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CNA Classes in North Carolina: 13 Free + 668 Total (2026)

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CNA Classes in North Carolina: Programs, Costs, and State Requirements

Published June 16, 2026 · Last updated June 16, 2026

In North Carolina, the CNA you are searching for is officially the Nurse Aide I, a credential listed on the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry. The state approves 668 of these programs spread across 273 cities, so almost wherever you live there is an enrollable program within reach and real choice in how fast, how affordably, and how flexibly you train. North Carolina also keeps a separate, higher Nurse Aide II credential you can pursue later.

Sourced from North Carolina NCDHHS registrySourced from NCDHHSBLS salary dataBLS dataLast verified Jun 16, 2026Verified Jun 16
Illustration of a certified nursing assistant caring for an elderly patient, CNA classes in North Carolina

AT A GLANCE

Your North Carolina CNA path

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

  1. Step 1.Complete 75 hours of approved training.
  2. Step 2.Finish the required number of supervised clinical hours.
  3. Step 3.Pass the Credentia written and skills exam.
  4. Step 4.Get listed with the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.
See the full How to Become guide →

Key numbers before you compare programs

Typical program length
3–48 weeks
Typical paid program cost
$180–$3,999
Average CNA salary
$38,460/yr (BLS, May 2025)
Reciprocity accepted
Yes, from all states

All 668 state-approved North Carolina 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 North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry (NC NCDHHS). 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 16, 2026.
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Showing 1–25 of 668
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Showing 1–25 of 668

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Fastest CNA programs in North Carolina

If you need to start working soon, North Carolina’s timeline is workable. The state sets Nurse Aide I training at a minimum of 75 hours, the federal floor, so nothing in the rules forces a long program. The quickest courses finish in about 3 weeks, and the longest stretch to 48 weeks for part-time or self-paced formats. Many calendars are listed as “Contact school,” so confirm the exact length with the program before you enroll.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Schedules verified June 16, 2026, sourced from each program’s published calendar.

Is a 3-week CNA program in North Carolina long enough?

North Carolina’s fastest option is Hand and Hand Health Training Center in Fayetteville, which finishes in about 3 weeks at $1,200. Sandhills Community College’s Hoke Center in Raeford runs about 4 weeks at $206, and Nursing Careers Institute in Matthews about 4 weeks at $699.

A short program is not a lighter one. Every approved North Carolina program clears at least the same 75-hour state minimum and prepares you for the same Credentia NNAAP exam, so a 3-week course has not cut the standard. It has compressed the schedule into full days of classroom and lab work, which is hard to sustain if you hold another job or care for family during the day.

Longer North Carolina courses, some stretching to 48 weeks, spread that work over more weeks, and many build in more than the minimum. A compressed course also leaves less time to absorb the hands-on skills before the 5-skill practical. A faster course rewards people who can study close to full-time; if you need to space the material out, a longer course at a similar price is often the smarter pick, and North Carolina has plenty of both.

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Online, hybrid, weekend & evening CNA programs in North Carolina

North Carolina lists Nurse Aide I programs in evening, weekend, and hybrid formats, so a standard daytime class is not your only path. The honest version matters here. The classroom theory can often be completed online or self-paced, but the skills lab and clinicals always happen in person, on a real schedule, with real patients. No Nurse Aide I credential in North Carolina is earned through online study alone, however a program markets itself. What a hybrid format actually buys you is flexibility on the part you can do from home, while the hands-on hours still bring you on site.

ProgramCityFormatLengthTotal CostSponsored

Format and schedule options verified June 16, 2026. Confirm current online, hybrid, evening, and weekend availability with each program.

Which flexible format is right for working adults?

Central Carolina Community College’s Harnett campus in Lillington lists a hybrid Nurse Aide I course at $180, and Care One Health Training Institute in Raleigh runs a hybrid format as well. In North Carolina, hybrid means the lecture and reading move online or into self-paced modules, then you come in for hands-on lab work and clinicals.

You cannot learn to transfer a patient or take vitals from a video, so the question is never whether you can skip the in-person part. It is how much of the rest you can do on your own time. A hybrid course suits someone juggling a job or childcare in a metro like Charlotte or Raleigh, where several programs cluster, who can study at night but still show up for lab and clinical days.

The tradeoff is self-discipline and scheduling. Online coursework gives you freedom, but you have to finish the modules, and you still coordinate in-person days that may not bend around your shifts. North Carolina’s evening and weekend formats can fit better if you want a fixed, predictable schedule instead of self-pacing. Before you enroll, ask any North Carolina program exactly which hours are online and which require you on site, and confirm those in-person days line up with your life.

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Cheapest CNA programs in North Carolina

Cost is usually the first question, so here are the real North Carolina numbers. Nurse Aide I prices run from $0 up to $3,999, and 219 of the 668 programs list a verified cost. If you want to pay as little as possible without going fully free, the cheapest paid program is Fayetteville Technical Community College in Fayetteville at $180. Forty-four programs come in at $200 or less, so a low-cost option sits within reach in most parts of the state.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Costs verified June 16, 2026, sourced from each program’s published tuition materials.

