How to Become a CNA in Indiana

To become a CNA in Indiana, you need to complete 105 hours of state-approved training, pass a two-part competency exam administered by Ivy Tech Community College, and get listed on the Indiana Nurse Aide Registry. According to the Indiana Department of Health, most people complete the training-to-certification process in 4 to 10 weeks.

If you are wondering whether this path is affordable, realistic, or right for you, this guide covers every step, including a cost breakdown that most Indiana CNA guides skip entirely.

Indiana CNA Certification at a Glance

Indiana’s CNA certification process is more straightforward than many states. Here are the key facts before you dive in. If you are new to what a CNA does, that is a good starting point.

Detail	Specifics
Training required	105 hours (30 classroom + 75 clinical)
Exam	100 multiple-choice questions, 80% passing score
Exam administrator	Ivy Tech Community College
Exam fee	$100 (both portions), effective January 2025
Timeline	4-10 weeks from first day of class to exam results
Registry	Indiana Nurse Aide Registry (maintained by IDOH)

The table above gives you the full picture in one place. The rest of this guide walks through each step in detail, including how to get your training paid for under federal law.

Step 1: Meet Basic Requirements

Indiana has no state-mandated minimum age or education requirement for CNA certification. That is the good news, and it is worth stating directly before anything else.

The eligibility bar is genuinely low. You do not need a GED, a high school diploma, or any prior healthcare experience at the state level. However, individual training programs set their own admission standards. Most community colleges and private academies require applicants to be at least 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or GED. Check with your specific program before enrolling, because those program-level requirements vary.

Background Check

A criminal background check is required before you begin clinical placement in any Indiana CNA program. Your training program will direct you through the required process, which typically uses the Indiana State Police or an approved vendor such as IdentoGo. The background check is submitted to the Indiana Department of Health, which oversees CNA certification. Expect to pay $15-$50 for the check.

Before you pay for the formal background check, you can review your Indiana court records for free at mycase.in.gov to flag potential issues early. This does not replace the required check, but it lets you identify concerns before you commit. Certain criminal offenses may affect your eligibility, and the state evaluates these on a case-by-case basis. The IDOH Criminal History Checks document outlines the disqualifying criteria.

Health Requirements

Your training program will require a physical exam and a tuberculosis (TB) test before you begin clinical hours. The TB test is either a skin test or a blood test, depending on your program’s requirements. Your program will specify which forms to bring and which provider to use.

Plan for these requirements early. Most programs schedule them during orientation, but delays in getting your physical can push back your clinical start date.

Step 2: Complete an Approved Training Program

Indiana requires 105 total hours of CNA training, according to the Indiana Department of Health. Those hours break into two components: 30 hours of classroom instruction and 75 hours of supervised clinical practice.

Training Hour Breakdown

The 75-hour clinical component has sub-requirements that most Indiana CNA guides do not explain. Of those 75 hours, at least 32 must be completed in a licensed nursing home, an IDOH-approved long-term care facility. The remaining 43 hours can be split between a simulated laboratory setting or a licensed assisted living facility, with a cap of 20 hours in an ALF.

Component	Hours Required	Setting
Classroom instruction	30	In-person or approved online equivalent
Clinical (nursing home)	32 minimum	Licensed nursing home (required)
Clinical (flex hours)	43, max 20 in ALF	Sim lab or licensed assisted living facility
Total	105

Before enrolling in any program, verify it appears on the IDOH list of approved nurse aide training programs. Programs not on this list will not qualify you to sit for the state competency exam.

This breakdown matters when you are comparing programs. Ask programs directly how they structure clinical placements before enrolling.

Can You Get Your CNA Online in Indiana?

The 30-hour classroom portion can be completed through an approved online or hybrid program. The 75-hour clinical component cannot. You must attend clinical sessions in person at a licensed nursing home, sim lab, or assisted living facility.

There is no fully online CNA certification in Indiana because clinical skills require hands-on practice with real patients. If you want scheduling flexibility, look for hybrid programs that combine online classroom instruction with local clinical placements. You can explore online CNA classes that list Indiana-approved hybrid formats.

Program Types

Indiana has three primary program categories:

Type	Example	Approximate Tuition	What’s Included
Community college	Ivy Tech Community College (multiple campuses), Vincennes University	$500-$1,200	Varies; supplies often separate
Private training academy	Indiana Nursing Academy	$1,300	Textbook, BP cuff, stethoscope, tutoring
Employer-sponsored	Nursing homes, hospitals	$0	Covered by federal law (see Section 4)

For a concrete example: Indiana Nursing Academy charges $1,300 for their CNA program and includes your textbook, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, and tutoring. Community college programs like Ivy Tech tend to cost less but may not bundle supplies.

Once you know how to choose a CNA program, you can narrow your options by location, schedule, and cost structure. Browse Indiana CNA programs near you to find state-approved options. The employer-sponsored pathway deserves its own section, because it changes the cost equation entirely.

Step 3: How Much CNA Training Costs in Indiana

Cost confusion is the number one barrier for people considering CNA certification. Most Indiana guides give you a vague range and move on. This section gives you every cost, separately, so you know exactly what you are budgeting for.

