CNA Training Programs in California

What are the hands-on training and educational requirements for an individual who wants to become certified as a nursing assistant in the state of California? Those seeking nursing assistant certification in California need to complete a state-approved CNA training program offered at a college, vocational-training school, or long-term care facility. The minimum training requirements for students interested in a nurse aide certification are fifty (50) hours of classroom instruction and one hundred (100) hours of hands-on training in a long-term care or nursing facility.

Every student needs to complete at least sixteen (16) hours of instruction in safety procedures, effective communication, and protocols for infection control before interacting with any clients. California is one of the states where nurse aide trainees go beyond the federal requirement in terms of mandatory CNA training hours. Students receive a more in-depth education through an additional seventy-five (75) hours of instruction, which is actually double the number of training hours required by federal laws and regulations. While this may seem excessive, several studies have shown that the federal hourly requirement in terms of CNA programs is not sufficient for preparing students to become certified nurse assistants.

Non-Facility Based CNA Programs in Los Angeles County

Crenshaw-Dorsey Community Adult School - Los Angeles
5010 11th Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90043
Phone: (323) 294-9184

Difai City College CNA Training Program - Los Angeles
2107 West Manchester Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90047
Phone: (323) 750-0449

Downey Adult School C.N.A. Program
12340 Woodruff Avenue, Downey, CA 90241
Phone: (562) 940-6200
Downey Adult School also offers evening CNA training classes.

Downey U.S.D. Nurse Assistant Program
12340 Woodruff Avenue, Downey, California 90241
Phone: (562) 940-6233

East Los Angeles Occupational Center
2100 Marengo Street, Los Angeles, California 90033
Phone: (323) 223-1283

East Los Angeles Skills Centers Nurse Aide Training
3921 Selig Place, Los Angeles, CA 90031
Phone: (323) 227-0018

East San Gabriel CNA Program - West Covina
1501 West Del Norte Street, West Covina, California 91790
This nursing assistant program is closed or currently inactive.

El Camino College - Torrance
16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506
Phone: (310) 660-3282

El Camino Real Adult School Nurse Aide Program - Woodland Hills
5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, California 91367
Phone: (818) 888-1491

El Monte Rosemead Adult School # 1 and # 2 Nursing Assistant Program
10807 Ramona Blvd., El Monte, CA 91731
Phone: (626) 443-9491 or (818) 443-9491

Excel Vocational Center CNA Course - San Pedro
1430 West 6th Street, San Pedro, California 90732
Phone: (310) 514-4780
Excel Vocational Center also offers evening nursing assistant training courses.

Excel Vocational Center Nurse Aide Course - San Pedro
1851 North Gaffey Street, Suite B, San Pedro, California 90731
Phone: (310) 514-4780
Excel Vocational Center also offers weekend nursing assistant training classes at this location.

Franklin Career College CNA Program - Norwalk
12440 Firestone Blvd., Suite 2000, Norwalk, CA 90650
Phone: (562) 651-1626

Fremont Community Adult School - Los Angeles
7676 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles, California 90003
Phone: (323) 778-1651

Fast Track Career College Nurse Aide Training Program - Los Angeles
4515 Eagle Rock Blvd., # 136, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Phone: (323) 254-7088

FTI-LA C.N.A. Course - Los Angeles
3333 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90010
Phone: (213) 368-1231

Genova Health Institute and Services CNA Training Course - Los Angeles
1300 West Olympic Blvd., Suite 401, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Phone: (213) 747-8889
Genova Health Institute and Services also offers weekend and evening CNA training classes.

Glendale Community College
1500 North Verdugo Blvd., Glendale, California 91208
This CNA program is closed or currently inactive.

Gold Coast Career Center Nursing Assistant Course - Lancaster
43770 15th Street West, Suite 12, Lancaster, CA 93534
Phone: (805) 625-4900

Golden Crescent Health and Educational Services - Los Angeles
2500 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 9, Los Angeles, California 90057
Phone: (213) 487-1360

Hacienda La Puente Adult Education Nurse Aide Course
14101 East Nelson Avenue, La Puente, CA 91746
Phone: (626) 934-2800
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education also offers evening CNA training courses.

