Points of interest…
- Chattahoochee Technical College is the only ranked CNA program in Marietta.
- Georgia requires 85 training hours, including 24 supervised clinical hours.
- Marietta-area CNA tuition runs roughly $1,150 to $1,440 before exam fees.
Georgia requires 85 hours of approved training before a candidate can sit for the nurse aide exam, so a Marietta resident can go from enrollment to certification in a matter of weeks.
The routes differ sharply. Employer-sponsored classes and WIOA-funded seats can cost nothing, while private schools nearby charge roughly $750 to $1,440 before exam and background-check fees. Approval status matters most, since hours from an unapproved provider do not count toward eligibility.
Schools within 75 miles are ranked below. Jump straight to the program list →
Where Marietta CNAs Work: Hospitals, Nursing Homes, and the Cobb County Job Market
Marietta sits inside the larger Atlanta metro job market, so a CNA here has plenty of employer types to choose from. Wellstar Health System runs Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, and other hospital systems hire across the region. Cobb County also has skilled nursing facilities, rehab centers, assisted living communities, and home health agencies that rely on nursing assistants.
A realistic commute covers Kennesaw, Smyrna, Acworth, Austell, Roswell, and Atlanta proper. Both training and jobs in those cities, including CNA programs in Atlanta, are practical for a Marietta resident.
On a typical shift in Georgia, a CNA helps patients with bathing, eating, and moving safely, takes vital signs, and reports changes in condition to the nurse. The work is done under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
Many people treat the role as a stepping stone. Local LPN programs in Marietta and RN programs often value hands-on CNA experience. To compare options beyond Cobb County, browse the statewide list of CNA programs in Georgia.
Can You Take CNA Classes Online in Georgia? Weekday, Evening, Weekend, and Blended Formats
Can you actually get certified as a CNA online in Georgia? The short answer is no, but the details matter. Georgia requires 85 total training hours, including at least 24 hours of supervised clinical rotation in an approved healthcare facility under an RN or LPN, according to the state's nurse aide training standards. Some approved nursing schools in Georgia deliver the classroom theory portion of their CNA training programs online or in a blended format, but the skills lab and clinical hours must always be completed in person. A fully online "CNA certification" is not a recognized pathway to the Georgia nurse aide registry.
In practice, students choose formats based on speed and schedule. Weekday day classes pack the required hours into the shortest calendar span. Evening and weekend tracks spread the same hours over more weeks, which is popular with working adults. Blended programs cut some campus time by moving lectures online, but clinical hours still require commuting to a facility.
Be cautious with ads promising a "100% online CNA certification." In Georgia that is a red flag.
Private CNA Schools Within Commuting Distance: Tuition and Schedules
Private training companies trade the financial aid and slower pace of a college program for speed and schedules that fit around a job. Many Marietta-area CNA providers are private companies like this, so they don't appear in federal college data for nursing schools in Marietta. Their tuition and schedules come straight from the providers, and both can change without notice.
Covenant CNA School
Covenant, on Windy Hill Road in Marietta, publishes current figures:
- Location: 2470 Windy Hill Road SE, Marietta, GA 30067
- Tuition: $750
- Length: 5 weeks
- Schedule: Weekends only, Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Other private nursing schools in the Atlanta metro area operate, but their current prices could not be confirmed, so no estimates appear here. Atlanta-area providers commonly advertise accelerated weekday classes, evening sessions, weekend tracks, and virtual independent-study options. Some programs run as short as three weeks. Call any school you're considering for its current rate and class calendar.
Payment Plans, Refunds, and Extra Costs
Payment plan and refund terms were not published in the information available, so ask for both in writing before you enroll. Confirm whether your deposit is refundable and what happens if you miss a class weekend.
Tuition is rarely the full bill. Covenant lists a separate $130 state exam fee paid to Credentia, and the next section covers the other costs you'll need to budget for before test day.
What CNA Training in Marietta Really Costs, Start to Finish
How much do CNA classes cost in Marietta, GA? Program tuition in the Marietta area ranges from about $1,150 to $1,440, and typical extra costs for the state exam, background check, TB test or physical, and uniforms and supplies add $360-$530. The donut below shows a verified breakdown of those additional expenses for 2026.
Related Articles
Free and Funded CNA Training Near Marietta: WIOA and Employer-Sponsored Programs
Paying $750 to $1,440 up front buys you speed; waiting on funding approval can save the money but costs weeks. Find out which affordable CNA programs you qualify for before you enroll, so you don't waste either money or time.
WIOA through CobbWorks
Cobb County's workforce board, CobbWorks, administers federal WIOA training dollars and received a $1.5 million Department of Labor grant in 2026.1 Healthcare is one of its targeted in-demand industries, so CNA training may qualify, though only if the specific course sits on the approved provider list.3 Georgia's WIOA guidance generally points to dislocated workers and low-income applicants, with a 2.0 GPA standard for current students, and you apply in your county of residence.1 Start by contacting CobbWorks at 770-528-43001 or [email protected]2 to begin the eligibility review. Get approval in writing before you pay anything; funding for training you already started is not guaranteed.
Employer-sponsored options
Wellstar lists a Nursing Assistant & Allied Health Program at 325 Fulton Industrial Circle in Atlanta (678-663-4085). Grady Health System and Emory Healthcare periodically hire into nursing careers in nurse aide and patient-support roles, but current terms, costs, and external eligibility are not published, so call and ask. Many employer-backed programs carry a work commitment afterward.
