
California State University Fullerton CRNA
Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia
100 S. Los Robles, Ste 501
Pasadena, CA 91188
Contact Information
Edward Waters, DNP, CRNA
Director
Sandra.j.Hinkson@kp.org
ph: (626) 564-3016
fax: (626) 564-3099
Quick Facts
CRNA Degree offered
DNP Nurse Anesthesia; Post-Master’s DNP (Completion)
Program Length
36 months
Credit Hours
109 Credit Hours
Starting Month
August
Application Deadline
The School of Nursing Online Application is available February – August 31st provided you complete the first two steps below:
There are 4 steps to their application process prior to even submitting the online application.
- View the online information modules
- After viewing the online modules, you’ll have the chance to upload copies of your current resume and transcripts.
- After your documents have been reviewed, a KPSA representative will contact you to schedule a counseling session. The counseling session is an informal meeting with a KPSA faculty, in which each prospective applicant’s academic candidacy for the application process.
- Submit your online application between February – August 31st
Entire Program Cost of Nurse Anesthesia School at California State University Fullerton CRNA
Cost of in-state tuition: $73,800
*Fees and Total: $94,340
*This includes the cost of books and miscellaneous school expenses.
Tuition and fees information is derived from the Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia website.
Class Size
35-40
Number of Applicants
over 400 – check out this link to their website for more information about their selection/interview process
CRNA Program Summary
Are you concerned that California State University Fullerton CRNA won’t give you the specific experiences or training you need to be a successful CRNA? Learn what standards CRNA Programs must meet in order to be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia (COA).
This CRNA program (as well as all others that are accredited by the COA) prepares you to take the CCNA certification exam at the conclusion of the program, allowing you to become a CRNA.
This three year (9 semesters), full-time program offers concentrated courses in anatomy/physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, basic and professional roles. Courses in anesthesia practice provide clinical practicum encompassing all anesthetic techniques to diverse patient populations.
The supervised clinical practice, which begins in the summer semester of the 1st year, provides students the opportunity to incorporate didactic anesthesia education into clinical practice. During the clinical experience, students are supervised by anesthesiologists/nurse anesthetists who provide instruction in the safe administration and regional anesthesia.
All nurse anesthesia concentration courses are held at Kaiser Permanente in Pasadena, CA and affiliated clinical sites utilizing state-of-the-art facilities. This concentration requires 110 units of full-time study including a doctoral project. Clinical hours are based on competency guidelines from KPSA.
CRNA Program Requirements
Required Baccalaureate Degree
Bachelor or Masters degree in Nursing. Note that the school must have WASC accreditation if located in California. If it is not located in California, then it must have MSCHE, NEASC, NCA-HLC, SACS or WASC accreditation. National accreditation is not sufficient.
RN
Active and unrestricted CA RN license.
Applicants who are currently licensed outside of California are encouraged to review the requirements for California RN Licensure by Endorsement to ensure they meet the California Board of Registered Nursing requirements for California RN Licensure. Note the BRN’s Prerequisite Course requirements for Licensure by Endorsement.
Critical Care
Minimum of 1 year of current experience as an RN in an adult critical care ICU. A competitive applicant will have 2-3 years of critical care experience.
Acceptable experiences:
- Medical ICU
- Surgical ICU
- Coronary Care Unit
- Trauma ICU
- Cardiovascular ICU
- Neuro ICU
- Burn ICU
- CT ICU
They do not accept:
- Emergency Room
- Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
- Step Down Unit
- Cath Lab
GPA
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale in the last 60 semester units of college/university coursework. A competitive applicant will have 3.5 GPA and all A’s in their undergraduate science classes.
GRE Scores
Not required
TOEFL
All applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English, must demonstrate competence in English by taking the TOEFL test. A minimum score of 550 (paper) or 80 (iBT) on the TOEFL test is required.
For IELTS language test, a minimally acceptable score for graduate nursing applicants is a 7.0.
Certifications
- BLS (Basic Life Support)
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support)
- CCRN
Program Prerequisites
Upper division statistics course (completed with a C or better)
Upper-division (junior/senior University level) statistics courses completed within the United States are automatically accepted to meet pre-requisite requirements. Classes taken at a lower division level or outside the United States may be considered upon evaluation by Cal State University Fullerton.
CRNA Shadowing Requirements
You must provide documentation of experience in shadowing a current CRNA.
California State University Fullerton CRNA
CRNA School Performance
Accredited CRNA Programs are reviewed regularly.
California State University Fullerton CRNA was last reviewed 05/2017. It was given 10 years accreditation and will be reviewed again 05/2027. This shows that the program is very stable.
Pass Rate for CRNA Boards at Cal State University Fullerton
Please note: It is extremely rare for a student at any CRNA school to not eventually pass the exam. Most students who don’t pass the first time pass the second. Very rarely does a person ever take it a third time. This statistic only measures how well the program prepares students to pass the test the first time around.
First-time test takers: 100% (Class of 2019)
Attrition Rate: 6% (Class of 2019)
Employment Rate: 100% (Class of 2019)
CRNA Salaries
An average nurse anesthetist salary in California State University Fullerton CRNA, California
California CRNA salaries are among the highest in the U.S., largely because of the higher cost of living. The average annual mean wage is $205,360
An average annual nurse anesthetist salary in the US is $189,190 (according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2020 study)
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m not sure I’m qualified. Can a school representative review my qualifications before I apply?
Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia provides personal counseling sessions for prospective applicants prior to applying to the program. In fact, all qualified Southern California Area applicants are required to attend a counseling session.
Your background will be reviewed on an individual basis either in person or by telephone. The admissions representative will advise you to continue the application process, if appropriate, as well as answer questions regarding the program.
Is Kaiser CRNA the right choice for me?

Cal State University Fullerton’s nurse anesthetist program is not for everyone. It is an extremely demand it’s been said by graduates that you’ll have to put your life on hold while you’re working on your degree. If you’re struggling with any marriage issues, emotional issues or any issues that may affect your ability to focus, you may want to apply elsewhere – or work through them before you start.
Also, it’s located in a hot, dry desert area that’s in the midst of the Los Angeles area. You’ll be dealing with lots of traffic, and you’ll never run out of fun things to do.
Salaries pulled from Bureau of Labor Statistics
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