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CNA Classes in Louisiana: 109 State-Approved Programs (2026)

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CNA Classes in Louisiana: Programs, Costs, and State Requirements

Published June 18, 2026 · Last updated June 18, 2026

If you are looking at CNA training in Louisiana, you have room to choose. The state lists 109 approved programs spread across 61 cities, which puts Louisiana at #24 of 50 for program count. New Orleans alone runs 8, Baton Rouge has 6, Hammond 5, and Alexandria 4, so a campus near you is rarely far off. This page sorts those options by what you probably care about most: price, speed, schedule, and what the work actually pays.

Sourced from Louisiana LDH registrySourced from LDHBLS salary dataBLS dataLast verified Jun 18, 2026Verified Jun 18
Illustration of a certified nursing assistant caring for an elderly patient, CNA classes in Louisiana

AT A GLANCE

Your Louisiana CNA path

Four steps from interest to certification. Most students complete this in 6–8 weeks.

  1. Step 1.Complete 80 hours of approved training.
  2. Step 2.Finish 40 supervised clinical hours.
  3. Step 3.Pass the Prometric written and skills exam.
  4. Step 4.Get listed with the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry.
See the full How to Become guide →

Key numbers before you compare programs

Typical program length
2–18 weeks
Typical paid program cost
$670–$2,200
Average CNA salary
$30,510/yr (BLS, May 2025)
Reciprocity accepted
Yes, with conditions

All 109 state-approved Louisiana CNA programs

Sort by cost, length, format, or city. Filter with the chips above the table. Click any row to expand full address, phone, clinical site, and next cohort.

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How this list works. Every program below is state-approved by the Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry (LA LDH). Cost, length, and format come directly from each program’s published materials. Blanks (“N/A”) mean the program hasn’t published that detail yet. Programs with a linked name have a verified profile we maintain. Last verified June 18, 2026.
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Showing 1–25 of 109
ProgramCityFormatLengthTotal CostSponsored

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Showing 1–25 of 109

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Sponsored matching: we earn a referral fee if you enroll through a match. This does not change the 109 programs shown in the directory above.

Fastest CNA programs in Louisiana

If speed is your priority, Louisiana has short options. Course length ranges from about 2 weeks at the quick end to 18 weeks at the longer end, and Sovereign College in Lafayette is among the 2-week listings. A faster calendar can get you to the exam sooner, which matters if you need to start earning. Just know that “fast” describes the schedule here, not a reduced course.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Schedules verified June 18, 2026, sourced from each program’s published calendar.

Is a 2-week CNA program in Louisiana long enough?

Here is the part worth slowing down for. A 2-week program in Lafayette and an 18-week one elsewhere in Louisiana both meet the same 80-hour requirement and sit for the same exam.

Every approved Louisiana program meets the same 80-hour requirement, including 40 clinical hours, and finishes at the same Prometric skills and knowledge exam. A shorter program does not skip material; it packs the same requirement into fewer calendar weeks, usually with longer or more frequent class days.

That pace suits some people and not others. If you can study full-time for a stretch, a 2-week sprint gets you to the exam quickly. If you are juggling work or family, a longer schedule spreads the same 80 hours into smaller, steadier sessions.

Match the calendar to your life, not to the lowest week count. Finishing the 80 hours and passing the Prometric exam is the goal; how many weeks it takes is just logistics.

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Online, hybrid, weekend & evening CNA programs in Louisiana

Schedules are the real obstacle for most working adults, and Louisiana programs do offer some flexibility. The formats you will find here are evening classes and hybrid courses, available in metros like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette. In a hybrid setup, the classroom theory can be done online or at your own pace, but the skills lab and the 40 required clinical hours always happen in person, with a real instructor and real patients. There is no online-only path to a Louisiana CNA certificate, because the hands-on hours cannot be done through a screen. What flexibility buys you is control over when you do the coursework, not whether you show up for clinicals.

