Updated June 2026 · 9 min read

CRNA Programs in Alabama

Part of the CRNA Career Hub — browse every related guide in one place.

Alabama has three accredited nurse anesthesia programs — Samford University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and the University of Mobile — plus a Texas Wesleyan clinical site at Mobile Infirmary for applicants willing to enroll through an out-of-state program. That's a meaningful set of in-state options, spanning private faith-based, public research, and private regional models. Here's how they compare and how to approach them.

The Three Alabama Programs

Samford University

Samford's nurse anesthesia program in Birmingham is a private, faith-based doctorate (DNP) structured into three phases across roughly 94 credit hours. It has a long institutional history and reports strong outcomes, including very low attrition. As a private program, tuition runs higher than a public option, so factor the full cost of attendance into your decision. Samford is a strong fit for applicants who want a cohesive cohort experience and don't mind paying private tuition for it.

University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB)

UAB offers a Post-BSN to DNP pathway in nurse anesthesia through its well-regarded School of Nursing, combining online and on-campus coursework across about three years and 114 credits. The program holds full continued COA accreditation, with its accreditation extending through May 2031 per recent listings. As a public research university, UAB can offer a lower in-state tuition rate than the private options — a meaningful cost lever for Alabama residents. Its size and academic-medical-center setting also mean deep clinical resources.

University of Mobile

The University of Mobile runs a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) — a 36-month program across nine consecutive semesters with a blended model of classroom, simulation, online, and clinical learning. It's COA-accredited and gives the southern part of the state a home-region option, which matters for applicants with ties to the Gulf Coast. As a private program, expect tuition in the private range; balance that against the convenience of staying near Mobile for clinicals.

The Texas Wesleyan Mobile Site

Separate from the three Alabama-based programs, Texas Wesleyan University operates a nurse anesthesia clinical site at Mobile Infirmary Medical Center. You enroll through Texas Wesleyan's program but complete clinical training in Mobile. It's worth knowing about if you want to train on the Gulf Coast but don't match at the University of Mobile — just understand you'd be a Texas Wesleyan student, subject to that program's structure and tuition, not an Alabama-program student.

Building an Alabama Application Strategy

With three in-state programs plus a regional clinical site, Alabama applicants have more local optionality than residents of many states. A sensible approach: if you're a resident, anchor your list with UAB for its in-state tuition, then add Samford and the University of Mobile to widen your odds, since CRNA admissions are competitive everywhere and small cohorts mean a single application is a thin bet. All three will expect strong ICU experience, a competitive GPA, and most will prefer or require the CCRN — see the CCRN guide if that's a gap. Plan the application timeline a full year ahead of your intended start.

Bottom Line

Alabama offers three accredited CRNA programs — Samford and UAB in Birmingham and the University of Mobile on the Gulf Coast — plus a Texas Wesleyan clinical site in Mobile. For residents, UAB's public tuition is the strongest cost play; Samford and Mobile add private-program options that widen your odds. All confer a doctorate, run about 28–36 months, and demand serious ICU experience. Apply broadly, verify each program's current numbers, and start the timeline early. For the national picture, see CRNA acceptance rates and the CRNA job outlook.