Nursing Assistant Schools in Las Vegas: Cost, Timeline & Next Steps

Federal rules set a 75-hour minimum for nurse aide training, which is why CNA programs Las Vegas students choose can finish in weeks instead of semesters. It is the shortest paid route into nursing careers at the bedside, but cost and quality vary far more than the hours do.

Schools in and near the valley differ on tuition, add-on fees, and whether a grant or employer covers the bill. Certification then runs through the Nevada State Board of Nursing, which sets nursing licensure requirements, so a program's approval status matters more than its sticker price.

Why Las Vegas Hospitals and Care Facilities Keep Hiring Nursing Assistants

Federal wage surveys counted roughly 5,890 nursing assistants working across the Las Vegas metro area in May 2023, earning a median of about $20.11 an hour and reflecting steady demand for CNA training in Las Vegas. Nationally, nursing assistant is the third-largest healthcare occupation, and the valley's demand profile reflects that scale.

Who hires CNAs here

The employer list spans nearly every corner of the valley. University Medical Center anchors the public side near downtown. Valley Health System operates hospitals including Valley, Summerlin, Spring Valley, and Centennial Hills. HCA runs the Sunrise hospitals, and Dignity Health St. Rose Dominican serves Henderson and the southeast. Alongside those systems sits a much larger pool of skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, assisted living communities, and home health agencies.

Where the jobs actually sit

That spread matters when you pick CNA programs. A program in Henderson positions you for St. Rose and the Green Valley care facilities; one in North Las Vegas feeds a different set of employers entirely. Summerlin, Paradise, and Boulder City each pull from their own nearby campuses, and a 30-minute commute at 6 a.m. can become 50 minutes by shift change.

Most new CNAs start in long-term care rather than acute hospital work, and those same facilities are the ones most likely to pay for your training.

Top Nursing Assistant Schools in and Near Las Vegas

These are the top nursing assistant programs serving Las Vegas students, drawing from schools within roughly 75 miles of the city. The selections span a public community college, a university continuing-education partnership, and a private career institute, giving students multiple routes to Nevada certification. Each school listed here is currently enrolling or preparing students for the Nevada Nurse Aide Registry.

Rank	School	Location	Net price	Best for
#1	College of Southern Nevada	Las Vegas, NV	$4,000 – $13,000/yr (est.)	Local students seeking public affordable training
The College of Southern Nevada offers a campus-based Nursing Assistant certificate with multiple Las Vegas-area locations, making it a convenient public option. The program includes mandatory orientation, clinical components, and English proficiency prerequisites, and it is ACEN accredited. The school's overall graduation rate is about 19%, and the average net price after aid is approximately $6,600. Nursing Assistant, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus Visit Website ACEN accredited ACEN accredited Campus-based learning with clinical components Mandatory orientation and English proficiency prerequisites Open Entry Program Checklist guides registration Networking through Nurses Lounge Multiple Nevada campus locations
#2	University of Nevada-Las Vegas	Las Vegas, NV	~$10,000/yr (est.)	Working adults wanting hybrid online and clinical format
UNLV Lifelong Learning partners with the Perry Foundation Academy of Health to run a hybrid CNA program that blends online coursework with in-person skills practice at a Henderson facility. The program takes just over four weeks and costs $2,650, including textbook, workbook, scrubs, and licensing fees. The school's overall graduation rate is about 51%, and the average net price after aid is roughly $10,400. Certified Nursing Assistant Training Program, Certificate or Diploma — Hybrid Visit Website Four-week hybrid program with online coursework and in-person skills practice $2,650 total tuition including textbook, workbook, scrubs, and licensing fees 96 total hours of training Prepares for Nevada State Board of Nursing exam Starts in fall, spring, and summer terms Partnership with Perry Foundation Academy of Health in Henderson Requires background check, CPR/BLS, age 18, and high school diploma
#3	Pima Medical Institute-Las Vegas	Las Vegas, NV	$20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.)	Hands-on learners prioritizing campus externships
Pima Medical Institute-Las Vegas offers a six-week, campus-based Nursing Assistant/Nurse Aide certificate with clinical externships and hands-on training. The school's overall graduation rate is about 57%, and the average net price after aid is approximately $23,200. The program prepares graduates to sit for the state CNA examination. Nursing Assistant / Nurse Aide, Certificate or Diploma — On-Campus Visit Website Six-week campus-based certificate program Includes clinical externships Covers infection control and emergency procedures Eligible for CNA examination Financial aid available for qualified students Hands-on training from experienced instructors Career services and job placement assistance
#4	Truckee Meadows Community College	Reno, NV	$3,000 – $12,000/yr (est.)
Certified Nursing Assistant — On-Campus Visit Website
#5	Great Basin College	Elko, NV	~$8,000/yr (est.)
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Course — On-Campus Visit Website
#6	Western Nevada College	Carson City, NV	$13,000/yr (est. net price)
Certified Nursing Assistant — On-Campus Visit Website

How Much CNA Training Costs in Las Vegas Once You Add Every Fee

A realistic all-in budget for Las Vegas CNA training is roughly $1,500 to $2,000 once you add every required fee. Tuition alone varies widely: College of Southern Nevada lists 6 credits at $742.50 for residents, while Great Basin College lists $877.50 for tuition, registration, and technology. Private training centers often run higher, so use the ranking's net price figures as approximate context rather than exact quotes. Ask each school which of these fees are already bundled into tuition before you compare published prices.