Is the cheapest CNA program always the best value in North Carolina?

Fayetteville Technical Community College lists Nurse Aide I at $180, while other approved courses climb to $3,999, and thirteen cost nothing at all. That spread is wide, and the lowest number is not automatically the best value in North Carolina.

Most of North Carolina’s 13 free seats are government-funded or scholarship-backed, and only a few (4 of the 13) are employer-sponsored. The few employer-sponsored programs ask for a work commitment in return, so read the terms before you sign. A community-college course like Fayetteville Technical at $180 carries no such strings.

Location matters too. Charlotte lists 39 programs and Raleigh 29, so readers there can compare several low-cost options side by side. In a smaller city with one or two programs, the cheapest choice may also be the only one near your commute, so weigh price against schedule, format, and any attached work commitment.

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Free & employer-sponsored CNA training in North Carolina

North Carolina has 13 Nurse Aide I programs that cost you nothing, most of them government-funded or scholarship-backed. A few (4 of the 13) are employer-sponsored, where a facility funds the seat in exchange for a later work commitment once you certify. A free seat can erase the entire cost of certifying, so it is worth checking before you pay for a course.

Free programs you can enroll in directly

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Government-funded & scholarship-eligible programs

Funding sourceEligible programsEligibility notesApply
Nursing facility training and testing reimbursementApply →

North Carolina also runs a nursing facility training and testing reimbursement program tied to the registry. If you train and work at a participating facility, it can repay training and exam costs. The North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry lists the current participating locations and the rules that apply.

What’s the catch with free CNA training in North Carolina?

Thirteen North Carolina Nurse Aide I programs carry no tuition, and they fall into two groups that suit different readers. Knowing which kind you are looking at is the difference between a smart deal and a commitment you regret.

The first group is employer-sponsored training run by a specific hospital or care facility. The facility funds your course at no cost, and some arrangements ask you to work there for a set period after you certify. If you already want to work in long-term care or a hospital and you like the facility, that exchange pays for your training. If you would rather keep your options open, a work commitment can feel restrictive once your name is on the registry.

The second group is the government-funded and scholarship-backed seats, which make up most of the 13. These carry their own eligibility rules, so check each program. North Carolina’s verified data counts the 13 free programs but does not publish each one’s name, so confirm the current free seats and their conditions with the program or the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.

Either way, free does not mean lighter. You still complete a state-approved program of at least 75 hours and still pass the same Credentia NNAAP exam. The trade you are weighing is money now against flexibility later, so be honest about which one you can give up.

CNA salary in North Carolina

BLS wage data for North Carolina and its top 3 metros.

North Carolina’s median pay for nursing assistants is $18.49 an hour, about $38,460 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That ranks #35 of 50 states and sits roughly 8.5% below the national median of $20.21, so be clear-eyed: pay here is on the lower side. The range is real, though. The 10th percentile starts near $14.55 an hour, and the 90th percentile reaches $22.64.

Entry-level (10th)
$14.55/hr
$30,264/yr
Median (50th)
$18.49/hr
$38,460/yr
Top end (90th)
$22.64/hr
$47,091/yr

Pay by setting in North Carolina

SettingMedian hourlyNotes
Hospitals$19.41/hrEstimated from the state wage distribution
Skilled nursing / SNF$18.49/hrEstimated
Assisted living / residential$17.20/hrEstimated

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

Where you work in North Carolina changes the number. Hospitals pay a median of $19.41 an hour, skilled nursing facilities about $18.49, and assisted living or residential settings near $17.20, so the same Nurse Aide I credential earns noticeably more in a North Carolina hospital than in residential care. Another path forward is moving up, whether to North Carolina’s higher Nurse Aide II credential or into nursing. If that is your aim, see the CNA to LPN and CNA to RN guides for how the path works.

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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North Carolina SNAPSHOT

What makes CNA training in North Carolina different

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

TRAINING HOURS

75-hour minimum

North Carolina sets a 75-hour floor, the federal minimum, and many approved programs build in well beyond it.

EXAM VENDOR

Credentia (NNAAP)

A 70-question written or oral exam, 60 of them scored, plus a 5-skill practical, in English or Spanish.

FUNDING DENSITY

13 free programs

North Carolina lists 13 Nurse Aide I programs at no cost; confirm the current free seats with the program or the state registry.

75-hour minimum
668 programs statewide
No registry fee

Hour requirement: a 75-hour minimum, the federal floor

North Carolina sets Nurse Aide I training at a minimum of 75 hours, which matches the federal floor under OBRA '87 (42 CFR 483.152). That floor is a minimum, not a cap: many North Carolina programs build in well beyond it, which is part of why approved course calendars range from about 3 weeks to 48 weeks. A shorter program has not cut the standard, since every approved program clears at least the same 75 hours and sits for the same exam.

