How to Become a CNA in Alaska

Becoming a CNA in Alaska requires completing 140 hours of state-approved training and passing the NNAAP competency exam administered by Credentia. According to the Alaska Board of Nursing, your certification is issued through the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing under the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. If you’re still exploring what a CNA does before diving into Alaska-specific requirements, start there.

Two paths lead to certification: the traditional route, where you pay for a training program and then apply, and the earn and learn route, where an employer hires you as a nurse aide and provides free training while paying your salary. Either way, here is the full picture.

What	Details
Training hours required	140 hours (60 classroom + 80 clinical/skills)
Training cost	$0 (earn & learn) to $2,200+ (traditional)
Exam	NNAAP via Credentia
Total state/exam fees	$270-$303.25
Timeline	8-20 weeks from enrollment to certification
Governing body	Alaska Board of Nursing (under DCBPL)
Renewal	Every 2 years, March 31, even-numbered years

Alaska CNA Requirements at a Glance

To get your CNA certification in Alaska, you need to complete training approved by the Alaska Board of Nursing, pass both components of the NNAAP exam through Credentia, and clear a fingerprint-based background check. Alaska requires 140 total training hours, split as 60 hours of classroom instruction and 80 hours of clinical and skills training. That figure is nearly double the federal minimum of 75 hours.

State fees total $270-$303.25, covering your application ($50), certification ($100), and fingerprint processing ($60-$88.25). The Credentia exam adds another $60-$65. Training costs depend entirely on your path: $0 through an employer-sponsored earn and learn program, or $2,000-$2,200+ for a traditional training program.

Your three steps are: complete a Board-approved training program, pass the NNAAP exam, then submit your certification application. Each step is covered in full below.

Step 1 — Complete a State-Approved Training Program

Training Hour Requirements

Alaska requires a minimum of 140 training hours: 60 hours in the classroom and 80 hours in clinical and skills training. Of those 80 clinical hours, at least 48 must take place in a long-term care facility. That detail matters because it means you graduate with direct resident care experience, not just lab practice on mannequins.

For context, the federal OBRA minimum is 75 hours. Alaska requires nearly double that figure. This higher requirement has direct consequences for out-of-state CNAs seeking reciprocity: if your original state required fewer than 140 hours, you may not qualify for Alaska certification by endorsement without additional training. That situation is covered in full in the reciprocity section below.

All programs that count toward Alaska CNA certification must appear on the Board of Nursing’s approved list (Form 08-4943). Enrolling in an unapproved program means your hours won’t count, and you’ll need to retrain.

Approved Training Programs in Alaska

Five major programs cover the state, from Anchorage and Fairbanks to regional campuses serving smaller communities. The cost and format data below reflect available published information; contact programs directly to confirm current tuition and schedules.

Program	Location	Format	Duration	Estimated Cost
UAA School of Allied Health	Anchorage	In-person	1 semester (6 credits)	Contact UAA financial aid
UAF Community & Technical College	Fairbanks	In-person	1 semester (9 credits)	~$2,169
Kodiak College	Kodiak	In-person	Varies	Contact program
Kenai Peninsula College	Soldotna	In-person	Varies	~$2,028
University of Alaska Southeast	Juneau/Ketchikan	Open entry	Varies	Contact program

If you live outside Anchorage or Fairbanks, you still have options. Kenai Peninsula College serves the Soldotna area, Kodiak College covers Kodiak Island, and the University of Alaska Southeast runs programs in Juneau and Ketchikan. The complete approved list is available from the Board of Nursing as Form 08-4943. Not sure which program fits your schedule and budget? Our guide on how to choose a CNA program breaks down what to look for.

Alaska requires 80 hours of clinical training, more than most states. Students consistently say that’s where the real learning happens:

“The clinicals were the best part honestly. Everything in the classroom felt abstract until I was actually helping a real patient turn in bed or take vitals. That’s when it clicked — oh, THIS is what I signed up for.”

(Community voice — r/cna)

Those 80 clinical hours include at least 48 in a long-term care facility, which means you’ll graduate with direct patient care experience that employers recognize from day one.

The Earn & Learn Path: Free Training While You Work

Some Alaska hospitals and nursing facilities hire you as a nurse aide before you’re certified, then provide state-approved CNA training for free while paying you a salary. You work, you learn, and you pay nothing for tuition. Your only out-of-pocket costs are the state application and exam fees ($270-$303.25).

