CNA Classes in Hawaii: Programs, Costs, and State Requirements
Hawaii has 64 state-approved CNA programs spread across 19 cities and towns, led by Honolulu with 22, Hilo with 7, Lihue with 5, and Kahului with 4. That breadth ranks Hawaii #33 of 50 states by program count, so a state-approved path sits in reach across the islands. To certify, you finish a program of at least 100 training hours, including 70 clinical hours, then pass the Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam through Prometric.

AT A GLANCE
Your Hawaii CNA path
Four steps from interest to certification. Most students complete this in 6–8 weeks.
- Step 1.Complete 100 hours of approved training.
- Step 2.Finish 70 supervised clinical hours.
- Step 3.Pass the Prometric written and skills exam.
- Step 4.Get listed with the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry.
Key numbers before you compare programs
- Typical program length
- 2–14 weeks
- Typical paid program cost
- $899–$3,000
- Average CNA salary
- $45,350/yr (BLS, May 2025)
- Reciprocity accepted
- Yes, with conditions
Start with what matters most to you.
Five paths through this page. Pick the one that matches your situation.
- I need the best value.See programs with high reviews & affordable tuition.
- I need to finish fast.Explore accelerated, hybrid, or condensed-schedule options.
- I need financial assistance.Find courses offering payment plans or grants.
- I need flexible class hours.See evening, weekend, and hybrid CNA program options.
All 64 state-approved Hawaii 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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| Program | City | Format | Length | Total Cost | Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapi'olani Community College | Honolulu | Hybrid | 150 hrs | $2,200 | ||
| Windward Community College | Kaneohe | In-person | 14 wk | $3,000 | ||
| Health Care School of Hawaii | Aiea | Hybrid | 112 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Kauai Community College | Lihue | In-person | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| University of Hawaii Maui College | Kahului | In-person | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Academy for Healthcare Innovation (AHI) | Honolulu | Hybrid | 8 wk | $1,500 | ||
| Advanced Care Training | Mililani | In-person | 6 wk | $1,300 | ||
| CNA Hawaii Institute, LLC | Kahului | In-person | 100 hrs | $1,375 | ||
| CNA Solutions Center | Waipahu | In-person | 3 wk | $1,200 | ||
| Hawaii Institute of Healthcare & Training Services | Hilo | In-person | Contact school | $1,698 | ||
| Hawaii Medical College | Honolulu | In-person | 4 wk | $899 | ||
| Hoku's Nurse Aide Training Program | Hilo | In-person | 75 hrs | $1,500 | ||
| Island Temporary Nursing/Hawaii Healthcare School | Honolulu | In-person | 112 hrs | $990 | ||
| IslandCPR | Kailua-Kona | Hybrid | 100 hrs | $1,695 | ||
| IslandCPR at Kealakehe High School CNA Lab | Kailua-Kona | Hybrid | 100 hrs | $1,695 | ||
| IslandCPR at Waiakea High School Lab | Hilo | Hybrid | 100 hrs | $1,695 | ||
| IslandCPR at Yukio Okutsu Veterans State Home | Hilo | Hybrid | 100 hrs | $1,695 | ||
| Kapiolani Community College, Non-Credit Program | Honolulu | Hybrid | 150 hrs | $2,200 | ||
| Leeward Community College | Pearl City | In-person | 9 wk | $2,500 | ||
| Leeward Community College at Farrington High School | Honolulu | In-person | 9 wk | Free | ||
| Leeward Community College at HARRIET | Waianae | In-person | 9 wk | $2,500 | ||
| Leeward Community College at Kauai High School | Lihue | In-person | 9 wk | Free | ||
| LIFT HI Foundation | Honolulu | In-person | 5 wk | Free | ||
| Ohana Pacific Management Co. at Hale Kupuna Heritage Home | Koloa | In-person | Contact school | Free | ||
| Ohana Pacific Management Co. at The Villas | Honolulu | In-person | Contact school | Free | ||
| Ohana Pacific Management Company | Kaneohe | In-person | 100 hrs | Free | ||
| Professional Healthcare Educators, Honolulu | Honolulu | In-person | 104 hrs | $998 | ||
| Professional Healthcare Educators, Waipahu | Waipahu | In-person | 104 hrs | $998 | ||
| West Kauai Nurse Aide Training, Lihue | Lihue | In-person | 3 wk | $1,975 | ||