ProgramCityFormatLengthTotal CostSponsored

Format and schedule options verified June 18, 2026. Confirm current online, hybrid, evening, and weekend availability with each program.

Which flexible format is right for working adults?

Be clear-eyed about what “flexible” means in Louisiana, because the word covers two different things. Evening programs move the same in-person training to nights, which helps if your days are already spoken for. Hybrid programs move the theory portion online, which helps when the obstacle is commuting time.

Neither one shortens the requirement. Whether you take it at night in Baton Rouge or partly online from a town outside New Orleans, the program still meets the same 80-hour requirement, still includes 40 clinical hours on site, and still ends at the same Prometric exam. The flexibility is in the delivery, not the workload.

The clinical hours are the piece that cannot flex. You will be on a facility floor in Louisiana, practicing transfers, vitals, and personal care under supervision, because that is the only way the skills test can be passed. Plan for those in-person days in advance, since the clinical site has a fixed location and schedule.

When you compare two flexible programs, look past the label. Ask how many evenings per week, how the online portion is graded, and where the clinical site actually is. Those answers, not the word “hybrid,” tell you whether the schedule fits your life.

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Cheapest CNA programs in Louisiana

Tuition is where most people start, and in Louisiana paid CNA courses begin around $670, with the full range running from $0 up to about $2,200. Some of the most affordable seats sit at public technical colleges: CLTCC Alexandria Workforce in Alexandria, Central LTCC in Alexandria, and CLTCC WHN Avoyelles Workforce over in Cottonport are all community-college options worth a look. Prices shift by term and location, so confirm the current figure with the school before you commit.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Costs verified June 18, 2026, sourced from each program’s published tuition materials.

Is the cheapest CNA program always the best value in Louisiana?

That $670 floor is genuinely low, but the cheapest line on a list is not automatically the best fit. A six-week course at a technical college in Cottonport and a longer one elsewhere in Louisiana both have to clear the same bar.

Every program approved in Louisiana meets the same 80-hour training requirement, including 40 clinical hours, and every graduate sits for the same Prometric exam. Price does not change that standard. What it changes is the extras: how close the campus is, how often classes meet, whether a payment plan exists, and how much hands-on practice time you get before the skills test.

So weigh a low sticker price against the things that help you actually finish and pass. A slightly higher tuition with a schedule you can keep is often easier to finish than the cheapest seat you end up having to drop.

COST A PRIORITY?

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Free & employer-sponsored CNA training in Louisiana

Cost in Louisiana can start at nothing. The state has 4 free programs funded through government or scholarship dollars, and the overall tuition range runs from $0 to about $2,200. St. Landry Accelerated Transition in Opelousas and the New Orleans Career Center are two of the no-cost options. Free seats are limited and deadlines are real, so apply early and keep a backup in mind.

Free programs you can enroll in directly

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

One note specific to these Louisiana options: the 4 free programs cover tuition outright, and the 2 employer-sponsored ones cover it in exchange for a work commitment. Confirm each program’s terms before you enroll, since each works differently. Pick the single path that fits your plans and apply to it directly.

What’s the catch with free CNA training in Louisiana?

There are two different things people mean by “free training” in Louisiana, and they work differently.

The first is a genuinely free program, where government or scholarship funding covers tuition. Louisiana has 4 of these, including St. Landry Accelerated Transition in Opelousas and the New Orleans Career Center. You apply, and if you are accepted, you do not pay tuition. Seats are limited and deadlines are firm, so treat the application like the competitive step it is.

The second is employer-sponsored training, which is not the same as free and should not be counted alongside it. Here a care facility funds your course in exchange for a commitment to work for them after you certify. The tuition comes off your plate, but you are agreeing to a work arrangement, not receiving a no-strings scholarship. Read the terms: the length of the commitment, what happens if you leave early, and whether you are paid during training.

