Last updated: October 2026 | Researched and reviewed by Daniel Etheridge, CRNA
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing started its Nurse Anesthesia Program in 2026. It is a 36-month, 90-credit entry-level DNP, and nearly all of the clinical training happens inside Vanderbilt University Medical Center and its hospitals.
The COA granted initial accreditation effective January 21, 2026, and the first class started that April. Applications for the Summer 2028 class open March 1, 2027.
The one thing to know up front: because the program is brand new, there are no pass rates yet. The first class graduates in 2029. Here is everything else worth knowing in the meantime.
Key Takeaways
- 36-month DNP, starts late May
- COA accredited January 2026
- $2,057 per credit (2025-26)
- No GRE; CCRN encouraged
- NICU and PICU nurses qualify
- Apply Mar 1 – May 15, 2027
- No pass rates until 2029
Vanderbilt Nurse Anesthesia Program Quick Facts:
| Degree | DNP (doctoral entry to practice) |
| Length | 36 months, 9 semesters, 90 credits, full-time |
| Location | Nashville, TN |
| Class starts | Summer (late May) |
| Application window | March 1 – May 15, 2027 for the Summer 2028 class |
| Class size | Up to 30 students |
| Cost | $2,057 per credit (2025-26), about $185,000 in tuition before scholarships |
| GRE / CCRN | GRE not required · CCRN strongly encouraged, not required |
| ICU requirement | 1 year full-time within the past 5 years; adult, pediatric and neonatal ICU accepted |
| Clinical sites | 11 Vanderbilt facilities, anchored by Vanderbilt University Medical Center |
| Accreditation | COA initial accreditation January 21, 2026; next review fall 2031 |
One of 9 CRNA Schools in Tennessee
Vanderbilt is one of 9 accredited CRNA programs in Tennessee. The other Nashville-area program is the Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia in Madison.
Vanderbilt CRNA Program Overview
Vanderbilt announced the program in May 2025, took applications for the first class that fall, and earned initial accreditation from the COA effective January 21, 2026. Classes began April 27, 2026. Later classes start in late May. The second class starts May 17, 2027.
The program is 90 credits over nine semesters with at least 2,500 clinical hours. Coursework and clinical time are integrated, and clinicals start in semester 3.
All eleven named clinical sites are Vanderbilt facilities. Together they see more than 140,000 surgical patients a year, according to the program, from the main medical center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital to regional hospitals and surgery centers around Middle Tennessee.
The next COA review is scheduled for fall 2031. The program director is Brent Dunworth, DNP, MBA, CRNA, who holds appointments in both the School of Nursing and the School of Medicine’s anesthesiology department.
Vanderbilt CRNA Program Admission Requirements
To be considered for the Vanderbilt nurse anesthesia program, you will need:
- A bachelor’s or graduate degree in nursing (or an appropriate major) and an unencumbered RN license
- A cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- A statistics course
- At least one year of full-time critical care experience (or the part-time equivalent) within the past 5 years
- Recommendations, including one from your current supervisor (a charge nurse does not count)
- BLS, ACLS and PALS by the start of the program
- A virtual interview of about 60 minutes with video and written questions
Accepted units include surgical, cardiothoracic, coronary, medical, pediatric and neonatal ICU, so NICU and PICU nurses qualify. Vanderbilt does not accept PACU, OR, emergency department or cardiac cath and EP lab experience.
The GRE is not required. The CCRN is strongly encouraged, not required, but read the FAQ wording closely: if you have it, it must be submitted by the application deadline to count. Earn it before you apply.
Shadowing is not required but strongly recommended. Vanderbilt interviews up to 100 applicants for up to 30 seats, so treat the recommended items as expected.
Application Dates and Deadlines
Vanderbilt charges a non-refundable $75 application fee. The calendar runs the same way each year: applications open March 1 and close May 15 for the class that starts the following summer.
For the Summer 2028 class, that means March 1 to May 15, 2027, with interviews in summer 2027 and decisions in fall 2027. Applications for the Summer 2027 class closed May 15, 2026, with decisions scheduled for October 2026. The program uses a waitlist that stays open until classes begin.
Vanderbilt CRNA Program Tuition and Cost
From the VUSN financial aid page, at 2025-26 rates:
- Tuition: $2,057 per credit hour, about $185,000 across the 90-credit program (our math; Vanderbilt does not publish a program total)
- Student service fee: $791 per year, plus a $1,012 student health fee each year and a one-time $100 transcript fee
- Health insurance: $4,074 per year unless you show proof of your own coverage
- Books: Vanderbilt estimates $2,500
That is private-university pricing with no in-state discount. Two things to know. First, every full-time DNP student gets a scholarship unless another source pays their tuition in full, so ask financial aid what a typical nurse anesthesia award looks like. Second, the financial aid page still listed 2025-26 tuition when we checked in October 2026, so confirm the current rate before you budget.
