Compare costs, class schedules, and exam readiness across Brandon-area CNA training
How long does it take to become a CNA in Brandon, FL? Florida requires 120 hours of training, and some Tampa-area schools compress it into roughly five and a half weeks. Brandon sits inside the Tampa Bay market, one of the largest healthcare employment regions in the state.
The harder choices come before day one: which nearby program fits, what the all-in cost looks like once exam fees and scrubs are added, which schedule works around a current job, and whether grant-funded or employer-paid training is realistic. Sticker prices vary widely.
Most Brandon CNAs face a simple geographic tradeoff: take a job minutes from home in a local long-term care facility, or commute toward Tampa for a wider range of hospital roles and nursing specialties. Both paths are realistic here, which is part of what makes the area a practical place to start.
Brandon is one of the faster-growing suburbs of eastern Hillsborough County, and that growth drives consistent demand for direct-care workers, including graduates of Top CNA Programs in Florida. Employers include hospital systems, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living and memory care communities, and home health agencies serving an aging population across the eastern side of the county.
You are not limited to Brandon proper. Riverview, Valrico, Seffner, and Plant City sit within an easy drive and share the same labor market. For more positions and larger employers, many CNAs commute to Tampa, with Lakeland and Wesley Chapel offering additional hubs within reach.
In practice, most CNA hours are in long-term care and rehabilitation settings. Nursing homes and rehab facilities staff CNAs around the clock, so that is where the bulk of local openings sit. Hospitals do hire certified nursing assistants too, though they often bring them on as patient care technicians, a role that builds on CNA skills with added clinical duties.
Finlay Institute of Nursing in Tampa runs its 120-hour CNA program in about 5.5 weeks, with Monday through Friday classes offered in a morning block (9:00 AM to 2:00 PM) or an evening block (5:00 PM to 10:00 PM).1 That one example shows how much schedule options vary across the area.
Partly. Theory can often be completed online or in a hybrid format, but clinical hours must be done in person at an approved facility. Tampa Bay CNA, for example, pairs internet-based instruction with hands-on skills work at its center. Ask any provider which parts of the course are truly remote.
Accelerated tracks generally mean full-time daytime hours, which is hard to combine with a job.
An evening theory class does not guarantee evening clinicals. Many facilities schedule clinical days during the daytime. Before paying a deposit, ask exactly which days and hours the clinical portion falls on, and whether you can choose your shift.
Brandon sits at the junction of I-75, the Selmon Expressway and a short hop to I-4, so most of Hillsborough County is reachable. The school data available for this page, however, does not include listings in Brandon or the nearby Tampa Bay communities, so the tiers below are a framework for your search rather than a list of local picks.
No Brandon campus appears in the data, but Nursing Schools in Brandon are covered separately. For clinical rotations, a school in town means a short drive on Brandon Boulevard or State Road 60, which matters when clinical shifts start before dawn.
The next tier is Tampa, Riverview and Plant City, roughly 10 to 25 miles out. The Selmon Expressway and I-75 make Tampa and Riverview manageable, and I-4 east or US-92 leads to Plant City. No schools in these cities appear in the data. Hillsborough Community College and Pasco-Hernando State College are not in the data either, so this page makes no claims about their CNA offerings. Both are worth checking directly, since many readers comparing LPN programs in Florida also consider them.
Farther out are Lakeland, Pasco County and Pinellas, and the data has no listings there; Nursing Schools in Lakeland are covered separately. The schools it does include are well beyond a daily commute. South Florida State College in Avon Park lists hybrid evening and Sunday classes, but it is a long drive from Brandon, and its program type is classed as campus-based. Every other option in the data is likewise classed as campus-based and sits across the state.
When comparing, weigh a lower tuition quote against weekly drive time, fuel, and early clinical start times. A closer school with a slightly higher price often wins on total cost and reliability.
Sticker prices for CNA training around Brandon now vary so widely that the cheapest and priciest listings can differ tenfold, and the low numbers rarely capture the real cna programs cost.
