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CNA Classes in Virginia: 222 State-Approved Programs (2026)

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

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

Virginia gives you a genuinely wide menu: 222 state-approved CNA programs spread across 126 cities, from Alexandria and Newport News to Hampton, Charlottesville, and Roanoke. Whatever corner of the state you call home, there is likely an approved program within reach. Every one of them meets the same 140-hour training requirement and points toward the same NNAAP exam, so your choice is really about fit, format, and price, not about which program counts.

Sourced from Virginia DHP registrySourced from DHPBLS salary dataBLS dataLast verified Jun 16, 2026Verified Jun 16
Illustration of a certified nursing assistant caring for an elderly patient, CNA classes in Virginia

AT A GLANCE

Your Virginia CNA path

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

  1. Step 1.Complete 140 hours of approved training.
  2. Step 2.Finish 40 supervised clinical hours.
  3. Step 3.Pass the Credentia written and skills exam.
  4. Step 4.Get listed with the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry.
See the full How to Become guide →

Key numbers before you compare programs

Typical program length
4–36 weeks
Typical paid program cost
$180–$3,495
Average CNA salary
$43,200/yr (BLS, May 2025)
Reciprocity accepted
Yes, from all states

All 222 state-approved Virginia 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 Virginia Nurse Aide Registry (VA DHP). 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 222
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Showing 1–25 of 222

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Sponsored matching: we earn a referral fee if you enroll through a match. This does not change the 222 programs shown in the directory above.

Fastest CNA programs in Virginia

When people ask how fast they can finish in Virginia, the honest answer starts with the requirement, not a calendar. Every approved program has to deliver at least 140 training hours, including 40 in clinical, so the real question is how tightly a school packs those hours. Some compress them into about four weeks, like Family 1st of Virginia in Henrico or Training Solutions in Norfolk. Many programs, especially high school and career-center courses, do not publish a set length at all and ask you to contact the school.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

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

Is a 4-week CNA program in Virginia long enough?

A four-week course in Norfolk and a fourteen-week course in Abingdon are not teaching different amounts. Both clear Virginia’s 140-hour minimum and the same 40 clinical hours; the fast one simply runs longer days and a denser week. “Faster” here means a heavier schedule, not a shorter education.

That tradeoff is real. Packing the 140-hour minimum into a single month means full weekdays and a dense daily load. A program that spreads those hours across three or four months asks less of any one week. Both meet the same requirement; what differs is how concentrated it is.

Price tracks speed only loosely in Virginia. Training Solutions in Norfolk runs about four weeks at $950, while longer in-person courses can land higher or lower depending on the school. Choose the pace your calendar can actually carry, then compare cost among the programs that fit it.

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Online, hybrid, weekend & evening CNA programs in Virginia

Virginia does not have a fully online CNA program, and that is not a gap in the listings: the skills lab and the 40 required clinical hours have to happen in person, with real patients and an instructor checking your hands. What the state does offer is flexibility in the parts that can flex. Programs list evening, weekend, and hybrid formats, where the lecture and theory portion moves online or self-paced while the hands-on training stays on site. Fast Track Health Care Education in Charlottesville and Excel Health Institute in Manassas both run hybrid cohorts, for instance.

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?

Hybrid is the format most worth understanding in Virginia, because it is where the idea of “online CNA classes” meets reality. A hybrid program like Germanna’s in Fredericksburg lets you handle the classroom theory on a screen, on hours that bend around your week, then brings you in for the skills and clinical work no video can teach. You learn to transfer a patient or take vitals with your own hands, watched by an instructor, rather than by watching someone else do it.

Evening and weekend programs solve a different problem. They keep everything in person but shift it outside standard weekday hours. The catch is supply: not every metro has an evening cohort starting when you need one, so this is the format where location and timing matter most.

Across all of these, the clinical requirement is the fixed point. Whether your lecture is online, on a weeknight, or in a Saturday session, every Virginia format has to clear the same 40 in-person clinical hours, part of the state’s 140-hour minimum. Flexibility changes the wrapper around the training, not the training itself.

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Cheapest CNA programs in Virginia

Price is the first thing a lot of people sort by, and in Virginia it spans a wide range, from no-cost funded programs up to $3,495 at the high end. The lowest paid tuition we have verified is $180 at Germanna Community College’s Fredericksburg Area Campus, a hybrid course that runs about seven weeks. Twenty-four programs come in at or below $900, so an affordable seat is realistic across much of the state, not just in one or two metros.