| AIM Health Care Institute | Honolulu | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Aloha Nursing & Rehab Centre | Kaneohe | In-person | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Blessings of Aloha CNA School | Waimanalo | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| CareGiver Training School Corp. | Honolulu | N/A | 2 wk | Contact school | ||
| Case Management Professionals | Honolulu | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| CNA School of Hawaii | Honolulu | In-person | 4 wk | Contact school | ||
| Community Healthcare Precision Services | Honolulu | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Hawaii CNA Academy | Honolulu | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Hawaii Healthcare Training by Sir Larry, A., LLC | Kahului | In-person | 4 wk | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants – Ewa Beach | Ewa Beach | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants – Honolulu | Honolulu | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants – Kula Hospital | Kula | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants – Maui | Wailuku | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants – Waipahu | Waipahu | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants, Inc. at Hale Kupuna Heritage Home | Koloa | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants, Inc. at Maluhia | Honolulu | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants, Inc. at The Villas | Honolulu | In-person | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Hoaloha Nurse Aid Training | Aiea | Hybrid | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| IslandCPR at Hale Ho'ola Hamakua Lab and Clinical Site | Honokaa | Hybrid | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| IslandCPR at Hilo Benioff Medical Center | Hilo | Hybrid | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| IslandCPR at Hilo High School Lab | Hilo | Hybrid | 100 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Kaamilo Hale | Aiea | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Kauai Nurse Aide Training Center | Lihue | N/A | 110 hrs | Contact school | ||
| Lanai Kinaole | Lanai City | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Leeward Community College at Mililani High School | Mililani | In-person | 9 wk | Contact school | ||
| Life Care Center of Hilo | Hilo | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Malama O Kona | Kailua-Kona | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Maunalua Bay CNA Training Center | Honolulu | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| MECHA Train, LLC | Honolulu | In-person | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Pacific Rim Christian University | Honolulu | In-person | 8 wk | Contact school | ||
| Regency at Puakea | Lihue | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| Spark M. Matsunaga VA Medical Center | Honolulu | N/A | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| University of Hawaii Maui College – Molokai Education Center | Kaunakakai | Hybrid | Contact school | Contact school | ||
| University of Hawaii Maui College, Lanai | Lanai City | Hybrid | 150 hrs | Contact school | ||
| University of Hawaii Maui College, Office of Extended Learning & Workforce Development – Non credit | Kahului | Hybrid | 150 hrs | Contact school |
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Fastest CNA programs in Hawaii
The shortest CNA programs in Hawaii run about 2 weeks, with CareGiver Training School Corp. in Honolulu at the fast end; across the state, program length ranges from 2 to 14 weeks. A shorter calendar does not mean a lighter course. Every approved program meets the same 100-hour requirement, including 70 clinical hours, so a 2-week program simply packs those hours into longer, fuller days than a 14-week one.
| Program | City | Length | Total Cost | Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CareGiver Training School Corp. | Honolulu | 2 wk | Contact school | ||
| Hoku's Nurse Aide Training Program | Hilo | 75 hrs | $1,500 | ||
| CNA Solutions Center | Waipahu | 3 wk | $1,200 | ||
| West Kauai Nurse Aide Training, Lihue | Lihue | 3 wk | $1,975 | ||
| Ohana Pacific Management Company | Kaneohe | 100 hrs | Free | ||
| CNA Hawaii Institute, LLC | Kahului | 100 hrs | $1,375 | ||
| IslandCPR | Kailua-Kona | 100 hrs | $1,695 | ||
| Healthcare Training & Career Consultants – Honolulu | Honolulu | 100 hrs | Contact school |
Schedules verified June 18, 2026, sourced from each program’s published calendar.