Training Tuition

Training tuition in Indiana ranges from $500 to $2,000 depending on program type. Community colleges like Ivy Tech tend to fall between $500 and $1,200. Private academies charge more but frequently include supplies. Indiana Nursing Academy charges $1,300 and bundles a textbook, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, and tutoring into that price.

Program Type	Tuition Range	Supply Inclusion
Community college (e.g., Ivy Tech)	$500-$1,200	Usually separate
Private academy (e.g., Indiana Nursing Academy)	$1,000-$2,000	Often included
Employer-sponsored	$0	Covered by law

The variation comes from the program's overhead, class size, and what they bundle. A community college program that requires you to buy your own stethoscope ($30-$60) and scrubs ($25-$50) may end up costing nearly as much as a private academy that includes those items.

Exam and Testing Fees

Ivy Tech Community College administers Indiana's CNA competency exam and sets the fee structure. As of January 1, 2025, the exam fee for both portions (written and skills, taken together) is $100. If you pass one portion but need to retake the other, the single-portion retake fee is $90.

Exam Scenario	Cost	Notes
Both portions (first attempt)	$100	Effective January 1, 2025
Single portion retake	$90	Only pay for the portion you failed
Paid to	Ivy Tech Community College	Indiana's exclusive exam administrator

Many competitor guides still show outdated exam pricing. The $100 fee became effective January 2025. If you see different numbers elsewhere, verify directly with Ivy Tech.

Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs

Beyond tuition and the exam fee, you will pay for several items that most guides do not mention:

Item	Estimated Cost	Notes
Background check (ISP/IdentoGo)	$15-$50	Required before clinical placement
Physical exam	$50-$150	Depends on insurance and provider
TB test	$0-$30	Sometimes bundled with physical
Scrubs (typically 2 sets)	$25-$50	Check if included in your program
Textbooks	$0-$80	Included at Indiana Nursing Academy; separate at most programs

Budget roughly $100-$300 for background check, health screenings, and scrubs on top of your tuition and exam fee.

Free CNA Training in Indiana

Federal law requires Medicaid and Medicare-certified nursing facilities to pay for your entire CNA training if you are employed by the facility or have received a job offer at the time your training begins. This includes tuition, textbooks, and supplies. The regulation is 42 CFR 483.152(c)(1).

This is not a benefit some facilities offer. It is federal law. Any qualifying nursing facility that charges you for training when you are already hired is violating that regulation.

Federal law requires nursing homes to cover your training costs if you complete certification while employed or after receiving a job offer. Many Indiana CNAs have used exactly this pathway:

"I (20F) have been working as a CNA for a year now, said facility paid for my CNA training and was my first ever job as a CNA and in healthcare in general."

(2,489 upvotes, Reddit user, r/cna)

That path (getting hired first, training paid) is one of the most common ways people enter the field. If you go this route, confirm the reimbursement terms in writing before your first day of training.

Indiana's Next Level Jobs program at Ivy Tech may also cover training costs for qualifying students who do not have an employer sponsor. Ask your Ivy Tech campus advisor whether you qualify.

Total cost summary:

Pathway	Total Estimated Cost
Paying independently (community college)	$700-$1,600
Paying independently (private academy)	$1,200-$2,400
Employer-sponsored (42 CFR 483.152)	$0

If you pay out of pocket, expect $700-$2,400 total depending on your program. If you get hired at a nursing facility first, your training should cost $0 under federal law.

Step 4: Pass the Indiana CNA Competency Exam

The Indiana CNA competency exam has two portions: a written test and a skills evaluation. You need to pass both to get certified. Ivy Tech Community College administers all Indiana CNA competency exams on behalf of IDOH. This is not a third-party testing vendor. Ivy Tech is the exclusive exam administrator in the state.

Written Exam

Indiana's written CNA exam has 100 multiple-choice questions. You need to answer 80 correctly (80%) to pass. That is the Indiana-specific format. Multiple competitor guides show 60 questions, which is the generic national format. Indiana uses 100 questions. If you study with that wrong number in mind, you will be underprepared.

The written exam covers patient care fundamentals, safety and infection control, communication, and CNA roles and responsibilities.

Skills Evaluation

The skills portion tests your ability to perform clinical procedures in front of an evaluator. Hand hygiene is always required and is tested on every exam. After hand hygiene, you perform four additional clinical skills selected randomly from the state's approved list. Common skills include measuring vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, respirations, temperature), ambulation with a gait belt, range-of-motion exercises, catheter care, feeding a dependent patient, and making an occupied bed. Each skill has critical steps marked in the Indiana CNA Candidate Handbook. Missing a single critical step (such as failing to lock wheelchair brakes before a transfer) fails the entire skills portion. Your training program will cover the full list. Practice every skill, not just the ones you expect.

You do not know in advance which four skills will be selected. This is why comprehensive skills practice matters more than drilling a short list of common picks. A CNA practice exam prepares you for the written portion, while CNA skills test help covers the clinical component. You can also review how to study for the CNA exam for a combined study strategy.