Reported 2026 figures put Florida CNA programs at roughly $800 to $1,500 overall. Public colleges and technical centers run about $400 to $1,500, and private schools are reported at $1,500 to $3,500. Hillsborough Community College is estimated at about $850 to $1,300 for its Brandon and Plant City campuses. In Brandon, CNA Training & Testing Center lists a $1,290 program total, though its directory and provider pages disagree, so confirm directly. Tampa listings of $100 to $350 often describe exam prep, which may not be a full state-approved program. Erwin Technical College (a six-week evening course) and Brandon Adult Community School (1101 Victoria St.) are worth a call, since current tuition details were not available.
Watch for textbooks, scrubs, Level 2 background screening with fingerprinting, CPR certification, a TB test, and the state exam fee. At the Brandon center above, a $50 application fee, $105 background screening and $155 exam fee are listed separately. One Tampa scholarship program covers scrubs and textbooks but asks students to front $50 for a background check and $38 for a drug screen, reimbursed after completion. No source confirms CPR is bundled into any listed price.
Short-course providers sell a single class. Colleges bill within a larger institution, so their numbers can mislead. The colleges in the data show average institution-wide net prices of roughly $1,100 to $4,100 a year. That is an average, not a CNA course quote. Their actual CNA pricing is more specific: Florida State College at Jacksonville lists $1,199 tuition plus a required digital subscription and navy scrubs, and Cape Coral Technical College estimates $1,255 with basic life support included. Both are outside the Brandon area and show how fee bundling differs.
Before enrolling, ask each provider for a written all-in cost covering every item above.
Florida CNA certification has a few fixed costs on top of program tuition, books, supplies, and scrubs, which vary by school and are not shown below. Prometric administers the two-part state exam; nearby Tampa Bay area sites include CNA Training & Testing Center in Tampa Bay and Southern Technical Institute in Pinellas Park. The figures shown are typical ranges and vary by provider.
A January 2026 notice from CareerSource Tampa Bay advertised up to $5,000 in WIOA tuition assistance for eligible adults, dislocated workers and youth in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.1 So are there free CNA classes near Brandon or Tampa? Truly free, no-strings classes are limited. Funded routes do exist, though.
Under federal rules, a nursing home that hires a newly certified CNA within 12 months must reimburse the person's training costs.3 Keep every receipt for tuition, books, fees and the exam, and bring them to your first week of work.
Employer-paid training often comes with a work requirement. Before signing, find out how long you must stay, what happens if you leave early, whether you would owe repayment, and what shifts and pay you are agreeing to. Get the terms in writing.
Immediate CNA work versus a longer LPN or RN runway: many Brandon-area students choose the first for income and the second as a plan. Program-level earnings are not yet published, so no one-year-after-finishing figure is shown for any individual school. Use Tampa-area nursing assistant wage data as a baseline, not a guarantee.
Nursing school admissions committees often treat hands-on CNA experience as evidence you can handle patient contact. Some employers offer tuition assistance or reimbursement, especially when you commit to work for a set period after finishing. Ask about those benefits before enrolling, because they can reduce the lpn program cost of the next credential. CNA is an entry point, not a ceiling, and the skills transfer directly to more advanced nursing career paths. If you are deciding between a short CNA class and a longer nursing program, consider the CNA first as a lower-cost way to test patient care before committing to two to four years of school.
Below are the top CNA programs serving Brandon students, ranked by completion data, accreditation status, and program fit. The list includes campus-based and hybrid options across Florida, with in-town Brandon providers prioritized where available and regional campuses offered as commuting or relocation alternatives. Use each program's delivery format and support services to match your schedule and budget.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | FVI School of Nursing and Technology | Miami, FL | $35,000 – $40,000/yr | Spanish-speaking beginners wanting flexible campus scheduling | |
FVI School of Nursing and Technology offers a campus-based Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide program at its Miami and Miramar locations. The program combines hands-on lab training, a 40-hour clinical externship, and CPR/BLS certification in a 9-week format with day or evening sections. For Brandon-area learners, this is a relocation or extended-stay option rather than a daily commute.
