Last updated: October 2026 | Researched and reviewed by Daniel Etheridge, CRNA
If you are considering the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s CRNA program, this article covers cost, admission requirements, deadlines, clinical sites, and outcomes.
UTC runs a 36-month entry-level DNP in nurse anesthesia with Erlanger Health System as its primary clinical site. Classes start each January, and the program accepts about 24 to 30 students a year.
UTC requires two years of full-time critical care experience before you start.
Key Takeaways
- 36-month DNP, January start
- 2 years of ICU required
- No GRE; CCRN encouraged
- 2025 first-time pass: 94.7%
- $5,896 a semester in-state
- Chattanooga or Tupelo track
- COA review next in 2034
UTC Nurse Anesthesia Program Quick Facts:
| Degree | DNP (entry level), Nurse Anesthesia concentration |
| Length | 36 months, full-time |
| Location | Chattanooga, TN, with a Tupelo, MS track |
| Class starts | January |
| Application | Opens mid-January each year |
| Class size | About 24 to 30 students |
| Cost | $5,896 per semester in-state, $10,173 out-of-state, plus $115 per credit nursing fee (FY2026-27) |
| GRE / CCRN | GRE not required. CCRN strongly encouraged. |
| ICU requirement | 2 years full-time, within the last 5 years |
| Accreditation | COA, next review May 2034 |
One of 9 CRNA Schools in Tennessee
UTC is one of 9 accredited CRNA programs in Tennessee and the only one in Chattanooga.
UTC CRNA Program Overview
The program is a partnership between UTC’s School of Nursing, which grants the DNP, and Erlanger Health System, the region’s Level I trauma center for adults.
Applicants pick one of two locations: Chattanooga or Tupelo, Mississippi. You cannot apply to both.
Tupelo students spend semesters 2 and 3 in Chattanooga. They complete the last two years of coursework and clinical training at North Mississippi Medical Center, with classes delivered by distance education.
The program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). The COA granted 10-year continued accreditation in 2024, with the next review in May 2034.
UTC CRNA Program Admission Requirements
To be considered for the UTC nurse anesthesia program, you will need:
- A BSN or MSN from an ACEN-, CCNE-, or NLN-accredited nursing program
- An unencumbered RN license in Tennessee or a multistate compact license
- A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
- A science GPA of 3.26 or higher
- At least two years of full-time critical care experience, completed by August before the January start and within the last five years
- Three recommendations
- Current BLS and ACLS
- PALS by January (not required to apply)
The GRE is not required. The CCRN is not required to apply, but the program FAQ says it is strongly encouraged.
UTC reports more than 120 applications each year. It invites 60 to 65 Chattanooga applicants and 12 to 20 Tupelo applicants to interview.
Application Dates and Deadlines
UTC does not use NursingCAS. You apply through UTC Graduate Admissions, and the application opens in mid-January each year.
For the class that starts in January 2027, applications were due March 13, 2026, with all documents and references due April 10, 2026. UTC has not posted the dates for the next cycle yet.
Interviews are held face to face in June. Selected applicants are notified around mid-May.
Accepted students pay a $1,000 nonrefundable seat fee to hold their place.
UTC CRNA Program Tuition and Cost
UTC posts its rates on its FY2026-27 fee schedule. Per semester at a full-time load:
- In-state graduate tuition and fees: $5,896
- Out-of-state: $10,173
- Nursing fee: $115 per credit hour on top of the base rates
- Estimated program total: about $66,000 in-state and $105,000 out-of-state over nine semesters
UTC does not publish a program total. Those totals are our estimate from the posted rates, and rates reset each year.
Budget separately for books, a laptop, clinical supplies, insurance, board review, and the certification exam fee.
Nurse anesthetists earned a national average of $248,320 per year as of May 2025 (BLS).
Clinical Rotations and Training Sites
UTC lists these clinical sites:
- Erlanger Health System, Chattanooga: the primary site, with over 40 surgical suites across four campuses and over 48,000 anesthetics a year
- Children’s Hospital at Erlanger: about 5,500 pediatric cases a year
- CHI Memorial Hospital, Chattanooga
- Southern Tennessee Regional Health System, Winchester
- Rhea Medical Center, Dayton
- North Mississippi Medical Center, Tupelo: 35 surgical suites, over 22,000 anesthetics and about 1,000 open heart anesthetics a year
UTC says its students do not compete with physician anesthesiology residents for cases at any site.
Pass Rates, Attrition, and Employment
From UTC’s program statistics (the 2024 and 2025 classes were DNP cohorts):
- 2025: 94.7% first-time pass, 100% overall, 100% employed, 8.7% attrition
- 2024: 96% first-time pass, 100% overall, 100% employed, 8% attrition
- 2023: 92.3% first-time pass, 96.2% overall, 96.2% employed, 0% attrition
- Five-year averages: 98.3% employed, 6.92% attrition
Living in Chattanooga While Attending UTC
One-bedroom apartments in Chattanooga rent for about $1,180 a month (Zumper, October 2026).
Tupelo-track students live in Chattanooga for semesters 2 and 3, then in Tupelo for the last two years. Ask the program about housing for each phase.
Is the UTC CRNA Program Right for You?
UTC is a good fit if you:
- Have two or more years of ICU experience
- Qualify for Tennessee in-state tuition
- Want a January start
- Live in north Mississippi and want the Tupelo track
- Would rather skip the GRE
Consider other options if you:
- Have less than two years of ICU experience
- Have a science GPA below 3.26
- Need a summer or fall start
- Need to work during school; UTC strongly discourages it
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UTC a good CRNA program?
The 2024 and 2025 DNP classes posted first-time certification exam pass rates of 96% and 94.7%, with 100% overall pass rates and 100% employment within six months. The COA granted the program 10-year continued accreditation in 2024, with the next review in May 2034.
How much does the UTC CRNA program cost?
At FY2026-27 rates, in-state graduate tuition and fees are $5,896 per semester and out-of-state are $10,173, plus a $115 per credit nursing fee. That works out to about $66,000 in-state or $105,000 out-of-state over nine semesters. UTC does not publish a program total, so these are estimates.
How much ICU experience does UTC require?
Two years of full-time critical care experience, completed by August before the January start and within the last five years.
Does UTC require the GRE or CCRN?
The GRE is not required. The CCRN is not required to apply, but the program strongly encourages it.
What is the Tupelo track at UTC?
Applicants choose either Chattanooga or Tupelo, Mississippi. Tupelo students spend semesters 2 and 3 in Chattanooga, then complete the last two years at North Mississippi Medical Center. You cannot apply to both locations.
Next Steps
Watch for the application to open in mid-January, line up your three recommenders, and make sure your two years of ICU time will be done by the August before your start.
You can compare all Tennessee CRNA programs on our state page, or browse programs in every state on our CRNA Schools by State page.
Contact the Program
UTC School of Nursing
615 McCallie Ave, Dept 1051, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Phone: 423-425-4644
Program page: UTC Nurse Anesthesia
Admissions: UTC nurse anesthesia admissions
Outcomes: UTC program statistics
Accreditation: Council on Accreditation (COA) · Salary data: BLS OEWS, May 2025