Which Schools Offer CNA Programs and Certification in California?

Learn about CNA training programs in California. Get information about programs available and admission and training requirements to make an informed decision about your education. Schools offering Nursing degrees can also be found in these popular choices.

California CNA Certification Requirements

Before reading about the programs described below, you should become familiar with California's certification requirements for certified nurse aides (CNAs). To become a CNA in California, you must complete a minimum of 150 hours of training in a state-approved program. The minimum age to apply for certification is 16. To become certified, you'll have to pass a criminal background check, undergo a physical exam and pass a 2-part examination that tests both your knowledge and skills. To remain certified, you'll be required to complete 48 hours of continuing education every two years.

Salary and Job Outlook for CNAs in California

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the mean annual wage for a nursing aide, orderly or attendant in California was approximately $29,000 in May 2011, which was higher than the occupation's national mean wage of about $25,000. The BLS noted that several cities in California are among the nation's top paying metropolitan areas for these occupations. Nursing aides, orderlies and attendants in the San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City area had a mean wage of about $37,000 in May 2011, while those workin in the Oakland-Fremont-Hayward area made a mean wage of about $36,000, according to the BLS. The organization also indicated that nursing aides, orderlies and attendants in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metropolitan area, along with those in Salinas and Vallejo-Fairfield, were among the nation's top earners in May 2011.

The BLS predicted that jobs for orderlies, nursing aides and attendants would increase 20% from 2010-2020. Growth will likely come as an aging population relies more on long-term care facilities. Also, growth in the number of health care services rendered might require hospitals and clinics to hire more nursing aides, attendants and orderlies, the BLS noted.

CNA Programs in California

City College of San Francisco

  • Program Name: Home Health Aide/Nurse Assistant (CNA)
  • Program Length: 1 semester (18 weeks), full-time
  • Tuition: Free (you must purchase textbooks, uniforms, a Red Cross manual, an I.D. badge and pay a state exam fee of $90)
  • Prerequisites: English or English as a second language courses
  • Requirements: At least 18 years old, placement test, program orientation, physical exam, criminal background check, CPR certification, current immunizations
  • School Type: 2-year, public; approximately 33,000 students (all undergraduates)
  • Address: 1800 Oakdale Ave., San Francisco, CA 94124
  • Phone: (415) 550-4344

Taught at City College of San Francisco's Southeast Campus, the home health aide/nurse assistant program is offered by the school's Career and Technical Education division, which provides free and low-cost occupational training. The goal of the CNA program is to train you for immediate entry-level employment. You'll study behavioral science and nursing concepts, as well as critical thinking skills. This course can prepare you to take the state CNA exam, and you can be certified as a home health aide without another examination.

MiraCosta College

  • Program Name: Certified Nursing Assistant
  • Program Length: 8-week program (23 hours per week) or 6-week summer program (32 hours per week), full-time
  • Tuition: Total program cost of approximately $550 for California residents (as of spring 2012)
  • Prerequisites: English 803 or ESL 803 or qualify through the English Assessment or approved equivalent, American Heart Association Health Care Provider CPR card with AED, enrollment in Nursing 160
  • Requirements: Physical examination, tuberculosis test
  • School Type: 2-year, public; about 14,500 students (all undergraduate)
  • Address: One Barnard Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056
  • Phone: (760) 757-2121

You'll spend 79 hours learning about nursing techniques in the classroom and 105 hours gaining experience in a local long-term care home. Tuition includes the cost of books, uniforms, a physical exam and the state certification exam. Admission to this program is on a first-come, first-served basis; each class is limited to 20 students. After successfully completing this course, you can enroll in the home health aide program.

Shasta College

  • Program Name: Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide (CNA) Program
  • Program Length: 1 semester, full-time
  • Tuition: Approximately $600 (total program cost, spring 2012)
  • Requirements: Must have completed 10th grade and be able to read and write in English, immunizations, CPR certificate, drug screening, 2-part tuberculosis test, criminal background check, physical exam, valid Social Security number
  • School Type: 2-year, public; approximately 9,700 students (all undergraduate)
  • Address: 11555 Old Oregon Trail, Redding, CA 96003
  • Phone: (530) 242-7500

Shasta College's training for CNAs and home health aides is offered at the Redding campus. The college offers two courses, the 13-unit Nurse Aide/Home Health Aide (CNA) and the 9-unit Nurse Aide course. Both courses consist of classroom instruction and clinical experience. Either course can prepare you to take the state CNA exam, and the home health option can also prepare you for that certification. There is a waiting list to enter this program.

Southwestern College

  • Program Name: Certified Nursing Assistant
  • Program Length: 9 weeks, 3-4 days per week, or 18 weeks, 1-2 days per week, full- or part-time
  • Tuition: Approximately $650 for the program, including tuition, fees, books, insurance and other applicable costs (as of fall 2012)
  • Prerequisites: Reading score of 56 or higher
  • Requirements: Physical exam; criminal background check, CPR certification, current immunizations, tuberculosis test, valid Social Security number
  • School Type: 2-year, public; approximately 19,500 students (all undergraduate)
  • Address: 8100 Gigantic St., Room 4401, San Diego, CA 92154
  • Phone: (619) 482-6352

You'll learn to communicate with patients, gather data and master the skills required to meet patients' needs. By the course's completion, you'll be prepared to take the California CNA exam. This program is designed for students who desire a career in nursing and is mandatory if you want to enter SWCC's associate in nursing or vocational nursing programs.

To continue researching, browse degree options below for course curriculum, prerequisites and financial aid information. Or, learn more about the subject by reading the related articles below:

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