Testing runs through Credentia and the NNAAP

North Carolina uses Credentia to administer the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program. You take a 70-question written or oral knowledge exam, of which 60 questions are scored and 10 are unscored pretest items, plus a separate 5-skill hands-on practical. The full exam costs $140, and it is offered in English and Spanish, with an oral version for candidates who prefer to listen. You schedule through Credentia's portal.

No fee to join or stay on the registry

The North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, charges no fee to list you or to renew. You are added once you pass the competency exam. To stay active, you renew every 24 months by working at least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide within each two-year window. North Carolina also keeps a separate Nurse Aide II credential for the higher advancement path.

Bottom line for North Carolina students

North Carolina gives you a 75-hour minimum, 668 programs across 273 cities, and a no-fee registry, so your real decision is speed versus cost versus schedule.

CNA classes by city in North Carolina

Programs reach across 273 North Carolina cities but cluster in the big metros. Charlotte leads with 39 approved programs, followed by Raleigh with 29, Greensboro with 24, Durham with 20, and Fayetteville with 18, so most readers have several options within driving distance.

Top 10 North Carolina metros by program count

  • Charlotte39 programs
  • Raleigh29 programs
  • Greensboro24 programs
  • Durham20 programs
  • Fayetteville18 programs
  • Rocky Mount9 programs
  • Wilmington9 programs
  • Monroe8 programs
  • Asheville8 programs
  • Concord8 programs

North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry: contacts & reference

The North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, maintains your status and lets anyone verify it. You can reach the registry at 919-855-3969 or look up a record through its public portal.

Managing agencyNorth Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Phone(919) 855-3969
Websitencnar.ncdhhs.gov
Typical processingN/A
Renewal windowEvery 24 months; At least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide
Fee structureNo registry fees; no renewal fee

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

Frequently asked questions

A few questions come up again and again for North Carolina Nurse Aide candidates. Here are direct, factual answers, with anything the state does not publish routed to the registry.

How do I find my CNA registry in NC?
North Carolina’s registry is the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry, run by the Department of Health and Human Services. You can reach it by phone at 919-855-3969 or verify a record through its public portal at ncnar.ncdhhs.gov. That office lists your Nurse Aide I status once you pass the exam and is the authority for any question about your record.
How long does it take to get on the NC CNA registry?
In North Carolina, your name is added to the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry once you pass the Credentia NNAAP exam. The longer part is the training that comes first: the state requires a minimum of 75 hours, and approved programs run from about 3 weeks to 48 weeks depending on schedule. North Carolina does not publish a standard processing time, so confirm the current timeline with the registry.
Does North Carolina offer reciprocity?
Yes. North Carolina accepts nurse aide reciprocity from all states. If you hold a certification elsewhere, the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry can recognize it and add you without repeating the full 75-hour training. The exact application steps and any conditions are set by the registry, so contact it directly to start the transfer.
How much is CNA reciprocity in North Carolina?
North Carolina charges no registry placement fee and no renewal fee, so being added to the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry through reciprocity carries no state listing cost. Any other reciprocity requirement or cost is set by the registry, which accepts transfers from all states, so confirm your specific situation with that office before you apply.
How long does it take to transfer a CNA license to NC?
North Carolina accepts CNA reciprocity from all states, but it does not publish a standard transfer processing time. How long it takes depends on how quickly your out-of-state record can be verified and added to the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry. The registry handles each transfer, so contact it for the current timeline and the documents it needs.
How do I transfer my out of state license to North Carolina?
Because North Carolina recognizes active certifications from all states, you transfer by applying to the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry to have your credential added. The registry sets the exact application and documentation steps, which are not all spelled out in the state’s published data, so contact that office directly for the current reciprocity rules.
Can I take the NC CNA exam without going to school?
In North Carolina, the standard path to the Credentia NNAAP exam is completing a state-approved Nurse Aide I program of at least 75 hours, since the exam pairs a 70-question written or oral test with a 5-skill practical built on hands-on instruction. If you already hold an out-of-state certification, reciprocity through the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry is the route that avoids retraining. For any exception, confirm eligibility with the registry.
Can you be a CNA with a felony in NC?
North Carolina’s published nurse aide data does not spell out how a felony affects eligibility for the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry, and the answer can turn on the specific record. Rather than assume, check directly with the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry, and tell your program before you enroll, so you do not pay for a 75-hour course you may not be able to use.
How many questions are on the CNA exam in North Carolina?
The North Carolina written exam has 70 questions through Credentia’s NNAAP, of which 60 are scored and 10 are unscored pretest items. You take it as a written or oral test, in English or Spanish, alongside a separate 5-skill hands-on practical. The full exam costs $140. Passing both the knowledge and skills portions adds you to the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.
What is the passing score for the CNA written exam in NC?
North Carolina does not publish a fixed passing score for the written exam; the cut score is set by Credentia, the NNAAP vendor, so confirm the current standard with Credentia when you schedule. What is clear is the format: 60 of the 70 written questions are scored, and you must pass both the written portion and the 5-skill practical to join the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry.
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