According to the Alaska Hospital and Healthcare Association, this employer-sponsored path is an established option across the state. AHHA maintains a list of approved programs that includes an “earn and learn” column identifying which facilities offer this arrangement. If cost is what’s holding you back, check that list before assuming you have to pay for training.

“I almost didn’t do it because I thought I couldn’t afford it. Then I found out the nursing home down the street would literally pay for my training AND pay me while I learned. I felt dumb for almost giving up over money.”

(Community voice — r/cna)

To find earn and learn positions, check the AHHA approved program list and filter for the employer-sponsored column. You can also contact the HR department at any long-term care facility in your area directly — many offer these positions locally but don’t list them on AHHA’s site.

Important timing rule: If hired by a nursing home, federal OBRA regulations (42 CFR 483.35(d)) require you to complete training and pass the competency exam within 4 months of your hire date. Until certified, your duties are limited and supervised.

Prerequisites

Before clinical placement begins, most programs require:

• High school diploma or GED
• Physical health clearance
• Immunizations: Hepatitis B series, MMR, varicella (chickenpox), TB test (within the past year)
• Fingerprint-based background check (required before clinicals start)

Programs vary in exactly when they collect each item, so confirm the full checklist with your chosen program before you enroll.

Step 2 — Pass the Alaska CNA Certification Exam

After completing your approved training, you’ll take the NNAAP (National Nurse Aide Assessment Program) competency exam administered by Credentia. Alaska uses Credentia specifically — not Prometric or Pearson VUE, which handle testing in other states. All scheduling, fees, and registration run through Credentia’s Alaska page.

The exam has two components, both of which you must pass: a written exam and a skills evaluation. Passing only one does not earn you certification.

Written Exam

The standard written exam consists of 70 multiple-choice questions covering nurse aide knowledge and patient care skills. If you have difficulty reading English, an oral exam option is available: 60 multiple-choice questions plus 10 reading comprehension questions, with a $5 surcharge. Request the oral format when registering through Credentia.

According to the Credentia exam overview for Alaska, question domains cover resident care, safety, communication, and basic nursing skills. For a complete breakdown of the CNA exam format and what to expect on test day, our dedicated guide covers the full structure.

Skills Evaluation

The skills portion tests 5 randomly selected nurse aide skills. You won’t know which 5 you’ll be evaluated on until test day, which means you need to practice all of them. Common skills include handwashing, vital signs measurement, repositioning a resident, and patient transfers.

One point worth drilling before test day: hand hygiene. Starting any skill without washing your hands first is an automatic failure on that skill, per standard NNAAP testing procedures through Credentia’s help center. Most programs offer open lab hours for skills practice outside of scheduled class time. Use them.

If the skills test sounds intimidating, CNA candidates who’ve been through it consistently say:

“The skills test was what scared me the most but honestly if you practiced in class you’re fine. The written part had a few questions that were weirdly worded but nothing crazy. Just don’t psych yourself out.”

(Community voice — r/cna)

Alaska gives you up to three attempts within 12 months, so even if test day doesn’t go perfectly the first time, you have room to recover and retest.

Scheduling, Fees, and Retake Policy

Component	Fee
Written exam	$30
Oral exam (alternative)	$30 + $5 surcharge = $35
Skills evaluation	$30
Total (written + skills)	$60
Total (oral + skills)	$65

You have 3 attempts within 12 months of your application approval date. The written and skills components can be retaken independently: pass the written but fail skills, and you only retest skills. Exam fees apply each time. After 3 total failures, you must complete a new Board-approved training program before you’re eligible to test again.

Practice with a CNA practice exam before test day to build confidence on both the written and skills portions.

Step 3 — Apply for Alaska CNA Certification

Once you’ve passed both exam components, you’re ready to submit your certification application to the Alaska Board of Nursing. This is the final step before your name appears on the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry.

Application Process and Fees

Submit your application using Form 08-4069 (CNA by Examination). You can submit online through the MY LICENSE portal with a myAlaska account, or send it by mail. Online submission is faster.

Fees due at the time of application:

• Application fee: $50
• Certification fee: $100
• Application fees subtotal: $150

Set up your myAlaska account before you need it. The MY LICENSE portal handles all Board of Nursing transactions, including renewals when your certification comes up two years from now.

Background Check and Fingerprinting

Alaska requires a fingerprint-based state and FBI background check as part of your certification application. You’ll submit FD 258 fingerprint cards with your paperwork. Fingerprinting costs $60-$88.25 depending on the vendor you use for the physical fingerprinting service. Local law enforcement agencies, commercial fingerprinting services, and some UPS stores offer fingerprinting. The fee range reflects vendor pricing, not a state variable.

