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Home / CNA Classes by State / STNA (CNA) Classes in Ohio: 11 Free + 324 Total (2026)

STNA (CNA) Classes in Ohio: 11 Free + 324 Total (2026)

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

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

In Ohio, the job most states call a CNA goes by a different name: State Tested Nurse Aide, or STNA. The training is the same, the work is the same, and so is the page you came looking for. What sets Ohio apart is the sheer number of options: 324 state-approved STNA programs across 158 cities, led by Cincinnati with 25, Columbus with 18, and Cleveland with 15. Below, we walk through cost, pace, format, the 75 training hours Ohio requires, and what the work pays.

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

AT A GLANCE

Your Ohio 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 Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry.
See the full How to Become guide →

Key numbers before you compare programs

Typical program length
2–15 weeks
Typical paid program cost
$359–$2,375
Average CNA salary
$39,010/yr (BLS, May 2025)
Reciprocity accepted
Yes, from all states

All 324 state-approved Ohio 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 Ohio Nurse Aide Registry (OH ODH). 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 324
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Showing 1–25 of 324

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Fastest CNA programs in Ohio

If you need to start working soon, Ohio’s shortest STNA courses finish in about 2 weeks. 1st Choice Career Centers in Garfield Heights runs a 2-week in-person program at $395, and Infinity Heart Health in Toledo matches that timeline at $400. Ohio sets training at 75 hours, the federal minimum (OBRA ’87 / 42 CFR 483.152), so the rules never force a long program. At the other end, the longest run to about 15 weeks for part-time or self-paced formats.

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

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

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

A two-week STNA course in Ohio is not a smaller course. Every approved program in the state meets the same 75-hour minimum, including 16 clinical hours, and sends you to the same D&S Diversified / Headmaster competency exam. A fast track packs those required hours, plus anything a program adds on top, into long, back-to-back days.

Ohio’s quickest options are mostly paid technical-college courses: 1st Choice Career Centers in Garfield Heights, Infinity Heart Health in Toledo, and Ultimate Health Solutions in Whitehall all run 2 weeks for $395 to $410. Full days of classroom and lab time stacked across a tight block is demanding, so look honestly at your week before you commit to the sprint.

The same exam waits at the end either way: a 79-question knowledge test and a hands-on skills check of 3 or 4 tasks, with retakes that cost the testing fees again. If you can clear two intense weeks, Ohio gives you real 2-week choices. If you would rather space the material out, a 4-week program like Touching Hearts, Changing Lives in Sylvania sits at a similar $425.

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Online, hybrid, weekend & evening CNA programs in Ohio

Daytime classes do not fit everyone, and Ohio STNA programs come in evening, weekend, hybrid, and online formats. Richard Medical Academy in Toledo, for instance, lists a hybrid course at $400. Here is the honest version, though: the classroom theory can run online or self-paced, but the skills lab and the 16 clinical hours always happen in person, on a real schedule, with real patients. No STNA license in Ohio is earned through online study alone. What an “online” or hybrid format really gives you is flexibility on the part you can do from home.

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?

Toledo’s Richard Medical Academy puts a hybrid STNA program on the table at $400, one of the cheapest verified flexible options in Ohio, and the format is exactly what it sounds like. Lecture and reading move online or into self-paced modules; then you come in for the hands-on lab and clinicals.

That in-person half is not optional. Ohio requires 16 clinical hours in a real care setting, and you cannot learn to transfer a patient or take a blood pressure from a video. So with any “online” STNA program in Ohio, the real question is not whether you can skip the hands-on work. It is how much of the rest you can do on your own time.

You will find similar hybrid setups beyond Toledo: J Hearts Institute in Cleveland at $500, Heart to Heart Health Care Center in Cleveland, and A & E Nursing Skills in Akron all run hybrid. Ohio also offers evening and weekend in-person formats, which can suit you better if you want a fixed, predictable schedule instead of self-pacing.