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| #2 | Fort Myers Technical College | Fort Myers, FL | Budget-focused learners seeking campus-based training | ||
Fort Myers Technical College provides a campus-based Nursing Assistant (Articulated) program in Fort Myers that pairs classroom instruction with clinical rotations. The 165-hour format runs about six weeks and covers patient care, medical terminology, and CPR, with an estimated program cost near $1,290. Brandon-area learners considering this option should plan for a regional commute or temporary relocation.
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| #3 | South Florida Institute of Technology | Miami, FL | $32,000/yr | CNA candidates needing an affordable exam refresher | |
South Florida Institute of Technology offers a short Nursing Aide Exam Preparation course on its Miami campus for students who already have prior nursing-related coursework. The 24-clock-hour, six-Saturday format focuses on 22 practical skills and theory to prepare for the Florida CNA exam. Because classes meet only on Saturdays, Brandon-area learners may find it useful as an occasional weekend refresher, though travel is substantial.
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| #4 | South Florida State College | Avon Park, FL | $4,000/yr (net price) | ||
South Florida State College's Nursing Assistant program uses a hybrid schedule with evening and Sunday classes, making it a possibility for working learners who can manage the 165-hour, eight-week format. The program combines 90 hours of healthcare fundamentals with 75 hours of hands-on training and prepares students for the state certification exam. Located in Avon Park, the campus is within a realistic driving range for some Brandon-area students who want a hybrid option.
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| #5 | Cape Coral Technical College | Cape Coral, FL | $1,000/yr | ||
Cape Coral Technical College offers a campus-based Nursing Assistant Articulated program with a 165-hour curriculum that includes 40 clinical hours. The program is estimated at $1,255 and organizes classroom sessions from 8 am to 2:30 pm, with clinicals starting at 6:30 am. Brandon-area learners who can commute or temporarily relocate to southwest Florida may find the small class sizes and hands-on format appealing.
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| #6 | Gulf Coast State College | Panama City, FL | ~$5,000/yr (est.) | ||
Gulf Coast State College provides a hybrid Certified Nursing Assistant certificate at its Gulf Franklin Campus in Port St. Joe. The 165-clock-hour program takes about eight weeks and meets twice weekly, with selective admission and a pathway to practical nursing. Because the campus is in the Florida Panhandle, Brandon-area students should view this as a regional alternative rather than a daily commute.
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| #7 | Saint Johns River State College | Palatka, FL | $6,000/yr | ||
Saint Johns River State College offers a four-week Nursing Assistant career certificate at campuses in Orange Park and Palatka. The 120-hour program focuses on long-term care, medical terminology, legal responsibilities, and gerontology, with on-campus instruction and CPR certification included. For Brandon-area students, the Orange Park campus may be within a manageable distance for a short, intensive training block.
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| #8 | Indian River State College | Fort Pierce, FL | $4,000/yr | ||
Indian River State College runs a Nursing Assistant program at its Fort Pierce and Okeechobee campuses, with day and evening sections and three start dates per year. The curriculum combines labs and clinical settings to build skills in patient safety, vital signs, and daily living support, preparing graduates for the Florida CNA exams. Brandon-area learners may use this as a regional option, especially if they can cluster classes around work or family schedules.
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| #9 | Santa Fe College | Gainesville, FL | ~$11,000/yr (est.) | ||
Santa Fe College offers a Nursing Assistant Certificate program at its Gainesville campus. The 165-contact-hour, in-person course includes clinical rotations at local facilities and is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing, with ACEN accreditation at the institution level. Brandon-area learners can reach Gainesville for daytime cohorts, though the program admits a small number of students each cycle. ACEN accredited
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| #10 | Chipola College | Marianna, FL | $1,000/yr (net price) | ||
Chipola College offers a Nursing Assistant Long Term (CNA) program on its Marianna campus, admitting students twice a year in spring and fall. The program prepares graduates for the Nursing Assistant Certification Exam and partners with CareerSource Chipola and DWYER Workforce Development to help with tuition, housing, transportation, and job placement. For Brandon-area students, Marianna is a long-distance regional option best suited to those who can relocate for the training period.
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Before enrolling, verify each program against state records and get key promises in writing.