Plan for equipment, board review and the NCE fee too. Vanderbilt does not recommend working during the program.
Nurse anesthetists earned a national average of $248,320 a year as of May 2025 (BLS).
Clinical Rotations and Training Sites
Every named clinical site is a Vanderbilt facility:
- Vanderbilt University Hospital and Vanderbilt Outpatient Surgery, Nashville
- Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville and Murfreesboro
- Vanderbilt Belle Meade and Vanderbilt Surgery Franklin
- Vanderbilt Health Endoscopy Center and Vanderbilt Surgery Center at One Hundred Oaks
- Vanderbilt Wilson County, Tullahoma-Harton and Bedford hospitals
The program lists robotic surgery, organ transplant, Level 1 trauma, cardiothoracic, neuro, orthopedics, high-risk oncology, obstetrics and pediatrics among the case types. Clinical placement is guaranteed.
Training inside one health system cuts both ways. You get one culture and no scrambling between systems. You do not get independent-practice rural sites, so ask how the program builds your regional and solo-provider experience.
Pass Rates, Attrition, and Employment
There are none yet. The first class started in April 2026 and graduates in 2029, so the first NCE pass rate, attrition and employment numbers arrive around then.
Until then you are judging the program on what goes in, not what comes out: full COA initial accreditation, VUMC as the training ground, and faculty from a large academic anesthesia practice. That can be a fine bet, but make it knowingly. Ask the program how the first class is doing.
Living in Nashville While Attending Vanderbilt
The School of Nursing sits in midtown Nashville next to the medical center. Median rent across Nashville is about $1,995 a month for all unit sizes (Zumper, October 2026), and the neighborhoods closest to campus usually run higher. Many students live farther out and commute.
Nashville is a big healthcare town. HCA Healthcare is headquartered here, and three years of training in this market sets you up well for a local job search.
Is the Vanderbilt CRNA Program Right for You?
Vanderbilt is a great fit if you:
- Want to train inside a large academic medical center with a children’s hospital
- Come from NICU or PICU, since both count here
- Would rather skip the GRE and can have your CCRN in hand by the deadline
- Have ICU experience up to five years old
- Want a class of up to 30
- Value scholarship support at a private school
- Are comfortable joining a program before its first outcomes exist
Consider other options if you:
- Want published pass rates before you commit (the first numbers come around 2029)
- Need a lower sticker price: about $185,000 in tuition before scholarships
- Come from ER, PACU, OR or cath lab, since those units do not count here
- Want rural or independent-practice clinical sites
- Need a January start
- Will miss the May 15 deadline, because the window opens once a year
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Vanderbilt’s CRNA program accredited?
Yes. The COA granted the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Doctoral Entry to Practice Nurse Anesthesia Program initial accreditation effective January 21, 2026. The next review is scheduled for fall 2031. The first class began April 27, 2026.
How much does the Vanderbilt CRNA program cost?
Tuition is $2,057 per credit hour at 2025-26 rates, about $185,000 across the 90-credit program, plus about $1,800 a year in student fees. Every full-time DNP student gets a scholarship unless another source pays tuition in full, so ask financial aid what a typical award looks like.
Does Vanderbilt require the GRE or CCRN for the CRNA program?
No GRE. The CCRN is strongly encouraged, not required, but it must be submitted by the application deadline to be considered, so treat it as part of a competitive application.
What ICU experience does Vanderbilt accept?
At least one year of full-time critical care within the past 5 years. Surgical, cardiothoracic, coronary, medical, pediatric and neonatal ICU all count. PACU, OR, emergency department and cardiac cath or EP lab do not.
When can I apply to Vanderbilt’s CRNA program?
Applications open March 1 and close May 15 each year for the class starting the following summer. The next window is March 1 to May 15, 2027, for the Summer 2028 class. The application fee is $75.
Next Steps
If you are aiming for the Summer 2028 class, use the time you have: earn the CCRN before May 2027, finish your statistics course, line up your supervisor recommendation, and shadow a CRNA even though it is optional. Vanderbilt holds faculty information sessions, including one on December 15, 2026. Questions go to the School of Nursing at 615-322-4400.
You can compare all Tennessee CRNA programs side by side, or look at nearby programs in Kentucky and Alabama. You can also compare programs in every state on our CRNA Schools by State page.
Contact the Program
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, Nurse Anesthesia Program
Program Director: Brent Dunworth, DNP, MBA, CRNA, NEA-BC, FAANA
School of Nursing: 615-322-4400
Financial Aid: 615-322-8986
461 21st Ave. South, Nashville, TN 37240
Official page: nursing.vanderbilt.edu Nurse Anesthesia DNP
Tuition and aid: VUSN financial aid
Accreditation: Council on Accreditation (COA) · Salary data: BLS OEWS, May 2025