Updated June 2026 · 10 min read
Part of the CRNA Career Hub — browse every related guide in one place.
Indiana's nurse anesthesia training centers on Indianapolis, with additional options in Evansville and Terre Haute. The state's Level I trauma centers and large academic systems give ICU nurses strong ground from which to build a competitive CRNA application. Here's how the Indiana programs compare.
| Program | Degree | Length | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marian University | DNP | 36 months | Indianapolis |
| University of Evansville | DNAP | 36 months | Evansville |
| Indiana State University | DNP | 36 months | Terre Haute |
Indiana has COA-accredited nurse anesthesia programs anchored in Indianapolis, Evansville, and Terre Haute. Every accredited U.S. program now awards a doctorate — the COA phased out master's-level CRNA entry on January 1, 2025. Some programs award the DNP and others the DNAP; both qualify graduates to sit for the National Certification Examination. Always confirm current accreditation status, tuition, credit counts, and clinical-hour requirements directly with each school and on the COA website.
Marian University's Leighton School of Nursing in Indianapolis runs a COA-accredited DNP nurse anesthesia track with its next program review scheduled for May 2032 — a long accreditation horizon that signals stability. The program admits one cohort per year (around 34 students) and benefits from Indianapolis's concentration of high-acuity hospitals. As the largest in-state program in the capital, Marian is the anchor for many Indiana applicants.
The University of Evansville offers a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) in southwestern Indiana; its curriculum meets the educational requirements for graduates to sit for the National Certifying Examination and pursue licensure in all 50 states. Indiana State University in Terre Haute rounds out the state's options with a COA-accredited DNP. Together these programs make it realistic for an Indiana ICU nurse to train close to home rather than relocating across the country.
Where you accumulate critical care hours matters as much as your GPA. Indiana offers several high-acuity systems ideal for CRNA candidacy:
| Hospital | Metro | Notable ICU Types |
|---|---|---|
| IU Health Methodist Hospital | Indianapolis | Level I Trauma, CVICU, Neuro ICU |
| Eskenazi Health | Indianapolis | Level I Trauma, SICU, burn ICU |
| IU Health University Hospital | Indianapolis | Transplant ICU, CVICU, academic acuity |
| Deaconess Midtown Hospital | Evansville | Level II Trauma, CVICU, SICU |
| Parkview Regional Medical Center | Fort Wayne | CVICU, Neuro ICU, SICU |
| Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis | Indianapolis | CVICU, cardiac surgical ICU |
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 "ICU" that does not manage that acuity.
Working backward from a fall 2027 start: most Indiana programs accept applications roughly September–December 2026, interview January–March 2027, and decide by spring 2027. Have your CCRN completed and at least one year (ideally two) of high-acuity ICU hours documented before applications open. With programs in Indianapolis, Evansville, and Terre Haute — plus easy reach into Ohio, Illinois, and Kentucky — Indiana applicants can build a strong list without relocating during school.
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