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CNA Classes in Wisconsin: 239 State-Approved Programs (2026)

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

Published June 10, 2026 · Last updated June 10, 2026

Wisconsin gives you real choice in where and how you train. The state has 239 state-approved CNA programs across 132 cities, ranking 9th of 50 states by program count, so a nearby option at a technical college, high school, hospital, or care facility is usually within reach. Wisconsin requires at least 75 training hours, including 16 clinical, and the median CNA wage here is $21.70 an hour, about 7.4% above the national median. This page sorts those 239 programs by what matters to you.

Sourced from Wisconsin DHS registrySourced from DHSBLS salary dataBLS dataLast verified Jun 10, 2026Verified Jun 10
Illustration of a certified nursing assistant caring for an elderly patient, CNA classes in Wisconsin

AT A GLANCE

Your Wisconsin 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 16 supervised clinical hours.
  3. Step 3.Pass the D&S Diversified / Headmaster written and skills exam.
  4. Step 4.Get listed with the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry.
See the full How to Become guide →

Key numbers before you compare programs

Typical program length
2–14 weeks
Typical paid program cost
$333–$3,000
Average CNA salary
$45,130/yr (BLS, May 2025)
Reciprocity accepted
Yes, with conditions

All 239 state-approved Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (WI DHS). 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 10, 2026.
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Showing 1–25 of 239
ProgramCityFormatLengthTotal CostSponsored

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Showing 1–25 of 239

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Sponsored matching: we earn a referral fee if you enroll through a match. This does not change the 239 programs shown in the directory above.

Fastest CNA programs in Wisconsin

Wisconsin requires at least 75 training hours, including 16 clinical hours, which matches the federal minimum under OBRA ’87 (42 CFR 483.152). Because the requirement is lean, some programs move fast: the shortest finish in about two weeks, such as Dove Healthcare in St. Croix Falls and Osseo, or Jones Professional Health Services in Milwaukee. Across the state, program length runs from 2 to 14 weeks, and many high-school and CTE programs list “Contact school” instead of a fixed length, so the 75-hour minimum is the number you can count on.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Schedules verified June 10, 2026, sourced from each program’s published calendar.

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

A two-week course in Wisconsin means full days, often back to back. You cover the same 75-hour minimum as a 14-week program, just compressed into a shorter calendar. If you can clear your days and focus, that is the quickest route to certification. If you work or have family at home, a program that spreads the hours over more weeks may be the realistic way to finish.

The 16 clinical hours are the part no schedule can rush. They happen in person, in a real care setting, with an RN or LPN supervising. A fast classroom pace does not shrink clinicals, and it should not, because those hours are where you practice the exact skills the skill test will check.

Speed also depends on the exam calendar, not just the course. After training, you still schedule the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Competency Exam through TestMaster Universe at wi.tmutest.com. Book your date early so a two-week course at Dove Healthcare or Jones Professional does not stall while you wait for an open testing seat.

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Online, hybrid, weekend & evening CNA programs in Wisconsin

Wisconsin offers evening and hybrid CNA programs, and several of the cheaper technical-college options, like Moraine Park in West Bend and Western Technical College in Viroqua, run in a hybrid format. Hybrid is the honest version of “online” here: you complete the classroom and theory portion online or self-paced, but the skills lab and all 16 clinical hours always happen in person. No Wisconsin program is online-only, because hands-on care cannot be learned through a screen. What you can find is a program that keeps the in-person days to the parts that truly need them.

ProgramCityFormatLengthTotal CostSponsored

Format and schedule options verified June 10, 2026. Confirm current online, hybrid, evening, and weekend availability with each program.

Which flexible format is right for working adults?

A hybrid program in Wisconsin splits your training in two. The lecture and reading move online, on your own schedule, while the skills lab and clinicals stay in person, where an instructor watches you take a blood pressure, transfer a resident, or change an occupied bed. Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire runs a 14-week hybrid at $423, and Northwood Technical College in Ashland runs a 6-week hybrid at $364, so the same format can stretch or compress depending on the school.

Evening programs work differently. The class still meets in person, just outside standard daytime hours, so the format trades daytime freedom for a set schedule. If you learn better with a live instructor and classmates in the room, an evening cohort may fit you better than working through theory alone online.

Be realistic about the online portion. Self-paced does not mean no deadlines; you still have to finish the theory before clinicals begin, and the in-person skills lab and clinical hours at programs like Mid-State Technical College in Adams or Nicolet Area Technical College in Rhinelander are scheduled with a partnering facility. Plan those in-person days ahead, because that is the part of a hybrid program you cannot rearrange on your own.

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Cheapest CNA programs in Wisconsin

Cost in Wisconsin spreads across a wide range, and most of it is affordable. The cheapest paid course is $333 at Moraine Park Technical College in West Bend, and prices climb to about $3,000, with 194 of the state’s 239 programs reporting a verified price. Some programs cost $0, but those are often high-school or facility partnerships you have to be enrolled in or hired by. Price matters, but on its own it rarely decides which program fits your city, your schedule, and the start date you can actually make.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Costs verified June 10, 2026, sourced from each program’s published tuition materials.