Is a 2-week CNA program in Hawaii long enough?
A 2-week option like CareGiver Training School Corp. in Honolulu compresses the same 100-hour requirement, including its 70 clinical hours, into a stretch of long back-to-back days. That works if you can clear your schedule completely, but it leaves little room between sessions to absorb a skill or repeat a checkoff you found hard.
Those 70 clinical hours are where you practice transfers, vitals, and personal care under supervision. Hawaii sets them at more than four times the 16-hour federal clinical floor (OBRA ’87, 42 CFR 483.152), and a fast calendar does not shrink that number; it just gives your hands fewer days to build the motions before the Prometric skills test.
If you work or have family to care for, a longer program can fit your life better than the fastest one. Advanced Care Training in Mililani runs about 6 weeks, and CNA Solutions Center in Waipahu runs about 3. Every one of them ends at the same Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam, so the question is which schedule you can actually finish, not which one ends soonest.
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Sponsored Ad. No obligation.Online, hybrid, weekend & evening CNA programs in Hawaii
Schedule flexibility in Hawaii shows up as hybrid, evening, and weekend formats, not as online-only training. Academy for Healthcare Innovation in Honolulu runs a hybrid program over about 8 weeks for $1,500, and Kapiolani Community College offers a hybrid option around $2,200. In each, you can complete the theory coursework online or on a flexible schedule, but the skills lab and the 70 clinical hours always happen in person. Online-only CNA training is not offered in Hawaii, because you cannot learn to safely move a patient through a screen.
| Program | City | Format | Length | Total Cost | Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA Solutions Center | Waipahu | In-person | 3 wk | $1,200 | ||
| Advanced Care Training | Mililani | In-person | 6 wk | $1,300 | ||
| Hoku's Nurse Aide Training Program | Hilo | In-person | 75 hrs | $1,500 | ||
| Academy for Healthcare Innovation (AHI) | Honolulu | Hybrid | 8 wk | $1,500 | ||
| IslandCPR | Kailua-Kona | Hybrid | 100 hrs | $1,695 | ||
| West Kauai Nurse Aide Training, Lihue | Lihue | In-person | 3 wk | $1,975 | ||
| Kapi'olani Community College | Honolulu | Hybrid | 150 hrs | $2,200 | ||
| Kapiolani Community College, Non-Credit Program | Honolulu | Hybrid | 150 hrs | $2,200 |
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?
In Hawaii, a hybrid program means the lecture and reading portion of your 100-hour requirement moves online or into evenings and weekends, while the hands-on portion stays on campus. Academy for Healthcare Innovation in Honolulu runs a hybrid course over about 8 weeks, and Kapiolani Community College offers a hybrid option as well.
What never moves online is the 70-hour clinical block. Those hours, set at more than four times the 16-hour federal clinical floor (OBRA ’87, 42 CFR 483.152), are where you practice transfers, vitals, and personal care under direct supervision, and a screen cannot stand in for them.
Flexible formats reach the neighbor islands too. IslandCPR in Kailua-Kona offers a hybrid format on Hawaii Island, and West Kauai Nurse Aide Training in Lihue carries flexible scheduling on Kauai. Each still ends at an in-person skills lab and the Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam through Prometric.
Be skeptical of any ad promising an online-only Hawaii CNA certificate. The state requires those 70 supervised clinical hours, so a program claiming you can skip in-person training either is not state-approved or is counting on you not reading the fine print. Online coursework is genuinely useful; an online clinical is not a thing.