Both paths are worth pursuing. Just keep them separate in your head. A free program comes with no work commitment; an employer-sponsored one trades tuition for a work commitment after you certify. Knowing which you are signing up for keeps the decision clear.

CNA salary in Louisiana

BLS wage data for Louisiana and its top 3 metros.

Now the honest part. Louisiana pays CNAs less than any other state, ranking #50 of 50, with a median wage of $14.67 an hour, or about $30,510 a year. That is roughly 27% below the national median of $20.21. You deserve to see that figure before you enroll, not after. Knowing it up front lets you budget realistically and compare programs and settings with clear eyes.

Entry-level (10th)
$13.45/hr
$27,976/yr
Median (50th)
$14.67/hr
$30,510/yr
Top end (90th)
$17.98/hr
$37,398/yr

Pay by setting in Louisiana

SettingMedian hourlyNotes
Hospitals$15.40/hrEstimated from the state wage distribution
Skilled nursing / SNF$14.67/hrEstimated
Assisted living / residential$13.64/hrEstimated

Setting figures are estimated from the verified Louisiana wage distribution (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (Nursing Assistants, 31-1131), Louisiana, May 2025); actual pay varies by employer.

Within Louisiana, the setting you work in shifts the number. Hospitals report the highest CNA wages at about $15.40 an hour, skilled nursing facilities sit near the state median at $14.67, and assisted living or residential care comes in lower at around $13.64. Across all settings, the 10th percentile earns about $13.45 an hour and the 90th percentile reaches $17.98. Those are the real bookends for the state. Keeping the setting differences in view helps you read a Louisiana wage figure for what it is, rather than being surprised by it later.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), occupation 31-1131. Cost-of-living differential: Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024).

NEXT STEP

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Louisiana SNAPSHOT

What makes CNA training in Louisiana different

State-specific context (hours, exam vendor, and funding density) now that you’ve seen the options.

TRAINING HOURS

80 hours, incl. 40 clinical

Louisiana requires 80 training hours including 40 clinical hours, just above the federal 75-hour floor.

EXAM VENDOR

Prometric, $125

A 60-question knowledge test plus a 5-skill clinical test, scheduled through Prometric.

PROGRAM ACCESS

109 programs, 61 cities

State-approved programs reach 61 Louisiana cities, ranking the state #24 of 50 for program count.

80-hour requirement
Same Prometric exam
Statewide campuses

80 hours, including 40 clinical hours

Louisiana sets its CNA training minimum at 80 hours, and 40 of those are hands-on clinical hours. The training total runs just above the federal minimum of 75 hours (OBRA '87 / 42 CFR 483.152), and the 40 clinical hours are 2.5 times the 16-hour federal clinical floor. That 80 is a minimum, not a ceiling, so approved programs vary in length from about 2 to 18 weeks while all meeting the same requirement.

One exam, every program, through Prometric

Every Louisiana candidate takes the Louisiana Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Competency Evaluation Program through Prometric. It costs $125 and has two parts: a 60-question knowledge test and a clinical skills test covering 5 selected skills, with an oral option that adds reading comprehension. Because the exam is the same no matter where you train, the program you pick shapes your preparation and your cost, not the standard you are measured against.

What the role pays across Louisiana

Louisiana's median CNA wage is $14.67 an hour, about $30,510 a year, which is #50 of 50 among states and roughly 27% below the national median. Pay varies by setting: hospitals are highest near $15.40 an hour, skilled nursing sits at $14.67, and assisted living is lower near $13.64. The statewide range runs from about $13.45 at the 10th percentile to $17.98 at the 90th percentile.

Bottom line for Louisiana students

Louisiana gives you wide program choice and one clear standard: 80 hours including 40 clinical, a single Prometric exam, and pay you should weigh honestly before you enroll.

CNA classes by city in Louisiana

Louisiana programs reach 61 cities, so “near me” is usually realistic. New Orleans leads with 8 programs, followed by Baton Rouge with 6 and Hammond with 5. Alexandria, Lafayette, and Shreveport each list 4. The table below breaks down where approved programs sit across the state.

