Nursing Assistant Schools in Greenville, SC

Points of interest…

In 2027, many Greenville students qualify for free or low-cost CNA training.
Every South Carolina CNA program requires in-person skills labs and clinical hours.
Prisma Health and Bon Secours hire CNAs across Greenville-area hospitals.

How quickly can you become a certified nursing assistant in Greenville, and what will it cost? Most approved CNA programs in the Upstate run four to eight weeks rather than a semester. Tuition can be free through employers or workforce grants, while technical college programs often cost under $1,200; private trainers may charge more.

Greenville Technical College and nearby technical colleges in Spartanburg and Anderson anchor the public nursing schools in South Carolina. Local hiring, hybrid formats, free training routes, South Carolina certification steps, and exam pass rates all shape the decision. Pass rates and clinical placement quality vary more than price, so ranking by value matters.

Who Hires CNAs in Greenville: Prisma Health, Bon Secours, and Upstate Nursing Homes

The tradeoff many new CNAs face is speed versus setting: long-term care and home health tend to hire right after certification, while hospital jobs can take longer to land and often expect patient care technician experience or a hospital-based training title first.

Where entry-level CNAs usually start

Skilled nursing, assisted living, and home health are the fastest on-ramps in Greenville. Always Best Care Greenville hires CNAs for home care, including roles that require Hoyer-lift experience.³ Powdersville Post Acute and NHC HealthCare Greenville in Greer also run employer-linked training tracks, which helps new graduates get a foot in the door more quickly.

Hospital employers and nearby job markets

Prisma Health and Bon Secours St. Francis are the two major hospital systems in Greenville. Prisma Health posts CNA openings at Greenville Memorial Hospital and Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital, with a nursing-assistant or patient-care-technician program as the typical entry credential.¹ Bon Secours St. Francis staffs St. Francis Downtown, St. Francis Eastside, and an emergency center in Simpsonville.² It also advertises a Patient Care Technician Trainee pathway at St. Francis Downtown, a temporary nurse-aide training program under RN oversight that can serve as a bridge into hospital work.² For readers willing to commute, Spartanburg, Anderson, Greer, Easley, and Simpsonville add more Upstate demand.

Employer-paid training

Some employers reduce the upfront cost. Powdersville Post Acute advertises tuition-paid CNA classes in South Carolina through Impact CNA School.⁴ NHC HealthCare Greenville lists paid training start dates in September 2026, November 2026, and January 2027, with loan repayment or tuition assistance possible after certification.⁵ Employer-paid training can reduce or eliminate upfront tuition costs, a key consideration for affordable CNA programs.

Can You Take CNA Classes Online in South Carolina? Hybrid, Evening, and Weekend Options

No. A fully online CNA certification does not exist in South Carolina.

Some CNA programs may deliver classroom theory online or in a hybrid format, but every approved program still requires in-person skills lab practice and supervised clinical hours.

Greenville Technical College, one of the nursing schools in Greenville SC, offers a continuing education Nursing Assistant course that shows how this works locally. It pairs 60 classroom and lab hours at the Northwest Campus with 40 clinical hours completed off campus, face to face. The 2026 schedule lists day and evening sections. The college advertises online and hybrid options across continuing education generally, but its published materials do not confirm a weekend or hybrid version of the Nursing Assistant course itself.

How long each format runs

Length varies by section, so check the specific listing.

Day cohorts: Roughly 3.5 to 4.5 weeks. A November 9 to December 4 section spans about 3.5 weeks, with classroom and lab sessions plus clinical blocks on separate dates rather than every weekday.
Evening cohorts: Longer and gentler on a work schedule. One section meeting Tuesday and Thursday runs about 14 weeks, from February 10 to May 18.

Clinical days are scheduled separately and typically run 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so even evening students may need to arrange daytime time off for them.

Confirm the next start date

Workforce CNA classes run on a rolling calendar and tend to fill quickly. Before planning around a format, call the program and confirm the next cohort start date, the clinical dates, and any open seats.

What CNA Training Really Costs in Greenville

How to Become a CNA in South Carolina

Complete a state-approved training program
Finish a South Carolina-approved nurse aide program of at least 100 hours: 60 classroom hours (including 20 hours of skills training) and 40 supervised clinical hours in a hospital or approved nursing facility.
Meet admission prerequisites
Confirm the minimum age, TB screening, and immunization requirements with your program. A background check is required; South Carolina uses a SLED check, and if you lived outside the state in the past 10 years, checks from those states may also be required.
Pass both parts of the NNAAP exam
Take the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) through Credentia: a written or oral knowledge test plus a skills demonstration. The written or oral exam is $45, the skills evaluation is $95, or both parts are $140. Both components must be passed within two years after training and within three attempts, whichever comes first. If you pass one component, you generally retake only the failed part; confirm current retake fees through Credentia before paying.
Get listed on the South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry
After passing, complete the registry process with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS). Credentia handles the exam and online renewal through CNA365.
Keep certification active
Certification is valid for 24 months. Renew with at least 8 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work during the preceding 24 months and pay the $35 recertification fee; volunteer hours do not count. For more options across the state, visit the South Carolina CNA programs page.

