Updated June 2026 · 9 min read
Part of the CRNA Career Hub — browse every related guide in one place.
South Carolina concentrates its nurse-anesthesia training in two strong, long-accredited public programs — one in Charleston, one in Columbia. Both carry the maximum 10-year accreditation, a sign of program stability. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston | DNAP (post-baccalaureate); 50+ years of NA education; full 10-year accreditation awarded June 2020 |
| University of South Carolina | Columbia | DNAP; 36-month program; full 10-year accreditation (fall 2019), next COA review fall 2029 |
The Medical University of South Carolina anchors the state's nurse-anesthesia training with a Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice that builds on more than 50 years of program history. MUSC's post-baccalaureate DNAP earned a full 10-year accreditation in June 2020, and as an academic medical center it brings high-acuity clinical exposure directly in-house.
The University of South Carolina in Columbia offers a 36-month DNAP that begins each May and graduates three years later. It received the maximum 10-year accreditation status in fall 2019, with its next COA review scheduled for fall 2029 — a long runway that signals program stability.
Both are public-university programs, which generally keeps in-state tuition more reasonable than the private options found in neighboring states, and both feed directly into the National Certification Examination pathway to CRNA practice.
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.
South Carolina offers two strong, long-accredited public CRNA programs — MUSC in Charleston and the University of South Carolina in Columbia — both doctoral DNAP tracks with the maximum 10-year accreditation. Public tuition and proven stability make them attractive in-state options. Land a high-acuity ICU year, a CCRN, and a ~3.5 GPA, apply to both, and widen your net regionally to protect your timeline.
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