Points of interest…
- Trident Technical College's 2026 nurse aide program costs $2,000, textbooks included.
- Charleston area CNAs earn a median $38,810 yearly, $18.66 hourly.
- Several local employers, including MUSC Health, may sponsor CNA training.
CNA training in South Carolina remains one of the cheapest healthcare credentials to earn: Trident Technical College lists its nurse aide program at $2,000 for 2026, textbooks included. North Charleston sits inside the Charleston metro's hospital and long-term care corridor, where MUSC Health, Roper St. Francis, Trident Health, and area skilled nursing facilities hire aides at a metro median of $38,810 a year.
The harder questions are which programs South Carolina actually approves, how little of the training can happen online, and who might cover your tuition. Schools within roughly 75 miles are included, so Summerville, Goose Creek, and Mount Pleasant are covered.
Who Hires CNAs Around North Charleston, and Who Will Train You
Hiring is not the hard part of becoming a CNA here; finding an employer that pays for your training is. Demand comes from four employer types: hospital systems (MUSC Health, Roper St. Francis, Trident Health), skilled nursing and rehab facilities, assisted living communities, and home health agencies.
What MUSC and the Hospitals Offer
No source confirms an open MUSC CNA course for the general public. MUSC does partner with Trident Technical College on a 24-month Pre-Nursing PCT Youth Apprentice Program. It pairs CNA and patient care tech coursework with paid work, and it is open to high school juniors and seniors or diploma/GED holders. Pay and post-program commitment terms are not published.
Roper and Trident Health post patient care tech and CNA openings, but a job listing is not proof of a sponsored training cohort. Check current postings directly.
One confirmed option is in the nursing home sector: NHC HealthCare Charleston runs an employer-sponsored free CNA training program of about three weeks that may cost $0.
Ask About the Commitment First
Employer-sponsored training usually comes with strings. Some employers require a set period of work or repayment of tuition if you leave early. Before signing, ask how long you must stay, what repayment applies, and which shifts you would be assigned. Get the answers in writing.
Where the Jobs Cluster
If you complete CNA training in Charleston SC, expect to commute within the tri-county area. CNA openings concentrate in:
- Summerville
- Goose Creek
- Mount Pleasant
- West Ashley and downtown Charleston
- Moncks Corner
Can You Take CNA Classes Online in South Carolina?
Online theory and in-person clinicals are different in certified nursing assistant programs: only the classroom portion can be delivered remotely. Some South Carolina programs may deliver part of the classroom instruction remotely, but skills lab and clinical hours require in-person attendance at an approved site. A program advertising fully online CNA certification would not meet state approval requirements.
How the Hours Break Down
The state minimum is 100 hours: 60 of classroom and lab work (often summarized as including 20 lab hours) and 40 of supervised clinical practice. Trident Technical College, one of the Nursing Schools in North Charleston, runs 121.25 hours in 2026: 80 classroom hours including BLS/CPR, then 41.25 clinical hours. Its listing does not break out lab time separately.
Schedules Around North Charleston
Trident's 2026 sections are in-person and weekday daytime. Classes meet 9 to 2 at the Thornley campus in North Charleston, followed by a clinical week at an off-campus site from 6:45 to 3. Fall I ran Aug 17 to Sep 29, about six weeks. Fall II runs Oct 13 to Dec 4, roughly eight weeks.
P.A.T.C.H. lists morning (8 to 12) and evening (6 to 10) classes. Charleston-area day and evening programs generally take about six weeks, often Monday through Thursday. A current weekend schedule in the Charleston area is not confirmed, so ask providers directly.
Which Format Fits a Full-Time Job
Evening classes are the realistic choice for working adults, at roughly six weeks. Trident's daytime format suits people with flexible schedules. Its clinical week runs daytime hours, so plan time off, and ask any evening program how its clinical hours are scheduled.
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The All-in Cost of CNA Training in North Charleston
The published 2026 price for Trident Technical College's nurse aide program is $2,000, and textbooks are included. Some online summaries say the exam fee and supplies are also rolled into that price, while official listings do not itemize those costs. The donut below shows the separately billed written and clinical-skills exam fees if they are not covered by the program price; typical extras like uniforms, background checks, and TB tests vary and are not shown because current published Trident-specific amounts are unavailable.
CNA Pay in the Charleston-North Charleston Metro
Nursing assistants in the Charleston-North Charleston metro earn a median annual wage of $38,810, or about $18.66 an hour and $3,230 a month before taxes for a full-time schedule. The middle half of the field falls between $37,350 and $44,040 per year; a separate South Carolina statewide median for nursing assistants is not published in the 2025 federal metro release used here. After one to two years of bedside experience, many local CNAs use employer tuition assistance to move into patient care technician, LPN, or RN roles, where pay typically steps up; the statewide CNA program directory can help you compare bridge options.
| Pay measure | Annual wage | Approximate hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | $37,350 | $17.96 |
| Median | $38,810 | $18.66 |
| 75th percentile | $44,040 | $21.17 |
| Mean | $40,350 | $19.40 |
Whether CNA training is free depends less on the program itself than on the funding you qualify for, so check workforce grants and employer sponsorships before paying out of pocket.