Many Greenville students qualify for free or low-cost CNA training through employers, workforce grants, or high school programs, so paying full tuition out of pocket is rarely necessary.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Could you qualify for WIOA funding or an employer-paid seat before spending your own money?

Ask local workforce agencies and Greenville area employers early. A sponsored seat can cover tuition and fees, and some facilities require a work commitment in exchange.

Can your work schedule handle a compressed daytime cohort, or do you need an evening or weekend section even if it takes longer?

Fast day programs finish sooner but demand full weekday availability. Evening and weekend sections at Greenville Tech and private trainers trade a longer timeline for a schedule that fits a current job.

Is a technical college credential worth more to you than a faster start at a private trainer, especially if you plan to continue to an LPN or RN program?

Technical college coursework often transfers more easily into later nursing education, while a private program may get you certified and working sooner. Think about your five-year plan before comparing price alone.

Is the program's clinical site within reasonable driving distance from Greenville, Greer, or Simpsonville?

Clinical rotations can be scheduled at facilities across the Upstate. A cheaper program may lose its appeal if you spend hours commuting to clinicals several days a week.

Nursing Assistant Schools in and Near Greenville, SC

Greenville-area students often need to look slightly beyond city limits for CNA training. The programs below include schools within commuting distance and others across South Carolina that offer accessible formats, strong clinical preparation, and clear paths to the state Nurse Aide exam. Use these profiles to compare structure, cost, and scheduling before you commit.

Factors considered

First-year retention and student support
Student-to-faculty ratio
Clinical training and certification preparation
Program delivery and scheduling flexibility
Net price after aid

Data sources

National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) — nces.ed.gov
College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
BEA state price parities, used to adjust tuition — bea.gov
Program-level records maintained in house
Original research on individual programs

Rank	School	Location	Net price	Best for
#1	Spartanburg Community College	Spartanburg, SC	~$2,000/yr (est.)	Upstate students wanting multiple start terms
Spartanburg Community College offers a practical, non-credit CNA program through its School of Nursing. The training runs about 110 hours with campus-based sessions starting in fall, spring, and summer. For Greenville-area students, Spartanburg is a manageable drive, and the program can feed into the college's Practical Nursing and Associate Degree Nursing pathways. Visit Website 110-hour non-credit campus program Fall, spring, and summer start dates Offered through the School of Nursing Financial aid and scholarship resources available Hands-on patient care and daily CNA responsibilities Pathway into Practical Nursing and ADN programs
#2	Florence-Darlington Technical College	Florence, SC	$5,000 – $7,000/yr (est.)	Pee Dee residents avoiding college application
Florence-Darlington Technical College delivers its CNA program through Corporate and Workforce Development, so there is no traditional college application. Training is available at multiple campuses and prepares students to sit for the South Carolina Nurse Aide Exam. The location is outside the Upstate, but it may suit Greenville-area residents who are relocating or need a flexible registration process. Visit Website Continuing education via Corporate and Workforce Development No college application required Available at Main and Health Sciences campuses Prepares for SC Nurse Aide Exam Registration by call, email, or download Costs and dates subject to change
#3	Trident Technical College	Charleston, SC	$5,000 – $9,000/yr (est.)	Charleston students needing structured clinical hours
Trident Technical College's Certified Nurse Aide program combines 80 classroom hours with 41.25 clinical hours, plus Basic Life Support. The campus-based course is ACEN accredited and located in Charleston, which gives students structured hands-on preparation in a hospital-rich region. Greenville-area students considering this option should plan for relocation or long-distance attendance. Visit Website ACEN accredited 121.25 total training hours 80 classroom and 41.25 clinical hours $2,000 cost; textbooks included Basic Life Support certification included ACEN accredited Thornley Campus, Charleston SC Nurse Aide Exam eligibility Age 18+, background check, drug screen required