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

The lowest sticker price in Wisconsin does not always mean the best fit. Some of the state’s $0 seats are high-school partnerships tied to one district, open to enrolled students rather than the general public. A free seat you cannot enroll in saves you nothing.

A paid program like Moraine Park at $333, or Western Technical College in La Crosse at $336, is open to anyone who can cover the tuition, without the eligibility rules a free seat can carry. Before you compare two prices, check what each one includes. Does the tuition cover the $144.70 exam fee, your textbook, and scrubs, or do those land on you later?

Every approved Wisconsin program meets the same 75-hour minimum, including 16 clinical hours, and sits for the same competency exam. So a cheaper course is not a lighter one. The right pick is the program you can finish on a schedule that actually fits your life.

COST A PRIORITY?

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Free & employer-sponsored CNA training in Wisconsin

Wisconsin lists 60 free CNA programs, funded through government dollars or scholarships, which is a genuinely large pool of no-cost options. Separately, 13 programs are employer-sponsored, where a facility funds your training in exchange for a work commitment after you certify. Both can reach certification without tuition, but they work differently, so it helps to know which one you are looking at.

Free programs you can enroll in directly

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Employer-sponsored programs (train for free, work for the employer)

WisCaregiver Careers (participating SNFs)

State program providing free CNA training through employment with participating skilled nursing facilities

  • LengthN/A wk
  • CommitmentN/A mo
  • Starting$0.00/hr

Contact WisCaregiver Careers (participating SNFs) directly for program details and locations.

Government-funded & scholarship-eligible programs

Funding sourceEligible programsEligibility notesApply
WisCaregiver CareersApply →
FoodShare Employment & Training (FSET)Apply →
Job Center of Wisconsin (WIOA / TAA)Apply →
Federal free-training rule (42 CFR 483.152(c)) / ForwardHealth reimbursementApply →

One practical note for Wisconsin: the Job Center of Wisconsin lists WIOA training funding, so check your eligibility there before paying out of pocket. Ask each program and the Job Center which costs each source covers, so nothing gets double-billed or missed.

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

Wisconsin’s 60 free programs run mostly through government workforce funding and scholarships. One major route is WisCaregiver Careers, a state program that connects you with participating skilled nursing facilities; the facility funds your training, and you agree to work there after you certify. If you already know long-term care is where you want to start, that arrangement can make sense.

Federal law sits behind some of this. Under 42 CFR 483.152(c), if a skilled nursing facility employs you or offers you a job when your training begins, it cannot charge you for that training, and a facility that hires you within 12 months of certifying reimburses your training and testing costs, including the $144.70 exam fee.

Other funding can cover a paid program instead. FoodShare Employment and Training (FSET) helps FoodShare members build job skills, and WIOA or TAA funds through the Job Center of Wisconsin can pay for training with a career planner’s approval. These take more paperwork than a single form, but they exist to move you into work.

The tradeoff with the employer-tied options is flexibility. A facility-funded program decides where you start. If you would rather compare facilities, choose your own city, or keep your options open, a paid course like Moraine Park at $333 may be worth the cost.

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CNA salary in Wisconsin

BLS wage data for Wisconsin and its top 3 metros.

Wisconsin CNAs earn a median of $21.70 an hour, about $45,130 a year, which sits 7.4% above the national median of $20.21. At the entry end, the 10th percentile earns around $18.22 an hour, while the 90th percentile reaches about $24.35. These are federal Bureau of Labor Statistics figures (BLS OEWS, occupation 31-1131, May 2025), not job-board estimates, so they reflect actual reported wages across the state.

Entry-level (10th)
$18.22/hr
$37,898/yr
Median (50th)
$21.70/hr
$45,130/yr
Top end (90th)
$24.35/hr
$50,648/yr

Pay by setting in Wisconsin

SettingMedian hourlyNotes
Hospitals$22.79/hrEstimated from the state wage distribution
Skilled nursing / SNF$21.70/hrEstimated
Assisted living / residential$20.18/hrEstimated

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

In Wisconsin, the setting you work in tracks with pay. Hospitals report about $22.79 an hour, skilled nursing facilities about $21.70, and assisted living or residential care closer to $20.18. That is a spread of more than two dollars an hour between the highest and lowest setting, on the same certification. The wider range, from $18.22 at the 10th percentile to $24.35 at the 90th, shows how much CNA pay can vary across Wisconsin. CNA work here is a genuine entry point into healthcare, and it can be a step toward LPN or RN training later on.

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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Wisconsin SNAPSHOT

What makes CNA training in Wisconsin different

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

PROGRAM COUNT

239 across 132 cities

Wisconsin ranks 9th of 50 states by program count, with 239 approved programs across 132 cities.

EXAM VENDOR

D&S Diversified / Headmaster

The written and skills exam costs $144.70, booked through TestMaster Universe. Offered in English only.

TRAINING HOURS

75-hour minimum

Wisconsin requires at least 75 hours, including 16 in-person clinical hours, matching the federal floor.