Whichever you choose, the in-person clinical days are the fixed point. Before you enroll, ask exactly which hours are online and which require you on site, and confirm the clinical schedule lines up with your work and family. A flexible format only helps if you can meet the parts of it that cannot move.

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Cheapest CNA programs in Ohio

Price is usually the first question, so here are Ohio’s real numbers. Of the 324 approved STNA programs, 152 publish a verified cost, and those run from $0 all the way to $2,375. If you are paying out of pocket, the lowest paid tuition is $359 at My Tees Healthcare in Worthington. And 36 programs land at or under $600, so a genuinely affordable seat is in reach even when money is tight.

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 Ohio?

A $359 course at My Tees Healthcare in Worthington and the $2,375 program at the top of Ohio’s range buy you the same thing on paper: a state-approved STNA course that meets Ohio’s 75-hour minimum and sends you to the same competency exam. The sticker price tells you what you pay, not what is built into the program.

What actually differs between Ohio programs is format and schedule. Touching Hearts, Changing Lives in Sylvania runs in person at $425, while Richard Medical Academy in Toledo is hybrid at $400. A price alone will not tell you whether a course meets days, evenings, or partly online, so check the schedule of any program directly.

Location narrows it further. In Cincinnati’s 25 programs or Columbus’s 18, you can line up several low-cost options side by side and choose on price. In a smaller Ohio city with one or two STNA schools, the cheapest seat may also be the only one that fits your commute, so weigh tuition against schedule and travel.

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Free & employer-sponsored CNA training in Ohio

Ohio also has 11 STNA programs that cost you nothing, split between government-funded or scholarship seats and employer-sponsored training. Each free route comes with its own terms: eligibility rules on the funded and scholarship programs, and some employer-sponsored programs ask for a work commitment in return, so read the terms. A no-cost seat is real money saved, so it is worth checking, but read the conditions before you call it the cheapest path.

Free programs you can enroll in directly

ProgramCityLengthTotal CostSponsored

Government-funded & scholarship-eligible programs

Funding sourceEligible programsEligibility notesApply
GI Bill licensing and certification test reimbursementApply →

If you are a veteran, the GI Bill can reimburse your Ohio STNA competency exam fees through its licensing and certification test benefit. That can sit on top of an already low-cost program, covering the D&S Diversified / Headmaster testing costs you would otherwise pay yourself.

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

Ohio’s 11 free STNA programs split into two groups that suit very different readers. Nine are funded by government grants or scholarships; two are employer-sponsored. Knowing which kind you are looking at is the difference between a smart deal and a commitment you did not expect.

The two employer-sponsored programs work as a trade: an employer funds your training, and in exchange you agree to work there after you certify. If you already want a job in long-term care and the employer fits, that arrangement covers your tuition in exchange for the work commitment. If you would rather keep your options open, a commitment to one employer can feel narrow once you hold your STNA.

The nine government-funded and scholarship seats do not tie you to a single employer, but they carry their own eligibility rules, set by the program or the funding source. Only 11 of Ohio’s 324 programs are free, so confirm what you qualify for before you count on one.

Either way, free does not mean lighter. You still complete the full 75 hours, including 16 clinical, and you still pass the same competency exam as someone who paid $2,375. What you are weighing is money saved now against any strings attached later, so get the terms in writing before you commit.

CNA salary in Ohio

BLS wage data for Ohio and its top 3 metros.

Ohio’s median pay for nursing assistants is $18.76 an hour, about $39,010 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That runs roughly 7.2% below the national median of $20.21, so pay is context here rather than the headline. The bottom 10% earn near $16.86 an hour, and the top 10%, the 90th percentile, reach about $22.39, which gives you a sense of the full range Ohio reports.

