I'll make the decision VERY simple for you. Want a job and security, go CRNA. AA's can only practice in I believe now about 16 states, whereas CRNA's can practice in all 50 states and US territories. Even in the states that do allow AA's to practice, the number of anesthesia groups that actually would hire AA's is VERY limited. I am a CRNA and I had a patient 2 months ago and she was so excited to tell me about her daughter graduating from an AA program and how her daughter loved her new profession, BUT her daughter was also VERY depressed b/c she could not find a job! - true story. CRNA's can always find a job in any state, almost anytime, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and admit in some areas it can be a bit harder, but all in all, you can get a job almost anywhere, not so for the AA's. I actually feel sorry for them, b/c I'm sure most of the future AA's don't really research the field they are going into and only see the $$ sign, but by the time they are in school and debt deep enough and are about to graduate, they realize that they will be lucky to even GET a job almost anywhere, except for in a few very small pockets of AA hiring practices. Those areas that DO hire the AA's are more than likely just trying to power struggle with the CRNA's and if you work in those areas you are usually loathed by the CRNA's and nursing staff in general and the ONE area that you can expect as a future AA that is similar to the CRNA is that you are a second-class-citizen and an indentured servant in the MDA's eyes. At least we CRNA's can practice independantly and completely get away from the MDA's if we choose to do so, AA's can't, they are always and forever chained to the MDA's. Just chew on those thoughts for a bit and THEN decide if you want to be an AA or CRNA.