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 Virginia?

That $180 Germanna course is a genuine bargain, but the cheapest line on a list is not automatically the right pick for you. Here is the reassuring part: a low price does not buy a lighter program. Germanna’s hybrid seat and a course near the top of Virginia’s $3,495 range both have to clear the same 140-hour training requirement, including 40 hours of hands-on clinical work, and both send you to the same NNAAP exam.

What a higher price sometimes buys is schedule and location. A pricier program may run more evening or weekend cohorts, sit closer to your zip code, or start a new group sooner. A $700 in-person course at Riverside College of Health Sciences in Newport News and an $815 program at Virginia Highlands Community College in Abingdon are hours apart on the map, and that distance can shape your week more than the small gap in tuition does.

So treat the cheapest programs as a strong shortlist, not a finish line. Weigh format, location, and start date, then let price break the tie.

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Free & employer-sponsored CNA training in Virginia

Beyond paid tuition, Virginia has a smaller set of programs that remove the cost barrier. Twelve are free through government funding or scholarships, and nine more are employer-sponsored, where a care facility covers training in exchange for a work commitment after you certify. Together they are a modest but real path to certifying without paying tuition up front, if you qualify and a seat is open near you.

Free programs you can enroll in directly

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Government-funded & scholarship-eligible programs

Funding sourceEligible programsEligibility notesApply
Nursing facility training and testing cost coverageApply →

One practical note: a funded seat and an employer-sponsored seat are two different doors in Virginia, not two discounts you combine on a single program. Pick the one path that fits your eligibility, and confirm the details with that specific program before you count on it.

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

Free does not mean unrestricted. Virginia’s twelve no-cost programs and nine employer-sponsored ones come with their own gates: who is eligible, where the program sits, and whether a cohort is currently enrolling. A funded seat in one metro does you no good if you are two hours away and the next start date is months out.

Employer-sponsored training is the clearest example of a string attached. A facility pays for your course, and in return you agree to work for them for a set period after you pass the NNAAP exam. That can be a genuinely good deal, steady training with no tuition, but it is a commitment to one employer, not a free-floating certification. Read what you are agreeing to before you sign.

Government-funded and scholarship seats usually turn on eligibility rules set by the funder, not by the school, and those rules vary. Because only a dozen of Virginia’s 222 programs are free, they fill, so it pays to ask early and keep a paid backup in mind. The $180 Germanna course, or another option under $900, keeps your total low even if the free route does not open up.

CNA salary in Virginia

BLS wage data for Virginia and its top 3 metros.

Virginia CNAs earn a median of $20.77 an hour, which works out to about $43,200 a year and sits roughly 2.8% above the national median. On pay, the state lands at #23 of 50, squarely in the middle of the pack. The fuller picture: the 10th percentile earns about $15.17 an hour and the 90th percentile reaches $24.51, so where you work shapes the number as much as the statewide median does.

Entry-level (10th)
$15.17/hr
$31,554/yr
Median (50th)
$20.77/hr
$43,200/yr
Top end (90th)
$24.51/hr
$50,981/yr

Pay by setting in Virginia

SettingMedian hourlyNotes
Hospitals$21.81/hrEstimated from the state wage distribution
Skilled nursing / SNF$20.77/hrEstimated
Assisted living / residential$19.32/hrEstimated

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

Where you work shifts that number noticeably. In Virginia, hospitals report the highest CNA pay at about $21.81 an hour, skilled nursing facilities sit right at the state median of $20.77, and assisted living or residential care comes in lower at around $19.32. That is a spread of roughly $2.50 an hour from the top setting to the bottom, before metro differences enter the picture. The same Virginia certification, backed by the same NNAAP exam, can pay differently depending on the kind of facility you work in.

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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Virginia SNAPSHOT

What makes CNA training in Virginia different

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

TRAINING HOURS

140 hours, with 40 clinical

At least 140 training hours, including 40 hours of in-person clinical practice. The 140 is a floor, and Virginia programs often run longer.

EXAM VENDOR

Credentia (NNAAP)

Virginia uses the NNAAP, a written test plus a five-skill practical, scheduled through Credentia for a total of $140.

STATEWIDE REACH

222 programs, 126 cities

Approved CNA programs reach 126 Virginia cities, led by Alexandria, Newport News, Hampton, and Charlottesville.

