Highline College’s accelerated four‑week Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Theory and Practicum Program provides the essential training and hands‑on experience needed to pass the Washington State Nursing Assistant exam and begin a career in healthcare. After coursework, students can use open labs for extra practice before testing. Graduates enter roles in hospitals, rehab centers, nursing homes, hospice care, outpatient surgery centers, and emergency rooms. The program also fulfills a prerequisite for Highline’s Registered Nursing Program, creating a direct pathway for advancing in the nursing field. Start your healthcare journey with Highline College today.
How To Register:
We are only accepting applications in-person, students are required complete an entrance exam upon submission of the NAC application. If you have questions, please email ce@highline.edu or call 206-592-3785.
Campus Hours/Location: Mondays-Fridays from 8am-4pm --23609 Pacific Hwy S #202, Des Moines, WA 98198
Application Steps:
Below are the application steps for the NAC/CNA program:
- Apply to Highline College at: Apply for Admission
- Complete a CNA application from below.
- Provide evidence of a negative Tuberculosis (TB) reading (within the past year) or current x-ray/symptom check (within the past 2 years).
- Incomplete or illegible applications will not be considered. A reading assessment will be administered upon application submission.
- Complete the background check form online and provide us with the generated 10-character code: https://fortress.wa.gov/dshs/bcs/.
- Provide payment in full for the course, payment will be submitted online in the students CTC Link portal once accepted into the NAC Program. If you are receiving funding, you will be required to submit a letter or email from the funding source stating you have been approved for tuition assistance.
Why register for Highline's Nursing Assistant Certified (NAC/CNA) program?
- A focused 4‑week training that prepares students for the Washington State Nursing Assistant licensure exam. Graduates who complete the program and pass the state Skills exam earn their NAC Certificate of Completion.
- Over half of our students qualify for funding (see below for more details).
- We now have a brand new, state-of-the-art, Allied Health Academy building where the NAC lab is located.
- Highline College doesn’t offer job placement, but our Career & Student Employment team supports career exploration, job searches, resumes, and career events.
- Becoming a certified NAC/CNA is an excellent entry point into the healthcare field. In King County, an average starting wage is $21.06 per hour (Lightcast Labor Market Analytics).
Sessions Open for Enrollment:
Spring Session 1: Application Here. (FULL *WAITLIST OPEN*)
Application Deadline: New applications will not be accepted after Monday, March 2nd, 2026
Dates/Days/Times
- Theory: March 30th - April 16th, Mon-Thu, 8:00AM-2:00PM (3 Weeks)
- On-Site Clinical: (Students must attend 1-week) : April 20th - 24th or April 27th - May 1st from Mon - Fri 6:00AM-2:30PM.
Application Deadline: New applications will not be accepted after Monday, April 13th, 2026
Dates/Days/Times
- Theory: May 11th - 29th, Mon-Thu, 8:00AM-2:00PM (3 Weeks)
- No Class on Monday, May 25th, but a make-up Class on Friday, May 29th
- On-Site Clinical: (Students must attend 1-week) : June 1st - 5th or June 8th - 12th from Mon - Fri 6:00AM-2:30PM.
Application Deadlines: New applications will not be accepted after Monday, April 13th, 2026
Dates/Days/Times
- Theory: May 11th - 29th, Mon-Thu, 3:30 PM-9:30PM (3 Weeks)
- No Class on Monday, May 25th, but a make-up Class on Friday, May 29th
- On-Site Clinical: (Students must attend 1-week) : June 1st - 5th or June 8th - 12th from Mon - Fri 2:00PM-10:30PM.
Enrollment & Payment Options:
Option #1: $1049.00
- Non-Credit
- The student receives a Certificate of Completion
- Includes medical & liability insurance, processing fee and building fee.
- Ideal for students applying to a Nursing Program
Option #2: $1189.00
- Non-Credit
- The student receives a Certificate of Completion
- Includes medical & liability insurance, processing fee, building fee, and State Testing Fees.
- Ideal for students entering the workforce or wanting to obtain a job working in this field
Option #3: $1458.90 (*estimated total varies on the price of college credit & student Admission status)
- 8-College Credits
- The student receives a Certificate of Completion
- Includes medical & liability insurance, processing fee, parking, building fee and State Testing Fees.