#4	Tri-County Technical College	Pendleton, SC	$10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.)
Tri-County Technical College offers an ACEN-accredited Certified Nurse Aide program with day and evening sections. Classes meet at the Easley QJ Center and Pendleton Campus, making this the closest technical college option for many Greenville residents. The QuickJob format is geared toward entering the workforce quickly. Visit Website ACEN accredited ACEN accredited QuickJob credential; career program Day and evening class options Easley QJ Center and Pendleton Campus Financial aid available for qualifying students Helping and Serving Others interest area
#5	Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College	Orangeburg, SC	$5,000 – $8,000/yr (est.)
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College's Nursing Assistant certificate is a compact 9-credit-hour path that includes clinical experience. The campus-based program requires criminal record and Social Security checks, with an emphasis on core competencies. It is a practical option for Greenville-area students willing to commute or relocate to Orangeburg. Visit Website ACEN accredited 9 semester-hour certificate Prepares for state certification exam Requires 80% competency in core courses CPR and long-term care courses included ACEN accredited Criminal record check and Social Security verification Clinical experience included
#6	York Technical College	Rock Hill, SC	~$6,000/yr (est.)
York Technical College offers two distinct nursing assistant pathways: a 112-hour CNA course and a longer 37-credit Nursing Care Certificate. Both prepare students for the state exam, and the shorter course has SC WINS scholarship potential for eligible residents. Rock Hill is outside the immediate Greenville area but may work for students already near the state line. Visit Website ACEN accredited 112-hour comprehensive course Tuition $2,095 SC WINS scholarship for eligible residents Background check and drug test required On-campus in Rock Hill Prepares for Nurse Aide Competency Exam Visit Website ACEN accredited 37 credit hour program Minimum 2.5 GPA required Three-semester completion path Includes anatomy, microbiology, English, and algebra Pathway to nursing degree Prepares for SC CNA exam
#7	Horry-Georgetown Technical College	Conway, SC	~$4,000/yr (est.)
Horry-Georgetown Technical College's Nursing Assistant certificate is a 9-credit-hour program with classroom, lab, and clinical components. The program is ACEN accredited and available at Georgetown and Grand Strand campuses. Greenville-area students would need to plan for travel, but the structured curriculum may appeal to those prioritizing a clear certification pathway. Visit Website ACEN accredited 9 credit hour certificate ACEN accredited Georgetown and Grand Strand campus options CPR certification required Minimum age 18 Minimum grade C to progress Financial aid and scholarships available Prepares for SC CNA certification exam
#8	Williamsburg Technical College	Kingstree, SC	~$10,000/yr (est.)
Williamsburg Technical College's one-semester Nursing Assistant certificate includes clinical hours in a long-term care facility under LPN and RN supervision. The 16-credit-hour program covers geriatric care, vital signs, and direct patient care. Its Kingstree location is farther from Greenville, making it best for students planning to relocate or attend full time. Visit Website One semester, 16 credit hours Clinical hours at a long-term care facility Prepares for state competency exam C or better required to progress High school diploma or GED required Focus on geriatric care Criminal background check required
#9	Midlands Technical College	West Columbia, SC	$5,000 – $15,000/yr (est.)
Midlands Technical College's CNA training is available as a hybrid or on-campus Academic Certificate with 22 credit hours. The program includes clinical rotations and is ACEN accredited. West Columbia is not a Greenville commute, but the hybrid format may reduce travel for some students. Visit Website ACEN accredited 22 credit hour hybrid program Estimated cost $4,488 Financial aid available Prepares for NNAAP exam ACEN accredited Background check and drug screening required Grade C or better required Stackable with other certificates Visit Website ACEN accredited 22 credit hour Academic Certificate Full-time and part-time options On-campus and hybrid delivery options Admissions interview required Medical physical and orientation required Exit exam required for graduation Prepares for South Carolina Nurse Aide Registry
#10	Miller-Motte College-Charleston	Charleston, SC
Miller-Motte College-Charleston offers a fast, campus-based CNA program lasting 120 clock hours over five weeks. The rolling enrollment model starts a new session every five weeks. Charleston is outside the Upstate, so this option suits Greenville-area students who can relocate for an accelerated format. Visit Website 120 clock hours over five weeks Rolling enrollment every five weeks Campus-based in Charleston Prepares for state licensing exams Covers patient safety and medical terminology No online option shown

Greenville CNA Program FAQs

In South Carolina, CNA training requires a 100-hour state-approved nurse aide course. After finishing, you must pass both the written or oral knowledge exam and the skills evaluation to be listed on the registry. Fast track CNA programs may take several weeks; part-time formats can take longer.

The exam has two required parts: a written or oral knowledge test and a skills evaluation. The written portion covers basic nursing skills, personal care, safety, infection control, communication, and residents' rights through 70 multiple-choice questions with a two-hour limit; an oral version is offered in English or Spanish. The skills portion includes five skills, always covering hand hygiene and one measurement task.

South Carolina does not transfer CNA certification automatically. Reciprocity is application-based: you must hold active, good-standing certification in another state, meet OBRA '87 competency requirements, and show completion of a 100-hour state-approved nurse aide course. Apply through the Credentia online portal and wait for South Carolina registry placement before working.

Your certification is valid for 24 months. To renew, you need at least 8 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work during that period and must report qualifying work through the registry. Volunteer or unpaid placements do not count. If your certification lapses, you may need to complete a 100-hour state-approved program and retake the written or oral and skills exams.

South Carolina by City

CNA Programs in Columbia

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Nursing Assistant Schools Near Greenville, SC: Compare CNA Options

Points of interest…