Retake Policy

You get three attempts for each portion. Written and skills are tracked separately. If you pass the written exam but fail the skills evaluation, you only retake skills, at a cost of $90 instead of the full $100.

If you exhaust all three attempts on either portion, you must complete a new state-approved CNA training program before testing again. Contact your original training program about additional preparation options before reapplying.

Visit the Ivy Tech testing information page to find a testing location near you and schedule your exam.

Step 5: Get on the Indiana Nurse Aide Registry

After you pass both portions of the competency exam, Ivy Tech reports your results to the Indiana Department of Health. Your name is then added to the Indiana Nurse Aide Registry, maintained by the IDOH Division of Long Term Care.

Registry processing can take up to 90 days. Indiana allows you to work as a nurse aide in training for up to 120 days total. This 120-day clock starts on your first day of employment, not the day you pass the exam. Days worked during training count toward the limit. After passing, your certificate of completion serves as documentation while your registry application is processed (up to 90 days). If the 120 days expire before you are listed on the registry, you must stop performing CNA duties until your name appears. Keep your certificate of completion accessible for employer verification during this period.

Employers are legally required to verify your registry status before hiring you for a permanent position. Your certificate of completion serves as documentation during the interim period.

For instructions on how to look up your certification status, verify credentials for an employer, or troubleshoot registry issues, see our complete Indiana Nurse Aide Registry lookup guide.

Transferring Your CNA to Indiana (Reciprocity)

If you already hold CNA certification in another state, Indiana allows you to transfer it rather than starting from scratch. To qualify, your certification must be active and in good standing in your current state.

Indiana CNA reciprocity is handled through Ivy Tech Community College, which processes applications on behalf of the Indiana Department of Health. The processing fee is $65, according to the IDOH CNA FAQ.

Reciprocity applicants must pass Indiana's written competency exam. The 75-hour clinical training requirement and the skills portion of the exam are typically waived if your out-of-state certification is active and in good standing. Contact Ivy Tech directly to confirm current requirements for your originating state before submitting your application.

The 120-day work window applies to reciprocity applicants as well. You can work as a CNA in Indiana for up to 120 days while your transfer application is being processed. Keep documentation of your application accessible during that period.

Indiana borders several states with active CNA workforces. If you are transferring from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, or Kentucky, the reciprocity process is the same: submit through Ivy Tech with documentation of your current certification.

If your certification has lapsed in your home state, resolve that first. Indiana's reciprocity process requires an active, good-standing certification as the starting point.

Keeping Your Certification Active

Your Indiana CNA certification renews every two years. On-time renewal through the Indiana Online Licensing System at mylicense.in.gov is free.

To renew, you must have worked at least 8 hours in nursing or nursing-related activities during your 24-month renewal cycle. This is a work requirement, not a continuing education requirement. If you have been working consistently as a CNA, you meet it automatically.

If your certification has been expired for more than 8 months, the process changes. Your employing facility must submit a paper renewal on your behalf using State Form 49937. You cannot complete the paper renewal yourself. This is worth knowing before a deadline slips.

For a complete walkthrough of the renewal process, including online renewal steps and what to do if your certification has lapsed, see our Indiana CNA renewal guide.

What to Expect as a CNA in Indiana

Salary Overview

The median annual salary for CNAs in Indiana is $37,330, or about $17.95 per hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024). That puts Indiana about 6% below the national median of $39,530. There are 31,240 CNAs employed in Indiana, and pay ranges from $32,100 at the 10th percentile to $45,510 at the 90th percentile.

Those numbers are real, and they are modest for the physical and emotional demands of the work. That tension is not lost on working CNAs:

"Anyone else p*ssed off hearing about inflation coming, while being severely underpaid? CNA salaries are already at least a decade behind what they should be"

(224 upvotes, Reddit user, r/cna)

The salary picture improves when you factor in facility type, shift differentials, and career advancement. Hospital CNAs typically earn more than long-term care CNAs. Night and weekend shifts add hourly premiums at most facilities. The QMA credential (explained below) also increases your hourly rate. For metro-area breakdowns and facility-type comparisons, see what CNAs actually earn in Indiana.

Career Advancement

Indiana has a clear career ladder starting from CNA: Qualified Medication Aide (QMA), then Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), then Registered Nurse (RN).

The QMA credential is Indiana-specific. A Qualified Medication Aide is a CNA who has completed additional QMA training and passed a separate QMA competency exam (also administered by Ivy Tech) to earn the right to administer medications under nurse supervision. The QMA step increases both your responsibilities and your pay without requiring a nursing degree.

Work settings for Indiana CNAs include nursing homes and long-term care facilities (the most common), hospitals, home health agencies, and assisted living facilities. Nursing home positions are the most widely available, but hospital CNAs typically command higher base pay.

Staffing ratios vary significantly by facility. Ask about ratios and staffing practices during your job interviews. Indiana does not mandate minimum CNA-to-patient ratios, which means facility policies vary widely. Checking a facility's ISDH inspection report before accepting a position takes about five minutes and can save months of difficult working conditions.