Entry-level (10th)
$16.86/hr
$35,069/yr
Median (50th)
$18.76/hr
$39,010/yr
Top end (90th)
$22.39/hr
$46,571/yr

Pay by setting in Ohio

SettingMedian hourlyNotes
Hospitals$19.70/hrEstimated from the state wage distribution
Skilled nursing / SNF$18.76/hrEstimated
Assisted living / residential$17.45/hrEstimated

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

In Ohio, where you work changes what the role pays. Hospitals pay STNAs a median of $19.70 an hour, skilled nursing facilities $18.76, and assisted living or residential settings $17.45, a $2.25 spread from top to bottom that tracks the setting you work in. The other half of the picture is reach: Cincinnati lists 25 approved programs, Columbus 18, and Cleveland 15, so Ohio’s big metros give you the widest choice of where to train and which setting to aim for. If you later want to move from STNA into nursing, our CNA-to-LPN and CNA-to-RN guides walk through how that 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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Ohio SNAPSHOT

What makes CNA training in Ohio different

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

TRAINING HOURS

75 hours minimum

Ohio sits at the federal floor of 75 hours, 16 of them clinical, which keeps the path efficient.

EXAM VENDOR

D&S Diversified / Headmaster

A 79-question knowledge exam plus a hands-on skills test of 3 or 4 tasks.

FUNDING DENSITY

11 free programs

Nine government-funded or scholarship seats plus two employer-sponsored programs can cover the cost of the training.

Federal-floor training hours
324 programs statewide
No registry fee

Training hours: 75, the federal floor

Ohio sets STNA training at 75 hours, 16 of them supervised clinical practice. That is the federal minimum (OBRA '87 / 42 CFR 483.152), the lowest a state can require. For you it means an efficient route to certification, not a watered-down one: every STNA in Ohio sits the same competency exam, whether their program ran 2 weeks or 15. That federal-floor requirement is part of why some Ohio programs finish in about two weeks.

Testing runs through D&S Diversified and Headmaster

Ohio tests through D&S Diversified Technologies and Headmaster, not Prometric or Credentia. You take a 79-question multiple-choice knowledge exam and a manual skills test covering 3 or 4 tasks. The fees are $26 for the knowledge exam and $78 for the skills test, with an optional $36 audio version of the knowledge test if you would rather listen than read. You schedule through the vendor's online calendar, and retakes cost the same.

No fee to join or stay on the registry

The Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry charges nothing to list or renew you, and you are added automatically once you pass the competency exam. To stay active, you renew every 24 months by performing verified paid nursing work, at least 7.5 consecutive hours or 8 hours within a 48-hour period, in each two-year window. There is no placement fee and no renewal fee at any point.

Bottom line for Ohio students

Ohio gives you a 75-hour federal-floor path, 324 programs across 158 cities, and a no-fee registry, so your real decision is speed versus cost versus the schedule you can keep.

CNA classes by city in Ohio

STNA programs reach 158 Ohio cities, but they cluster in the big metros. Cincinnati leads with 25, followed by Columbus with 18 and Cleveland with 15. Toledo adds 9, and Dayton, Akron, and Canton each carry several more, so most readers have options within driving distance.

Top 10 Ohio metros by program count

  • Cincinnati25 programs
  • Columbus18 programs
  • Cleveland15 programs
  • Toledo9 programs
  • Dayton6 programs
  • Akron5 programs
  • Canton5 programs
  • Bedford4 programs
  • Lima4 programs
  • Newark4 programs

Ohio Nurse Aide Registry: contacts & reference

The Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry maintains your STNA status and lets anyone verify it. You can reach it at 1-800-582-5908 or look up a record through its public search portal.

Managing agencyOhio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry
Phone(800) 582-5908
Websitenurseaideregistry.odh.ohio.gov
Typical processingN/A
Renewal windowEvery 24 months
Fee structureNo registry placement or renewal fee. Placement on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry is automatic upon passing the competency exam, and active status is maintained at no cost by performing verified paid nursing-related work (at least 7.5 consecutive hours, or 8 hours within a 48-hour period) every 24 months. The only candidate costs are the testing vendor's competency exam fees: knowledge exam $26, optional audio knowledge version $36, skill test $78 (retakes priced the same).