Searches for free CNA classes in Atlanta usually trace back to one rule: federal regulations generally require nursing homes to reimburse training costs for aides they hire within a set window. Confirm the current terms with the facility. Before paying out of pocket anywhere, ask every prospective employer whether they reimburse tuition.
What Nursing Assistants Earn in Metro Atlanta
Is the Program Georgia-Approved? How to Verify Before You Pay
A Marietta CNA course that is not state-approved cannot make you eligible to sit for Georgia's competency exam, no matter how polished the brochure looks. Training hours from an unapproved provider do not transfer, and tuition paid is rarely refunded.
Who approves programs
The Georgia Department of Community Health is the responsible state agency, and Alliant Health Solutions administers the Georgia Nurse Aide Program as the state's contractor, handling program approvals and registry functions. Approved programs must deliver at least 85 hours of classroom, lab, and clinical training, maintain an annual exam pass rate of 80% or better, and reapply for approval every two years.
How to check a provider
Search the Georgia Nurse Aide Program portal maintained by Alliant, which includes lookups for approved training programs and instructors. Compare the exact program name and the Marietta or Cobb County street address you were given against the listing, and confirm the approval status is current, not lapsed. Registry questions can go to 678-527-3010 or 800-414-4358.
Third-party directories are unreliable here. They routinely list schools that have closed, or nursing facilities that train only their own employees, as though anyone could enroll. Call the provider directly and ask for the next confirmed start date before you pay a deposit.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Have you checked whether WIOA funding or a hospital's paid training could cover your tuition?
Cobb County workforce dollars and employer-sponsored CNA training can cut your out-of-pocket cost to near zero, but both have application deadlines and cohort limits. Paying private tuition before you check that could cost you several hundred dollars unnecessarily.
Does the provider actually run evening or weekend clinicals this quarter?
Many schools advertise flexible scheduling but only fill those cohorts when enrollment is strong. Clinical rotations are scheduled around facility availability, so confirm the specific start date and clinical hours before you commit, especially if you are keeping a full-time job.
Is CNA your destination, or a stepping stone toward LPN or RN?
If you plan to continue into nursing, a technical college program may let credits or prerequisites carry forward, while a short private course usually will not. That changes which option is actually cheaper over the long run.
Have you verified Georgia approval and asked about recent first-attempt pass rates?
Only training approved by the state qualifies you to sit for the competency exam and join the nurse aide registry. Ask the program directly what share of recent students passed on their first try, and be cautious if they will not answer.
Top-Ranked CNA Programs in and Near Marietta
Below is the top CNA program serving Marietta students, ranked by IPEDS completion data, net price, graduation rates, and program fit. Chattahoochee Technical College is the only ranked option physically located in Marietta, with the program available at both the Marietta and Appalachian campuses. Private training companies from the cost comparison may not appear here; see more Georgia options at /cna/programs/ga/.
Factors considered
- First-year retention
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- Overall graduation rate
- Net price after aid
Data sources
- BEA state price parities, used to adjust tuition — bea.gov
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Program-level records maintained in house
- Original research on individual programs
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) — nces.ed.gov
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Chattahoochee Technical College | Marietta, GA | $4,000 – $6,000/yr (est.) | Cobb County campus-based students | |
Chattahoochee Technical College is a public technical college located in Marietta. Its CNA training sits inside the School of Nursing, making it a natural first step toward Patient Care Technician or Health Care Assistant roles. The program is HOPE Career Grant eligible, which can reduce costs for qualifying Georgia residents. Students attend in person at the Marietta or Appalachian campus.
| |||||
| #2 | Athens Technical College | Athens, GA | $3,000 – $6,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #3 | South Georgia Technical College | Americus, GA | ~$1,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #4 | Southeastern Technical College | Vidalia, GA | $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #5 | Georgia Northwestern Technical College | Rome, GA | $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #6 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | Valdosta, GA | under $5,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #7 | Coastal Pines Technical College | Waycross, GA | under $5,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #8 | Savannah Technical College | Savannah, GA | $6,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
| #9 | Central Georgia Technical College | Warner Robins, GA | ~$7,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #10 | West Georgia Technical College | Waco, GA | $2,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
Marietta CNA Training FAQs
Most Georgia CNA programs run 1 to 4 months; some accelerated formats take about 4 weeks.1 After training, you still need to schedule and pass the state Written/Oral and Skills exams, so build in extra time for testing and registry placement.
Yes, free or funded CNA classes near Marietta and Atlanta do exist, usually through WIOA workforce grants, employer-sponsored hospital and nursing home training, select community programs, or Nursing Schools in Atlanta. Availability and eligibility change often, so contact programs directly for current openings and requirements.
Yes, if your license is active and in good standing on another state's registry and you have at least 8 paid hours of CNA work under nurse supervision in the preceding 2 years.2 Otherwise, Georgia routes you to testing. Approved out-of-state programs require passing the state exams within 1 year of completion.
Georgia requires 8 hours of paid nursing-related work under nurse supervision in every 24-month period to renew.3 After 24 consecutive months without qualifying paid work, your listing lapses and you must complete new approved training and pass the competency exams. There is no grace period.
