Updated June 2026 · 9 min read
Part of the CRNA Career Hub — browse every related guide in one place.
Colorado was a nurse-anesthesia desert until very recently — the state had no fully accredited CRNA program at all. That changed in the last two years, and Colorado ICU nurses finally have in-state options. Here is the 2026 landscape, what it costs, and how to get in.
Every program below is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA). Confirm current accreditation status on the COA list before applying, since review dates change.
| Program | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rosalind Franklin University | Colorado Springs (with UCCS) | Entry DNP; COA approval obtained December 2023 — the first fully accredited NA program in Colorado |
| Rocky Vista University | Parker (Denver metro) | DNAP; granted full seven-year initial COA accreditation; 36 months |
Rosalind Franklin University launched Colorado's first fully accredited nurse anesthesia program, securing COA approval in December 2023. It runs at a Colorado Springs location in collaboration with the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Beth-El College of Nursing at UCCS, pairing RFU's health-sciences curriculum with local simulation and clinical resources.
Rocky Vista University offers a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) from a campus in Parker, about 20 miles southeast of Denver. The program earned a full seven-year initial accreditation from the COA and runs 36 months full-time, with recent tuition reported near $68,000 — competitive for a private doctoral program.
Because both programs are young, cohorts are small and the application history is short. That cuts both ways: less entrenched competition, but also fewer alumni and a shorter track record to evaluate. Confirm each program's current accreditation cycle on the COA list before you commit.
Every program below uses the same competitive benchmarks as the rest of the country. Minimums make you eligible; the admitted profile sits higher.
| Requirement | Typical expectation |
|---|---|
| Degree | BSN before entry |
| License | Active, unencumbered RN license |
| ICU experience | Minimum 1 year; competitive applicants have 2–3 in high-acuity units |
| GPA | Minimum ~3.0; admitted students cluster around 3.4–3.7 |
| CCRN | Required or strongly preferred |
| Other | Shadowing, strong references, and an interview |
Get into the highest-acuity ICU you can and stay long enough to lead — a busy CVICU, SICU, or trauma unit carries more weight than years on a quieter floor. Earn your CCRN early; it is close to non-negotiable. If your GPA is below ~3.4, add or retake upper-level science courses and earn As to show momentum. Document CRNA shadowing before applying, and treat the interview as the deciding factor, because once you clear the screen, it usually is.
Colorado has gone from zero accredited CRNA programs to two in roughly two years — Rosalind Franklin University with UCCS in Colorado Springs, and Rocky Vista University near Denver. Both are doctoral and full-time. For in-state nurses this is a genuine breakthrough. Verify current accreditation, land a high-acuity ICU year and CCRN, and apply broadly while these young cohorts find their footing.
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