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

Frequently asked questions

A handful of questions come up again and again for Ohio STNA candidates. Here are direct, sourced answers.

What states does Ohio have reciprocity with?
Ohio offers nurse aide reciprocity with all states. If you hold an active, in-good-standing certification from anywhere in the country, you can apply to have it recognized through the Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry, generally without repeating the full 75-hour STNA training. Your record needs to be current and free of disqualifying findings. Because the exact documents and conditions can change, confirm the current reciprocity requirements directly with the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry before you apply.
How much is Ohio CNA reciprocity?
Ohio charges no registry placement or renewal fee, so transferring an out-of-state certification into the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry through reciprocity carries no state listing cost. The only fees you might run into are the D&S Diversified / Headmaster testing fees, $26 for the knowledge exam and $78 for the skills test, if Ohio determines you need to test. Whether testing is required depends on your situation, so confirm with the Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry.
What can stop you from getting your CNA license?
Several things can block STNA certification in Ohio. A finding of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property on your record can stop placement on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. A background check is part of becoming an STNA in Ohio, and the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry has the specifics on what it covers. Not finishing all 75 hours, including the 16 clinical hours, leaves you ineligible, and failing the D&S Diversified / Headmaster competency exam delays you until you retake it. For the specific disqualifying offenses, check with the Ohio Department of Health.
Can you have a background and still be a CNA?
Often, yes. A criminal record does not automatically bar you from becoming an STNA in Ohio, but certain convictions can disqualify you from the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry. Ohio reviews background checks individually, and both the nature and the timing of an offense can matter. Confirm your specific situation with the Ohio Department of Health before you enroll, so you do not pay for training you may not be able to use.
How many questions are on the Ohio CNA exam?
The Ohio Nurse Aide Competency Exam has a 79-question multiple-choice knowledge test, plus a separate hands-on skills test covering 3 or 4 assigned tasks. Both run through D&S Diversified Technologies and Headmaster. The knowledge portion costs $26, with an optional $36 audio version if you would rather listen to the questions than read them, and the skills test is $78.
How many times can you take the CNA exam in Ohio?
If you do not pass, Ohio lets you retake the Nurse Aide Competency Exam through D&S Diversified / Headmaster, and retakes are priced the same as the original. The exact number of attempts and any timing, retake, or retraining rules are set by the testing program, so verify them with the Ohio Department of Health and the D&S Diversified / Headmaster scheduling calendar before you rebook.
Can you renew your license online in Ohio?
Ohio does not renew your STNA status through an online payment or form, because there is no renewal fee. Instead, your active status on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry is maintained automatically when you perform verified paid nursing work, at least 7.5 consecutive hours or 8 hours within a 48-hour period, every 24 months. You can check your current status anytime through the registry’s public online search portal at the Ohio Department of Health.
Can I still work if my CNA license expires?
Ohio maintains your active STNA status through verified paid nursing work performed within each 24-month window, rather than through a fee, so a gap in qualifying work is what causes a lapse. What a lapse means for working, and how to reinstate, are set by the state. Check your record through the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry’s public search and confirm the work-status and reinstatement steps with the Ohio Department of Health.
What are the continuing education requirements for STNA in Ohio?
Ohio keeps your STNA status active through verified paid nursing work rather than a set number of continuing education hours: you must perform at least 7.5 consecutive hours, or 8 hours within a 48-hour period, every 24 months. Any in-service training is set separately by your employer. For any continuing education requirement that applies to your specific situation, verify it with the Ohio Department of Health Nurse Aide Registry.
Is Ohio CNA or STNA?
Ohio uses STNA, which stands for State Tested Nurse Aide. It is Ohio’s legal term for what most other states call a CNA, and the job is the same. When you search for “STNA classes” in Ohio, you are looking at CNA training: the same 75-hour requirement, the same Ohio Nurse Aide Competency Exam, and placement on the Ohio Nurse Aide Registry once you pass.
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