost would be as follows:

Quarter 1 Summer year 1 19 credit hours $5620
Quarter 2 Fall year 1 15 credit hours $5620
Quarter 3 Winter year 1 17 credit hours $5620
Quarter 4 Spring year 1 16 credit hours $5620
Residency
Quarter 5 Summer year 2 2 credit hours $988
Quarter 6 Fall year 2 2 credit hours $988
Quarter 7 Winter year 2 1 credit hour $494
Quarter 8 Spring year 2 1 credit hour $494
Quarter 9 Summer year 3 1 credit hour $494

TOTAL 27 months *75 credit hours **$25938

* also required is graduate level statistics course, bringing total credits required to 78. This would incur additional tuition costs.

** These costs are tuition costs only. Book costs are additional. To my knowledge, there are no other hidden "fees", lab fees, or any other type of administrative or institutional fees.

Again, the above costs are completely hypothetical as the sample program of study is usually not the norm and therefore costs would be different.

[Roland]

Rush sounds like a "steal". I have read posts in the past about clinical fees that were in the thousands. Technically, one could finance Rush entirely with graduate level, government backed loans.