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Sponsored Ad. No obligation.Cheapest CNA programs in Hawaii
Among Hawaii programs with a verified price, the lowest paid tuition is $899 at Hawaii Medical College in Honolulu, and verified costs climb to about $3,000. Six programs land at or below the $650 low-cost threshold, and six more are free, so the range runs from $0 to $3,000. Twenty-six of the 64 programs publish a verified cost; for the rest, you confirm tuition directly with the school.
| Program | City | Length | Total Cost | Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii Medical College | Honolulu | 4 wk | $899 | ||
| Island Temporary Nursing/Hawaii Healthcare School | Honolulu | 112 hrs | $990 | ||
| Professional Healthcare Educators, Honolulu | Honolulu | 104 hrs | $998 | ||
| Professional Healthcare Educators, Waipahu | Waipahu | 104 hrs | $998 | ||
| CNA Solutions Center | Waipahu | 3 wk | $1,200 | ||
| Advanced Care Training | Mililani | 6 wk | $1,300 | ||
| CNA Hawaii Institute, LLC | Kahului | 100 hrs | $1,375 | ||
| Hoku's Nurse Aide Training Program | Hilo | 75 hrs | $1,500 |
Costs verified June 18, 2026, sourced from each program’s published tuition materials.
Is the cheapest CNA program always the best value in Hawaii?
At $899, Hawaii Medical College in Honolulu sets the paid-tuition floor, while a hybrid seat at Kapiolani Community College runs about $2,200. That gap is real money, but the lower sticker price does not signal a lighter program.
Every approved program in Hawaii meets the same 100-hour requirement, including 70 clinical hours, and sends you to the same Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam through Prometric. The price mostly tracks the school, the format, and the schedule, not the standard you are held to.
What actually costs you more is not finishing. The $241 Prometric exam fee and the hours you put in are the same whether your tuition was $899 or $2,200, so pick the program you can realistically complete on schedule. The cheapest seat you finish beats a free one you have to abandon halfway.
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Sponsored Ad. No obligation.Free & employer-sponsored CNA training in Hawaii
Hawaii has 6 free CNA programs, funded through grants or scholarships rather than tuition you pay. Named examples in the verified directory include Ohana Pacific Management Company in Kaneohe, the LIFT HI Foundation program in Honolulu, and Leeward Community College at Farrington in Honolulu. The directory lists no employer-sponsored tuition programs, so a free seat here means a grant- or scholarship-backed cohort.
Free programs you can enroll in directly
| Program | City | Length | Total Cost | Sponsored | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohana Pacific Management Company | Kaneohe | 100 hrs | Free | ||
| LIFT HI Foundation | Honolulu | 5 wk | Free | ||
| Leeward Community College at Farrington High School | Honolulu | 9 wk | Free | ||
| Ohana Pacific Management Co. at Hale Kupuna Heritage Home | Koloa | Contact school | Free |
With only six free programs and no employer-sponsored tuition route in Hawaii, there is rarely a second funding source to stack. Pick the single funded path that fits, such as Ohana Pacific Management Company in Kaneohe or the LIFT HI Foundation program in Honolulu, and apply to it directly.
What’s the catch with free CNA training in Hawaii?
Free seats in Hawaii are concentrated and limited. Of all 64 programs, only six carry no tuition, among them Ohana Pacific Management Company in Kaneohe, the LIFT HI Foundation program in Honolulu, and Leeward Community College at Farrington in Honolulu.
Because there are only six, they tend to fill quickly and run in limited cohorts. Eligibility and application steps vary by program, so contact the school directly and apply early rather than wait for the next intake.
If a free seat is not open when you need one, the lowest paid tuition is $899 at Hawaii Medical College in Honolulu, and six programs sit at or below the $650 low-cost threshold. For help covering tuition beyond the free programs, a local workforce or WIOA office, or the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry through the DCCA, can point you to current options.
The honest read on “free” in Hawaii is that it is a real option but a narrow one. Check the six no-cost programs first, then weigh a low-cost paid seat, since every approved program leads to the same 100-hour requirement and the same Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam.
CNA salary in Hawaii
BLS wage data for Hawaii and its top 3 metros.
Hawaii CNAs earn a median of $21.80 an hour, about $45,350 a year, per BLS OEWS data for nursing assistants (occupation 31-1131, May 2025). That median ranks Hawaii #17 of 50 states for CNA pay and sits 7.9% above the national median of $20.21. The range is wide: the 10th percentile earns about $17.31 an hour, while the 90th percentile reaches about $25.32.