One state-specific detail that competitors consistently skip: if you have outstanding student loan defaults or unresolved child support obligations, Alaska may issue a non-renewable temporary license rather than full certification. This does not necessarily disqualify you, but it limits your renewal options until the underlying obligation is resolved. This information appears in Form 08-4069.

What Disqualifies You

Alaska has barrier crimes listed under 7 AAC 10.905 that affect CNA certification eligibility:

• Permanent bars: Convictions involving abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property against a patient or vulnerable adult, as documented under AS 08.68.333
• Case-by-case review: Other felony or misdemeanor convictions — the Board reviews the nature, severity, and recency of the offense
• Not automatic disqualification: A criminal record does not necessarily prevent certification, but you must disclose all convictions on your application

If you have any criminal history, contact the Board of Nursing at (907) 269-8160 before paying application fees to understand how your record will be evaluated.

With those steps covered, here’s what the entire process costs from beginning to end.

How Much Does It Cost to Become a CNA in Alaska?

Becoming a CNA in Alaska costs between $270 and $2,725+, depending on whether you train through an employer or pay for a program yourself. The difference comes down to one decision: earn and learn or traditional path.

Fee	Amount	Notes
Application fee	$50	commerce.alaska.gov
Certification fee	$100	commerce.alaska.gov
Fingerprint processing	$60-$88.25	Varies by vendor
Written/Oral exam	$30 ($35 oral)	Credentia
Skills evaluation	$30	Credentia
Oral exam surcharge	$5 (if applicable)	Credentia
State/Exam Fees Subtotal	$270-$303.25
Training tuition (earn & learn)	$0	AHHA employer-sponsored
Training tuition (traditional)	$2,000-$2,200+	KPC ~$2,028; UAF ~$2,169
Books	~$70	KPC published data
Scrubs, TB test, drug screen	~$100-$150	Varies by program
Total (earn & learn path)	$270-$303.25	State/exam fees only
Total (traditional path)	$2,440-$2,725+

Financial Aid and Free Training Options

Three paths can reduce what you pay:

1. Earn and learn (employer-sponsored): $0 tuition. Your employer covers training while paying your salary. Total cost: state and exam fees only ($270-$303.25). Check the AHHA approved program list at alaskahha.org/cna for participating facilities in your area.

2. Federal financial aid (FAFSA): University of Alaska programs (UAA, UAF CTC, Kodiak College, Kenai Peninsula College, and UAS) are part of the University of Alaska system and may qualify for federal student aid. Ask each program’s financial aid office before assuming you’re ineligible.

3. State and workforce funding: Alaska healthcare workforce development programs and some tribal health organizations offer training grants. Your program’s financial aid office is the best starting point for what’s currently available.

Those costs pay off quickly once you start working. Here’s what Alaska CNAs actually earn.

CNA Salary in Alaska

CNAs in Alaska earn a mean annual wage of $47,080 ($22.63 per hour), according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (SOC 31-1131). The median annual wage is $48,550 ($23.34 per hour). Alaska consistently ranks among the highest-paying states for CNAs nationally.

Metric	Annual	Hourly
Median (50th percentile)	$48,550	$23.34
Mean (average)	$47,080	$22.63

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 release, SOC 31-1131

Remote and rural locations consistently pay more than the state average. Limited labor supply and the challenge of recruiting staff to isolated communities drives wages up.

City	Annual Salary
Nome	$51,771
Sitka	$50,277
Valdez	$46,939
Anchorage	~$44,210

Source: ZipRecruiter (city-level estimates); BLS reports the nonmetropolitan Alaska area mean at $49,190

Alaska’s CNA pay is among the best in the country. But the numbers alone don’t explain why people stay in this work:

“First week on the floor a patient grabbed my hand and said ‘thank you for being so gentle.’ I went to my car and cried. Four years of college and I never felt like I was actually HELPING anyone until this job.”

(Community voice — r/cna)

That combination — competitive pay and direct patient impact — is what makes Alaska one of the strongest states for CNAs entering or transitioning into healthcare. For a deeper look at Alaska CNA career paths, advancement options, and how salary compares to other states, see our Why Become a CNA in Alaska guide.

If you’re already certified in another state, you may not need to retrain at all.

Transferring Your CNA License to Alaska (Reciprocity)

Out-of-state CNAs can transfer their certification to Alaska through certification by endorsement. The application is Form 08-4070. Total fees come to approximately $275.