239 program choices
Above-national pay
Standard 75-hour path

239 programs give you genuine choice

Wisconsin has 239 state-approved CNA programs across 132 cities, which ranks 9th of 50 states by program count. That breadth means a training option close to home is usually within reach, whether at a technical college, high school, hospital, or care facility, rather than a long commute. Milwaukee alone runs 30 programs and Madison 15, but the options reach well beyond the metros into smaller cities. With this many programs nearby, you can sort by cost, schedule, and start date instead of taking whatever single option is in range.

D&S Diversified runs the exam, English only

Wisconsin tests through D&S Diversified Technologies, also called Headmaster, on the TestMaster Universe (TMU) system. The exam has two parts: a 75-question multiple-choice knowledge test you finish in 60 minutes, plus a skill test of 3 to 4 tasks an RN observes. The combined fee is $144.70, and the exam is offered in English only, with no Spanish version documented. You schedule it online at wi.tmutest.com.

75 hours is the efficient federal baseline

Wisconsin sets its CNA training minimum at 75 hours, including at least 16 hours of in-person clinical practice, which matches the federal floor under OBRA '87 (42 CFR 483.152). Every approved program meets that same minimum and sits for the same competency exam, so a shorter calendar is not a lighter program. Full schedules range from 2 to 14 weeks depending on how a school spreads the hours, which is why the 75-hour minimum is the number you can rely on.

Bottom line for Wisconsin students

Wisconsin gives you 239 programs to choose from, the efficient 75-hour minimum, and a median wage above the national figure. You can train close to home and earn solidly.

CNA classes by city in Wisconsin

Programs cluster where the people are. Milwaukee leads Wisconsin with 30 CNA programs, followed by Madison with 15, Green Bay with 8, La Crosse with 6, and Kenosha and Wauwatosa with 5 each. Smaller cities across the state run programs too, so you do not have to live in a metro to train close to home.

Top 10 Wisconsin metros by program count

  • Milwaukee30 programs
  • Madison15 programs
  • Green Bay8 programs
  • La Crosse6 programs
  • Kenosha5 programs
  • Wauwatosa5 programs
  • Portage4 programs
  • Rice Lake3 programs
  • Fond Du Lac3 programs
  • Waukesha3 programs

Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry: contacts & reference

The Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry, run by the Department of Health Services Office of Caregiver Quality, holds your certification record. Use the contacts below to verify your status, ask about renewal, or confirm a certification.

Managing agencyWI Department. of Health Services (Office of Caregiver Quality)
Phone(888) 401-0465
Websitedhs.wisconsin.gov
Typical processingN/A
Renewal windowEvery 24 months; At least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide
Fee structureno dollar fee published; placement on the registry is automatic upon passing both exam components; renewal also free (no fee documented)

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

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers to the Wisconsin-specific questions candidates ask most, from license lookup and renewal to reciprocity and the competency exam itself.

How do I look up my CNA license in Wisconsin?
You look up a Wisconsin nurse aide certification through the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry, maintained by the Department of Health Services Office of Caregiver Quality. You can reach the registry at 888-401-0465 or through the DHS nurse aide pages online to confirm a certification’s status.
How do I renew my CNA license in Wisconsin?
A Wisconsin nurse aide certification renews every 24 months, and the requirement is at least 8 paid hours of work as a nurse aide during that period. Wisconsin does not publish a renewal fee. For the exact steps to renew or to confirm that your hours count, the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (888-401-0465) has the current rules.
How much is CNA reciprocity in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin accepts CNA reciprocity from other states, but it comes with conditions, and our verified data shows no published reciprocity fee. Because the exact requirements to transfer an out-of-state certification depend on your situation, the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (888-401-0465) has the current reciprocity rules and any cost involved.
What disqualifies you from being a caregiver in Wisconsin?
The specific offenses that disqualify a caregiver in Wisconsin are not listed in our verified data. That determination is made by the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry through the Department of Health Services Office of Caregiver Quality, so the office (888-401-0465) is the right place to ask whether a particular record affects your eligibility.
How many questions are on the CNA exam in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Nurse Aide Competency Exam knowledge test has 75 multiple-choice questions, and you get 60 minutes to complete it. It is one of two parts you must pass; the other is a skill test of 3 to 4 tasks observed by an RN. Both parts run through D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) on the TestMaster Universe system.
How much does the CNA exam cost in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Nurse Aide Competency Exam costs $144.70 in total, covering both the 75-question written knowledge test and the RN-observed skill test. You schedule it through TestMaster Universe at wi.tmutest.com. If a skilled nursing facility hires you within 12 months of certifying, federal rules under 42 CFR 483.152 let it reimburse that exam fee along with your training cost.
Do you have to renew your CNA license if you no longer work as a CNA in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin renews a nurse aide certification every 24 months only if you have worked at least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide during that window. If you are not working those hours, you will not meet the renewal requirement, and there is no fee that keeps it active instead. For how to restore a certification after that point, the Wisconsin Nurse Aide Registry (888-401-0465) has the rules.
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