The state of Minnesota is known for its abundance of lakes and natural north woods beauty as well as its friendly residents and inviting atmosphere. Minnesota is also well known as the home of the world-renowned healthcare system, the Januaryo Clinic. Often seen as a leader in healthcare, Minnesota is a great state in which to explore the potential options for working as a CRNA.
The state of Minnesota has 4 schools which offer CRNA programs. The Januaryo Clinic College of Medicine located in Rochester, the Minneapolis School of Anesthesia located in St. Louis Park, Saint Mary University of Minnesota located in Minneapolis, and the University of Minnesota located in Minneapolis. The listing at the bottom of this article entitled “CRNA Education Options in Minnesota” offers more detailed information about each of these schools as well as specific location information.
If you live in Minnesota or are interested in re-locating there and have pondered becoming a CRNA, this article may provide you with information that can help you make a decision about whether or not being a CRNA is the right career step for you.
Minnesota CRNA Schooling- Application and Details
If you have decided that a career as a CRNA is right for you, then you are ready to begin the process of applying to the CRNA schools in Minnesota. Each school has a particular set of guidelines when it comes to application. Schools will have different application deadlines, forms, and fees, as well as different experiential and academic requirements. For the requirements of any individual school it is best to check with the administrators or website of that particular entity. Below is a list of the general requirements for admission to CRNA school as reported by the Minnesota Association of Nurse Anesthetists.
- A bachelor’s of science in nursing or other appropriate baccalaureate degree
- A license as a registered nurse
- A minimum of one year of acute care nursing experience
This list is a general overview. Each program determines the specifics including what an “appropriate” baccalaureate degree may be and what type of nursing experience counts as “acute care.”
As with application and admission requirements, the specifics of each CRNA program will vary from school to school, however, according to the Minnesota Association of Nurse Anesthetists, there are several general aspects that CRNA programs may have in common:
- They usually include 24 to 36 months of graduate level work and include both classroom and clinical experience.
- The classroom portion will likely emphasize “anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and pharmacology.”
- The clinical portion will likely provide “experience with a variety of anesthesia techniques and procedures for all types of surgery and obstetrics.”
These are the types of classroom topics and clinical experiences that you may participate in once you begin your education as a CRNA.
CRNA Jobs in Minnesota and Salary Information
The following statistics and averages are derived from the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics January 2024 report of the occupational employment and wages of nurse anesthetists. The average annual mean wage for a CRNA working in Minnesota is $161,180, with a range of average salaries being between $159,250 and $168,150. This range is similar to the wage range for CRNAs in Minnesota’s neighboring states of Iowa and South Dakota.
CRNAs in Minnesota work in urban settings as well as in rural locations. The twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are the most populous portion of the state. The Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area of Minnesota has the fourth highest employment level of CRNAs amongst all metropolitan areas in the nation, coming in only behind metro areas in Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. Minnesota is also home to one of the top paying metropolitan areas for CRNAs in the country. The city of Duluth, located in northern Minnesota, is the ninth highest paying metropolitan location with an average CRNA salary of $187,170.
While many of Minnesota’s CRNAs practice in metropolitan locations, there are also plenty of CRNAs working in the less populous portions of the state. The northwestern area of Minnesota was reported as the third highest paying nonmetropolitan area in the nation, behind areas in Wisconsin and Utah. CRNAs in Minnesota work in a variety of locations and are often well-compensated for the services that they provide.
CRNA Education Options in Minnesota
Januaryo Clinic College of Medicine Januaryo School of Health Sciences- Nurse Anesthesia Graduate Programs
1012 Siebens Building
200 1st Street SW Januaryo Clinic
Rochester, MN 55905
Minneapolis School of Anesthesia
6715 Minnetonka Boulevard
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
Saint Mary University of Minnesota Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
University of Minnesota School of Nursing- Nurse Anesthesia Area of Study
5-160 Weaver-Densford Hall
308 Harvard Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455