Harbor Occupational Center - San Pedro
740 North Pacific Avenue, San Pedro, California 90731
Phone: (310) 531-3551

Harriet Tubman High School CNA Program - Compton
12501 South Wilmington Street, Compton, CA 90221
Phone: (310) 898-6480

Homestead Schools, Inc. Nurse Aide Program - Torrance
23844 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 200, Torrance, California 90505
Phone: (310) 791-9975
Homestead Schools, Inc. also offers weekend and evening nurse aide training classes.

CNA Training Programs in Los Angeles County, California

Nursing assistant programs prepare individuals for challenging the nurse aide certification exam and for entry level positions in health care environments. Each state has the authority to decide how many hours of training a nursing assistant course must consist of, as long as the minimum federal requirement of seventy-five hours is met. Students interested in attending CNA classes have a wide array of choices when it comes to selecting a training facility.

Nursing assistant courses are conducted at nursing homes, vocational schools, private schools, and community colleges. Program length, admission requirements, and cost of training vary depending on the policies of every training facility. Several states have implemented legislation which requires licensed long-term care facilities to reimburse CNA employees for the costs associated with training. An individual who has paid for nursing assistant training classes and who becomes employed by a nursing home within a year of obtaining certification, is eligible for financial reimbursement. Compared to other training programs in the health care field, nursing assistant classes are relatively short and inexpensive. Obtaining state certification as a CNA is the main requirement for securing a nurse aide job at a nursing home, hospital, rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility.

Nurse Aide Training Programs in California

California Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program Providers
Please select a California region from the maps below to find nurse aide training and competency evaluation program providers in your area.

CNA Programs in Northern California. CNA Programs in Southern California.

Select a county on the maps above or a county name from the list below to see a list of nurse aide training and competency evaluation program providers in your area.

CNA Training Schools and Programs

CNA classes, schools and programs by state.

Questions, Comments, Suggestions

Larry W. on July 25, 2012 at 12:24 PM
How much does the CNA test cost?


Admin on July 27, 2012 at 10:33 PM
The CNA exam cost varies from state to state. If you were to challenge the nursing assistant competency exam in Texas you might pay a different fee than if you were to challenge the same exam in California. To find out the exact cost for both the written and the skills portions of the test in your state you need to contact the organization in charge of administering the exam. Pearson Vue is one of the companies responsible for testing nursing assistants in many states. The CNA exam cost in California is currently $90. Other states charge similar fees, usually not exceeding $100 for both portions of the examination.


Can a nursing assistant from Brazil challenge the CNA exam?

How can I further my education in nursing?

Why is it so hard to get hired as a CNA? Everywhere that I apply they are asking for at least one year of experience in the field so what do I do next?

Can I enroll in an online CNA class if I don't have a high school diploma or GED?

Is it possible to take the CNA test without enrolling in a training class?

CNA Resources

CNA Training Requirements

There is a wide disparity between CNA training requirements among the states. The difference lies in the mandatory number of total training hours necessary to complete state-approved CNA classes.


While according to federal law each nursing assistant course should contain a minimum of seventy-five (75) instruction and clinical hours, individual states have the liberty to mandate extra training requirements for certified nursing assistants. The majority of states exceed the threshold federal minimum requirements for nurse aide training programs because they are considered insufficient to result in an optimal and safe level of care for clients.


A review of nationwide state requirements for nurse assistant courses has found that the following states have mandated highest number of CNA program hours: Maine with a minimum of 90 hours of theory, 20 hours of laboratory skills and 70 hours of clinical instruction for a total of 180 hours; California with one hundred and sixty (160) training hours; Delaware and Oregon each requiring one hundred and fifty (150) hours; followed by the state of Alaska with one hundred and forty (140) hours; Virginia, Arizona, and West Virginia have a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) training hours for state-approved classes.

CNA Training Programs

Nurse Aide Registries

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