The critical detail: Alaska requires 140 training hours. Many states require far fewer, some as low as 75 hours. If your original training did not meet Alaska’s 140-hour minimum (60 classroom + 80 skills), you may need to complete additional training before your endorsement application is approved. This is the most common reason out-of-state CNAs have trouble qualifying.

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for Alaska CNA certification by endorsement, you must meet all four criteria:

1. Hold a current, active, unencumbered CNA certification in another state
2. Have completed original training meeting Alaska’s 140-hour minimum (60 classroom + 80 skills hours)
3. Have no findings on any state nurse aide abuse registry
4. Be able to pass a fingerprint-based state and FBI background check

The 140-hour requirement is the most important variable. If you trained in a state that required fewer than 140 hours, contact the Alaska Board of Nursing through the Nurse Aide Registry page before submitting your application to clarify whether additional training is required.

If you’re transferring from Washington (which requires 120 hours of training), pull your original training transcript and verify your hour count before applying. CNAs coming from states like California with different training hour standards should do the same verification step first.

Step-by-Step Application Process

1. Download Form 08-4070 from commerce.alaska.gov
2. Request verification from your initial training state (where you originally completed training) AND your current certification state
3. Complete FD 258 fingerprint cards for the background check
4. Prepare payment: $50 application fee + $100 certification fee + $60-$88.25 fingerprint processing = approximately $275 total
5. Submit your completed application, verification documents, and payment through the MY LICENSE portal or by mail

Start the state verification step early. Waiting for your original training state to respond is typically the longest part of the process, often several weeks.

Temporary Certificate

Alaska issues a temporary certificate while your background check processes, so you can begin working before your full certification clears. The temporary certificate is not renewable — it’s a working bridge while you wait, not a permanent status.

If you’re arriving for a travel CNA assignment, starting the endorsement process 6-8 weeks before your assignment start date gives you the best chance of working without a gap.

Whether you earned your certification in Alaska or transferred it, you’ll need to renew it on Alaska’s schedule.

Renewing Your Alaska CNA Certification

Alaska CNA certifications expire every 2 years on March 31 of even-numbered years. There is no grace period. Working as a CNA with an expired certification is illegal in Alaska.

Renewal Requirements

For the current renewal cycle, all Alaska CNAs must meet these requirements:

• Continuing education: 24 CEUs during the 2-year renewal cycle
• Paid work hours: 160 hours of paid CNA employment during the 2-year renewal cycle
• Renewal fee: $100
• Deadline: March 31 of even-numbered years, no grace period

If this is your first renewal and your certification was issued partway through the current cycle, your CEU and work hour requirements may be prorated. CNAs who have held certification for over a year but less than two years need 12 CEUs and 160 paid hours. CNAs certified for less than one year are exempt from both the CEU and paid hours requirements for their first cycle. Check the Alaska CNA Renewal FAQs or contact the Board at (907) 269-8160 to confirm your specific requirements.

Renew online through the MY LICENSE portal using your myAlaska credentials, or submit by mail. Alaska conducts random audits for continuing competency: if selected, you must provide documentation of your CEUs and paid work hours within 30 days. According to the Alaska CNA Renewal FAQs, audits are random and the documentation window is firm. Keep all renewal records for at least 2 years after each cycle.

What Happens If Your Certification Lapses

• Lapsed less than 5 years: Apply for reinstatement using Form 08-4365. Fees apply; you may need to demonstrate current competency.
• Lapsed more than 5 years: You must complete a new Board-approved training program and pass the NNAAP exam from scratch.
• While lapsed: It is illegal to work as a CNA in Alaska. Stop working and begin the reinstatement process immediately.

Set a calendar reminder at least 60 days before March 31 of your renewal year. That’s enough lead time to finish any remaining CEUs and submit your renewal without rushing.

Your certification status is tracked through the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry.

Alaska Nurse Aide Registry

The Alaska Nurse Aide Registry is the official record of all certified nurse aides in the state, maintained by the Board of Nursing under the Division of Corporations, Business, and Professional Licensing. Employers check it before hiring. You can also verify your own certification status at any time.

To look up any CNA’s certification status in Alaska, use the Professional License Search tool at commerce.alaska.gov. Search by name or license number. Results show active or inactive status and current certification details.

Keep your name and mailing address updated through the MY LICENSE portal. Renewal notices go to the address on file, and a missed notice is not grounds for a lapsed certification.

Alaska also maintains a separate Nurse Aide Abuse Registry, a background check function used by employers during the hiring process. It identifies nurse aides who have been found to have abused or neglected residents. This registry is distinct from the general certification registry but is maintained by the same Board.