Train above the floor
Same statewide exam
Hybrid and evening options

140 hours, well above the federal floor

Virginia sets its CNA minimum at 140 training hours, including 40 clinical hours. That is 1.9x the federal floor of 75 training hours and 2.5x the 16-hour clinical minimum set under OBRA '87 (42 CFR 483.152). The number is a minimum, not a ceiling: Virginia programs cluster at 140 and some run toward 200. A higher requirement means more supervised practice before you sit the exam, which is why a Virginia certification reflects substantial preparation.

One exam standard, delivered through Credentia

Every Virginia candidate takes the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) through Credentia, regardless of which approved program trained them. It pairs a 70-question written test, with an oral version available, and a five-skill practical evaluation, and the full exam runs $140. Because the exam is identical statewide, a $180 program and a $3,000 one are measured against the same bar.

Middle-of-the-pack pay with a real setting spread

Virginia's median CNA wage is $20.77 an hour, about 2.8% above the national median and #23 of 50 among states. The more useful detail is the spread by setting: hospitals pay around $21.81, skilled nursing about $20.77, and assisted living closer to $19.32. The 10th percentile sits near $15.17 and the 90th near $24.51, so employer type and metro both move the figure.

Bottom line for Virginia students

With 222 programs statewide, one shared 140-hour standard, and pay near the national median, your real decision in Virginia is fit: format, location, and price among programs that all meet the same bar.

CNA classes by city in Virginia

Programs are spread across 126 Virginia cities, so “nearby” usually means something here. Alexandria leads with six approved programs, while Newport News, Hampton, Charlottesville, Roanoke, and Manassas each carry five. Use the list below to start with the city closest to you.

Top 10 Virginia metros by program count

  • Alexandria6 programs
  • Newport News5 programs
  • Hampton5 programs
  • Charlottesville5 programs
  • Roanoke5 programs
  • Manassas5 programs
  • Lynchburg4 programs
  • Chesterfield4 programs
  • Danville4 programs
  • Stafford4 programs

Virginia Nurse Aide Registry: contacts & reference

Your certification lives with the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry, run under the Virginia Board of Nursing. Use the contacts below to verify a credential, renew, or ask about transferring one into the state.

Managing agencyVirginia Board of Nursing
Phone(804) 367-4515
Websitedhp.virginiainteractive.org
Typical processingN/A
Renewal windowEvery 24 months
Fee structureInitial CNA application $0; annual renewal $30; reinstatement $30; duplicate CNA $0

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 certifying in Virginia. Here are straight answers, with the registry’s official channels for the details that depend on your situation.

How do I look up a CNA license in Virginia?
You can verify any Virginia CNA credential through the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry’s online lookup at dhp.virginiainteractive.org/lookup/index. Search by name to confirm whether a certification is active. The registry operates under the Virginia Board of Nursing, and that lookup is the official source for current status.
How do I get reciprocity in Virginia?
Yes, Virginia accepts CNA reciprocity from all states. The process runs through the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry. Because the specific requirements depend on your current certification, confirm the current steps directly with the registry, under the Virginia Board of Nursing, before you make plans around them.
What can stop you from getting your CNA license in Virginia?
Virginia’s eligibility and background-check standards are set by the Virginia Board of Nursing, not by individual programs, and the specific disqualifying findings are not something we can list from our data. Rather than guess, check directly with the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry, which administers certification and can tell you how a particular record is treated before you enroll.
How many questions is the CNA test in Virginia?
Virginia’s written NNAAP exam has 70 questions, paired with a five-skill practical evaluation, and an oral version of the written portion is also offered. The exam is delivered through Credentia and costs $140 in total. Passing both the written and skills parts is what earns your place on the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry.
How much is it to renew a CNA license in Virginia?
Renewing a Virginia CNA certification costs $30, on a cycle that comes up every 24 months. Reinstating a lapsed certification also runs $30. The Virginia Nurse Aide Registry handles renewals, so check your exact renewal date and current fee with them, under the Virginia Board of Nursing.
Can I still work if my CNA license expires in Virginia?
That depends on Virginia’s lapse and reinstatement rules, which are set by the Virginia Nurse Aide Registry and are not spelled out in our data, so do not assume you can keep working on an expired certification. What we can tell you: the renewal cycle runs every 24 months and reinstatement costs $30. Confirm your status and the rules with the registry, under the Virginia Board of Nursing, before your date passes.
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