Top 10 Louisiana metros by program count

  • New Orleans8 programs
  • Baton Rouge6 programs
  • Hammond5 programs
  • Alexandria4 programs
  • Lafayette4 programs
  • Shreveport4 programs
  • Bogalusa3 programs
  • Natchitoches3 programs
  • Houma3 programs
  • Greensburg3 programs

Louisiana Nurse Aide Registry: contacts & reference

Your certification lives with the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry, run by the Louisiana Department of Health. Renewal comes every 24 months and requires at least 8 paid hours of nurse aide work. Contact details are below.

Managing agencyLouisiana Department of Health
Phone(225) 342-0138
Websiteldh.la.gov
Typical processingN/A
Renewal windowEvery 24 months; At least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide
Fee structureNot published

Always verify with the registry directly before enrolling. Approved-program lists update periodically.

Frequently asked questions

A few questions come up again and again from people pursuing a CNA certificate in Louisiana. Here are straight answers, with anything case-specific pointed to the state registry.

How do I get my CNA license transferred to another state?
Transferring out of Louisiana depends on the state you are moving to, not on Louisiana. Each state’s nurse aide registry sets its own reciprocity rules and decides whether to accept your Louisiana certification. Start with the destination state’s registry, then ask the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry to verify your status and hours for them. Your Louisiana training and Prometric exam stay on your record; check the destination state’s registry for exactly what it requires.
How to apply for reciprocity in Louisiana?
Louisiana does accept CNA reciprocity from other states, with conditions. The Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry, part of the Louisiana Department of Health, handles those applications and confirms what it needs from your current state. Because the exact conditions can change, request the current reciprocity requirements directly from the registry before you apply. If reciprocity does not fit your situation, the standard Louisiana path is 80 training hours including 40 clinical and the Prometric exam.
What are the requirements to be a CNA in Louisiana?
To certify in Louisiana you complete an approved training program of at least 80 hours, which includes 40 clinical hours, and then pass the Louisiana Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Competency Evaluation Program through Prometric. That exam costs $125 and has a 60-question knowledge test plus a 5-skill clinical test. Once you pass, you are listed on the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry. The how-to-become-a-CNA guide for Louisiana walks through the application steps in detail.
What can stop you from getting your CNA license?
In Louisiana, the parts fully in your control are finishing an approved 80-hour program, including 40 clinical hours, and passing the Prometric exam; missing either of those stops the certificate. Eligibility and background screening are decided separately by the Louisiana Department of Health, and the specific disqualifying findings are not published in our verified data. For your own situation, contact the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry, which has the current eligibility rules.
What shows up on a CNA background check?
The exact contents of Louisiana’s CNA background screening are not something our verified data spells out, so we will not guess at them. The screening runs through the Louisiana Department of Health as part of getting listed on the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry. For a precise answer about what is reviewed and how, contact the registry directly. What we can confirm is the training and exam path: 80 hours including 40 clinical, then the Prometric exam.
Can you have a background and still be a CNA?
Whether a prior record affects CNA eligibility in Louisiana is decided case by case by the Louisiana Department of Health, and our verified data does not include those determinations, so we cannot promise an outcome either way. The honest step is to ask the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry about your specific situation before you pay for a program. The training itself is the same for everyone: 80 hours including 40 clinical and the Prometric exam.
What charges stop you from being a CNA?
Louisiana does not publish a disqualifying-offense list in our verified data, so we will not invent one. Those determinations are made by the Louisiana Department of Health, which oversees the Louisiana Nurse Aide/Direct Service Worker Registry. If you have a specific concern, call the registry at +1 225-342-0138 and ask before enrolling, since the answer can depend on the charge and its disposition. The certification path, 80 hours including 40 clinical plus the Prometric exam, does not change.
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