Free, Employer-Paid, and 4-Week CNA Training Routes in Las Vegas

In Las Vegas, free CNA training programs mean someone else covers your tuition: a federal workforce grant, a nonprofit, or an employer that wants you on staff afterward. So yes, free CNA classes exist here, but each route comes with conditions.

Three Ways to Get Training Paid For

• WIOA funding: Workforce Connections, Southern Nevada's workforce board, can pay CNA tuition directly to the school if the program is on Nevada's Eligible Training Provider List. Start at an EmployNV Career Hub or Nevada JobConnect office with a photo ID, Social Security card, and proof of income or a layoff letter. You must be 18 or older and legally able to work. Getting from first appointment to a funded seat can take roughly two to eight weeks.
• Goodwill of Southern Nevada: Its free train-to-hire pathway opens with a one-week CNA Training Bootcamp covering healthcare careers, hiring connections, and time in a UNLV simulation lab. The bootcamp is not the full certification course, so ask how formal training, exam fees, and job placement are handled afterward (702-214-2073 or [email protected]).
• Employer-paid training: Some nursing homes and long-term care facilities will cover your training if you commit to working for them afterward. These offers change often, so confirm current terms directly with each employer.

The Catch With Paid Training

Employer sponsorship usually ties you to the facility for a set period, often somewhere around six months to a year. Before signing, ask whether you must repay the training cost if you leave early, and get the answer in writing.

Fast, Evening, and Hybrid Schedules

Some fast track CNA programs compress training into about a month. UNLV's hybrid CNA program, for example, runs just over four weeks and costs $2,575. Evening and weekend cohorts suit working adults but stretch over more weeks. Hybrid formats move some theory online, yet no Nevada CNA program can be finished entirely online: skills labs and clinical hours must happen in person in a supervised care setting.

Quick Answers Before You Enroll

A few questions come up regularly before Nevada students commit to a CNA program. Here are the most important answers to check before you enroll.

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What You Need to Enroll in a Nevada CNA Program

Before you pay a deposit, confirm your chosen program’s prerequisites, some requirements vary by provider.

1. Minimum age

   Plan to be at least 16 years old, the common minimum for Las Vegas CNA programs.
2. High school diploma or GED

   Some providers prefer a high school diploma or GED, but it is not a statewide requirement.
3. Background check

   A criminal background check is generally required, and certain convictions can disqualify an applicant.
4. FBI fingerprinting

   Not every school requires FBI fingerprinting, so ask whether your program or certification application needs it.
5. TB test and immunizations

   Most programs require a recent negative TB test and current immunizations before clinical placement.
6. CPR card

   Most programs require an American Heart Association BLS (CPR) card, which you can often earn through the school.
7. Nevada training requirement

   Nevada State Board of Nursing-approved programs total 75 hours, 60 theory/lab and 15 supervised clinical, and are the only training that satisfies exam eligibility.

From Final Clinical Shift to the Nevada Nurse Aide Registry

After you finish an approved Nevada CNA training program, certification moves through the Nevada State Board of Nursing and its testing vendor. Apply in the Nurse Portal, pay the exam fees, pass the knowledge and skills components, and your results are reported to the Nevada Nurse Aide Registry.

Vetting a Las Vegas CNA Program: Approval, Pass Rates, and Commute

Vetting a CNA program means running a few checks that take one website visit and a couple of phone calls. Do them in this order.

Approval and pass rates

Step one: confirm the program appears on the Nevada State Board of Nursing's approved training program list. A class that is not listed may not qualify you to test.

Step two: look at the Board's annual CNA pass-rate reports. The 2025 report breaks results out by program: written exam, skills exam, and overall results for candidates who took both. Statewide, 90% passed overall. College of Southern Nevada, one of the Nursing Schools in Las Vegas, posted 92% across 153 candidates, with 96% on the written exam and 71% on skills. The skills exam is where most people stumble, so read that column closely. These are overall rates, not first-attempt rates, so ask every school for its first-attempt numbers directly. Do not confuse CSN's 96% figures for its RN nursing degree with CNA results.¹

Clinicals and commute

Ask where clinical rotations happen, how far that site is from your home, and whether the facility hires graduates. A rotation at an employer can turn into a job offer.

Then weigh location. Central Las Vegas keeps you close to the most sites. Henderson suits southeast residents, while Summerlin and North Las Vegas riders often depend on US-95. Evening cohorts mean driving I-15 or US-95 in rush hour, so test the route at class time before you enroll.

For options beyond the valley, including Reno-area schools, browse Nursing Schools in Nevada.