Advanced practice nurses are the wave of the future, so be sure you're aware of these 10 nurse anesthetist schools before making any big decisions about your future.

More and more, the healthcare profession is moving toward a more educated workforce. In order to reach the new heights required by an ever-growing industry, nurse anesthetists are going to be one of the most highly-demanded career choice over the next 20 years. The industry is encouraging anyone wanting to enter the more advanced fields to avoid the MSN programs and go after completing a doctoral degree.

There's no better time than the present to further develop your knowledge and skills the meet the demand of tomorrows healthcare economy!

Top 10 Nurse Anesthetist Schools:

1. Virginia Commonwealth University

Tuition: $7,679.60 IS / $12,962.50 OOS

Virginia Commonwealth University is located in Richmond, VA and was the first in the nation to offer a master's degree in nurse anesthesia (MSNA) and the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP). In addition to offering the nurse anesthesia degree at both higher education levels, they also offer a flexible method for earning your doctoral degree while still getting to begin working after obtaining your master's.

According to the School of Allied Health Professions:

"The MSNA-DNAP degree can be earned by completing doctoral level courses during the master’s program and adding one additional semester of doctoral study at the conclusion of the MSNA program. This additional semester is offered in a hybrid format that allows students to graduate with their master’s degree, take their national certification exam, and begin work at a CRNA while completing the remainder of DNAP coursework."

2. Baylor College of Medicine

Tuition: $21,887 - $29,298 IS / $34,987 - $42,398

Although the Baylor School of Allied Health Sciences only offers a doctoral-level nurse anesthetist program, it is among the very best. Located in Wako, Texas, the program is intended to prepare current registered nurses for fulfilling the role of a nurse anesthetist. Their program is divided into two distinct sections over 36 months.

The first is referred to as the didactic phase and "consists of coursework in the basic and clinical sciences, healthcare delivery and policy, translational research, leadership and management." The second is the clinical phase and it covers general, regional, and local anesthesia.

3. Duke University

Tuition: $21,853 IS/OS

At Duke University, located in Durham, NC, current healthcare professionals can pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The degree can be completed in 36 months and totals 83 credit hours integrate aspects of DNP, APRN, and nurse anesthesia coursework.

At the end of the program, students must complete a capstone project focused on "a process/quality improvement/project affecting populations of patients, health care organizations, and health care systems in a clinical setting."

4. California State University - Fullerton

Tuition: $33,000 IS / $59,412 OOS

Offering both a Master of Science in Nursing - Nurse Anesthesia and a DNP program, California State University - Fullerton is among the best nurse anesthetist schools for current healthcare professionals who want to take it to the next level.

In order to be admitted into the program, students must possess a current California RN license, a BSN or MSN, a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, and must have completed one upper-level statistics course with a C or better. Aspiring students must also have completed one year of full-time work as a registered nurse. This program takes 71 hours over 24 months to complete.

5. Rush University

Tuition: $1,050 per credit hour

Rush University, located in Chicago, Illinois, offers a DNP to healthcare professionals with at least one year of full-time work experience. The program consists of two sequences: didactic and residency. Students can expect to spend three and a half years earning this degree, spending the last 15 months of it completing a residency and project.

During your residency, you can expect to learn about a broad range of anesthesia for patients undergoing surgery including, cardiovascular, neurological, obstetric, thoracic, transplant, and trauma.

6. Mayo School of Health Sciences

Tuition: $57,420

The Mayo Clinic is known to many as the gold standard when it comes to the healthcare industry, so you can be sure you're getting a top-quality education when choosing their Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice program.

Students can expect a rigorous curriculum aimed at teaching them everything there is to know about preanesthetic preparation and evaluation, anesthesia induction, maintenance and emergence, and post-anesthetic care.

The program takes 42 months to complete and schedules can vary greatly due to academic, clinical, and research responsibilities of students.

7. University of Pittsburgh

Tuition: $28,860

Like many others on this list, the University of Pittsburgh has abandoned the MSN model and moved to a nurse anesthetist DNP program only. Students can choose from specialties in addition to nurse anesthesia like midwifery, clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, and nursing administration. The program is practice-driven, focusing largely on evaluating evidence and using it in clinical decision-making, leadership, implementing viable clinical innovations, and applying research and theoretical understanding to practical situations.

The program is 85 credits over the course of 3 years and each student is offered personalized advising to ensure they are developing the skills necessary to reach their overall career goals.

8. University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston

Tuition: $13,328 /$37,493 depending on program

Students pursuing either a MSN or a BSN-DPN should take note of the University of Texas's available programs. The new BSN-DPN program is the first available in the state and gives students the option to take a 9-semester path toward starting their career as a nurse anesthetist.

The school boasts a 100% pass rate on the National Certifying Examination by their recent 2016 class, on the first attempt. Expect to spend 90-112 credit hours completing a degree, depending on which you choose.

9. Georgetown University

Tuition: pending

Georgetown recently retired their nursing anesthesia master's program and now exclusively offers their Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Program (DNAP) exclusively. Unlike many other nurse anesthesia schools in the country, Georgetown's uses a cadaver lab to teach anatomy and anesthesia.

Students who want to work in the DC/MD/VA region will be excited by Georgetown's placement opportunities at hospitals across the area. Expect to spend 3 years to complete the program, including summer, fall, and winter semesters.

10. University of Buffalo - SUNY

Tuition: $23,930

Along with Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, the University of Buffalo - SUNY offers a Post-BS to DNP program specializing as a nurse anesthetist. In order to be admitted, students must have the equivalent of a BSN degree, an active U.S. RN license, an overall GPA of at least 3.0, and a minimum of one year of full-time work experience.

This program offers students up to 40% of the courses online but study on campus is still mandatory for completion, and it takes a cumulative 3 years to complete.