Pay by setting in Hawaii
| Setting | Median hourly | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitals | $22.89/hr | Estimated from the state wage distribution |
| Skilled nursing / SNF | $21.80/hr | Estimated |
| Assisted living / residential | $20.27/hr | Estimated |
Setting figures are estimated from the verified Hawaii wage distribution (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (Nursing Assistants, 31-1131), Hawaii, May 2025); actual pay varies by employer.
Where you work in Hawaii moves the number more than anything else. Hospitals pay nursing assistants about $22.89 an hour, skilled nursing facilities about $21.80, and assisted living or residential settings about $20.27, per BLS OEWS May 2025. That spread, from roughly $20 to nearly $23 at the median by setting, is wider than the gap between many individual programs. The 90th-percentile figure of $25.32 marks the top of the range, not a starting wage. For the full breakdown by setting, see our Hawaii CNA salary guide.
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).
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What makes CNA training in Hawaii different
State-specific context (hours, exam vendor, and funding density) now that you’ve seen the options.
TRAINING HOURS
100 hours, incl. 70 clinical
Hawaii requires at least 100 training hours, including 70 clinical hours, above the federal floors set under OBRA '87.
EXAM VENDOR
Prometric, $241 total
Prometric delivers the Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam: a 60-question written or oral test plus a 5-skill clinical test.
PROGRAM COUNT
64 programs, 19 cities
Hawaii ranks #33 of 50 states by program count, with seats from Honolulu to the neighbor islands.
100 training hours, including 70 clinical hours
Hawaii requires at least 100 training hours, and 70 of those are clinical. The 100-hour requirement runs above the 75-hour federal training floor, and the 70 clinical hours are more than four times the 16-hour federal clinical floor (OBRA '87, 42 CFR 483.152). Programs cluster at the 100-hour requirement, and some run longer. The practical effect is that you reach the Prometric skills test having spent more supervised hours on transfers, vitals, and personal care than a graduate trained at the bare federal minimum.
Prometric runs one combined competency exam
Hawaii uses Prometric for the Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam, which costs $241 total and pairs a 60-question written or oral knowledge test with a 5-skill clinical demonstration. The test is offered in English. Once you pass, your initial placement on the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry is included, so there is no separate listing fee before you start working as a certified aide in the state.
Pay ranks #17 of 50, and setting drives the spread
At a $21.80 hourly median, Hawaii ranks #17 of 50 states for CNA pay and sits 7.9% above the national median of $20.21, per BLS OEWS May 2025. The setting you work in moves the figure: hospitals pay about $22.89 an hour, skilled nursing about $21.80, and assisted living about $20.27. The 90th percentile reaches about $25.32, which marks the top of the range rather than a starting wage.
Bottom line for Hawaii students
With 64 programs across 19 cities, a 100-hour training requirement including 70 clinical hours, and median pay of $21.80 an hour, Hawaii pairs wide choice with above-floor preparation across the islands.
CNA classes by city in Hawaii
Honolulu anchors Hawaii’s CNA training with 22 programs, but the options reach across the islands: Hilo has 7, Lihue on Kauai has 5, Kahului on Maui has 4, and programs run as far out as Lanai City. Use the directory to find approved programs in your city.
Top 10 Hawaii metros by program count
- Honolulu22 programs
- Hilo7 programs
- Lihue5 programs
- Kahului4 programs
- Aiea3 programs
- Kaneohe3 programs
- Waipahu3 programs
- Kailua-Kona3 programs
- Mililani2 programs
- Koloa2 programs
Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry: contacts & reference
Certification in Hawaii is handled by the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry, run through the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). You can reach the registry at 844-808-3222 to confirm a listing or ask about placement.
| Managing agency | Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs |
|---|---|
| Phone | (844) 808-3222 |
| Website | prometric.com |
| Typical processing | N/A |
| Renewal window | Every 24 months; At least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide |
| Fee structure | Initial placement after passing is included. Medicaid or Medicare long-term care facility renewal is free. Other licensed or certified health care setting renewal is $27. |
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 training or working as CNAs in Hawaii. Here are direct, sourced answers.