Updated June 2026 · 11 min read

CRNA Programs in Georgia 2026

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

Georgia has a small but elite set of nurse anesthesia programs anchored by one of the most respected schools in the country. Here's how the Georgia options compare and how an ICU nurse in Atlanta, Augusta, or Savannah builds an application that earns an interview.

Accredited CRNA Programs in Georgia (2026)

Both Georgia programs are doctoral-entry. The Council on Accreditation phased out master's-level CRNA entry on January 1, 2025, so every accredited program now awards a DNP or DNAP. Tuition ranges shown are estimates of total program cost and vary with residency status and cohort year — confirm current figures directly with each school. Because the in-state options are few, most competitive Georgia applicants also apply to programs in neighboring states such as Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida.

Emory University — Atlanta

Emory's nurse anesthesia program is consistently ranked among the top programs in the United States by U.S. News & World Report and carries a national reputation that opens doors well beyond Georgia. Students train within Emory Healthcare and affiliated Atlanta sites, giving access to high case volume and complex surgical specialties. The trade-off is cost: as a private university, Emory's total tuition sits at the higher end of the Georgia range. Applicants who can absorb that cost gain one of the most strongly branded CRNA credentials in the Southeast.

Augusta University — Augusta

Augusta University (home to the Medical College of Georgia) offers a public-university DNP with markedly lower tuition for Georgia residents, making it the value option in the state. Students rotate through Augusta University Medical Center and regional clinical sites. The program is smaller and admits a limited cohort each year, so strong CCRN credentials, solid critical-care hours, and a polished interview matter even more here than at larger programs.

Strong Georgia ICU Hospitals for CRNA Applicants

Where you build your critical care hours matters. Georgia offers several high-acuity systems ideal for CRNA candidacy:

Programs want sustained adult critical care managing ventilated patients on vasoactive infusions with arterial and central lines. A CVICU or trauma SICU role at one of these systems is far stronger on a CRNA application than a step-down or community-hospital "ICU" that does not manage that acuity.

The Application Timeline from Georgia

Working backward from a fall 2027 start: Georgia programs generally accept applications in the late-summer-to-fall 2026 window, interview over the winter, and decide by spring 2027. Have your CCRN completed and ICU hours documented before applications open. Because Georgia has only two in-state programs, apply to both plus two or three out-of-state programs to give yourself a realistic shot at a seat in this cycle.