- Ideal for students who need elective college credits and/or for students who are receiving funding assistance
Funding Assistance:
- The NAC/CNA Certificate Training Program does not qualify for traditional Financial Aid. Visit our Workforce Education Services (WES) link for more information. If you are awarded funding from our WES department, you do not have to pay it back. Located in Building 1, call (206) 592-3802 for more information.
- The Women’s Programs & WorkFirst department at Highline College supports student parents who are recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance from Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). Eligible students must pursue a program offered through Continuing Education or any approved Professional-Technical (AAS) degree and/or certificate. Students may receive funding for required tuition, books, school fees, parking permit, childcare, and request monthly support funds for non-academic expenses. To apply, contact your DSHS Case Manager and request them to send a WorkFirst Referral (Code 3AN) to Highline College.
Certificate of Completion:
In order to be eligible for state certification exam, you must have completed and passed (with an 80% score) the NAC/CNA Certificate Training Program class at Highline College.
Clinicals:
One of the key components of Highline's NAC/CNA Training Program is the clinical experience. Students will complete 10 hours of in class lab time and 40 hours of clinical time. During the clinical, students apply theory learned in the classroom to practice in a clinical setting, which results in 50 hours of "hands-on" experience. Our current clinical location is held at Judson Park, just minutes away from Highline College.
Important:
- Clinical sites will accept placement of only those students who are insured against malpractice liability for actions or in-actions occurring in the clinical setting.
- Students participating in the clinical education program will be covered either by a student medical malpractice policy offered through the College, or acquired by the student through another source.
- The limits of such coverage shall be, at a minimum, $1,000,000 per occurrence.
- Certificates of such coverage purchased by the student will be provided to the clinical site upon request. Should any student lack adequate proof of insurance, the clinical site can refuse to accept the student for placement.
- The clinical site will perform an independent background check on all students. The clinical site reserves the right to prohibit any student from participating in clinicals.
Criminal Background Check:
Students are now required to complete the background check form online and provide us with the generated 10-character code. Instructions for Completing the Background Check Authorization Form:
1. Access the Form:
- Please use the Google Chrome web browser to access the following link: https://fortress.wa.gov/dshs/bcs/.
- This link will direct you to the online Background Check Authorization Form. Please fill in all the required information.
2. Important Information:
- Personal Information: You will provide personal information on this form, which will be stored in a secure database for 90 days.
- Electronic Signature: You will sign the form electronically.
- Disclosure Reference: Reference your court documentation or charging papers for any crimes you disclose. For questions about self-disclosure, please seek legal advice from an attorney or the courthouse where the offenses occurred.
- One Sitting: The form must be completed in one sitting; it cannot be saved and resumed later.
- Submission: Completing the form does not automatically submit a background check to BCCU
If you have questions about the types of convictions that would exclude you from the program, call Washington State Patrol customer service at (360) 705-5100 or check the list online at click here. Clinical sites will perform an national background check that includes any previous addresses within the last 3 years.
State Testing Information:
Highline College’s NAC/CNA Certificate Training Program is now an approved In-Facility Testing Site. Students who choose the enrollment option with state test and DOH application fees will be eligible to take the Washington State Nurse Aide Exam at Highline College. If you pass the test successfully, you will be considered “certified”. The instructor will discuss this process during week three of class. As of 03/21/2023, current prices are: $85 DOH Application; $55 Written State Testing. *Please note: Only one voucher code will be issued per state exam for each student*
Additional Fees & Required Supplies:
- Immunizations: TB testing (within the past year) or current chest x-ray/symptom check (within the past 2 years) must be turned in with application packet.
- Parking Permit: $5.00 daily parking passes. **Must be purchased daily. Purchases can be made at the parking pay stations located in the south and east parking lots. For more information, please visit the Public Safety website.
- Required Supplies: See Application Packet
Meet the Instructor:
Sharry Dedge, LPN worked for Kaiser Permanente for 26 years mostly in Home Health and Hospice and has been a clinical instructor for the Highline School District: Puget Sound Skill Center's (PSSC) CNA program. Sharry has a love for nursing and a passion for teaching. She has been here at Highline College for 3 years and she started her nursing career as a CNA 33 years ago.
Potential Career Pathways:
- Highline's Nursing Program
- Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)--not offered at Highline College
- Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP)--not offered at Highline College
Non-Nursing Healthcare Occupations
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Pharmacy Technician
Extended CNA Trainings
- Medication Aide
- EKG Technician
- Phlebotomist
- Dialysis Technician