What You Need Before You Enroll
South Carolina sets the baseline; programs and clinical sites may add steps.
- Age and physical abilityBe at least 18, proficient in English, and able to lift 50 pounds.
- Diploma, GED, or reading placementVaries by program; state training rules do not list a high school credential, but schools or clinical sites may set placement rules.
- Criminal background checkSC testing screens for felony convictions and abuse-registry listings. Trident checks at first-day orientation; disclose prior records, since adverse findings can block clinical or testing.
- TB testTrident requires negative QuantiFERON; some clinical sites accept PPD or chest X-ray.
- ImmunizationsTrident requires hepatitis B and COVID-19 before clinical, plus seasonal flu when in season; COVID-19 exemptions need a physician form.
- CPR/BLS cardNot uniformly required; some clinical sites may request BLS.
- Drug screenWhen required, Trident's 2026 listing calls for a negative 9–10-panel screen; details vary.
Top-Ranked CNA Programs Serving North Charleston Students
Below are the top CNA programs serving North Charleston students, ranked by cost, completions, and program fit. The list considers schools within about 75 miles of North Charleston, so students can compare local college-based training and a shorter private option without driving across the state. Short private non-degree providers may not always appear in federal data, so check the state-approval section before choosing a shorter private course.
Factors considered
- First-year retention and persistence
- Student-to-faculty ratio
- Net price and program cost
- Program length and delivery format
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 | Trident Technical College | Charleston, SC | $5,000 – $9,000/yr (est.) | North Charleston residents seeking local access | |
Trident Technical College offers a campus-based Certified Nurse Aide program at the Thornley Campus in North Charleston, the clearest local fit for students in this area. The program includes 121.25 total hours of classroom, lab, and clinical training plus Basic Life Support, with a reported $2,000 total cost covering textbooks and certification-related fees. Strong regional employer connections through the Division of Apprenticeships and Employer Partnerships can create paid training or tuition-help pathways for qualified students.
| |||||
| #2 | Miller-Motte College-Charleston | Charleston, SC | Working adults needing frequent start dates | ||
Miller-Motte College-Charleston provides a private campus-based CNA option with a structured five-week, 120-clock-hour format. The rolling schedule, with new starts about every five weeks, suits students who need frequent entry points rather than waiting for a traditional semester. The program focuses on patient safety, medical terminology, therapeutic communication, and the legal and ethical duties of nursing assistants. Tuition and fee details are not published in available sources, so applicants should request a current cost sheet before enrolling.
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| #3 | Williamsburg Technical College | Kingstree, SC | ~$10,000/yr (est.) | Rural learners wanting quick entry | |
Williamsburg Technical College offers a one-semester, 16-credit-hour Nursing Assistant certificate for students in the greater Kingstree area who want to stay closer to home. The campus-based program combines classroom and lab work with supervised clinical hours in a long-term care setting under LPNs and RNs. Admission requires a high school diploma or GED, and students must maintain a C average or better to progress toward the state competency exam.
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| #4 | Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg, SC | ~$2,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #5 | Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence, SC | $5,000 – $7,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #6 | Tri-County Technical College | Pendleton, SC | $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #7 | Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College | Orangeburg, SC | $5,000 – $8,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #8 | York Technical College | Rock Hill, SC | ~$6,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #9 | Horry-Georgetown Technical College | Conway, SC | ~$4,000/yr (est.) | ||
| #10 | Midlands Technical College | West Columbia, SC | $5,000 – $15,000/yr (est.) | ||
Questions to Ask Yourself
Do you qualify for SC WINS or WIOA funding, or would an employer-paid trainee role at a hospital or nursing home be a better deal?
Free or reduced-cost seats can disappear quickly, and employer-sponsored training usually comes with a work commitment after certification. Check your eligibility before paying out of pocket for a program you could attend at little cost.
Can your schedule absorb daytime clinicals, or do you need an evening or weekend cohort?
Many North Charleston programs run clinical rotations on weekday mornings at long-term care facilities. If you work a 9-to-5 job, filter for hybrid or evening sections so a schedule conflict does not delay your CNA exam.
Is the program on South Carolina's approved list, and will it share its exam pass rate?
Only graduates of approved programs can sit for the South Carolina Nurse Aide exam, and a program that will not share pass rates may be hiding weak instruction. Ask for the most recent cohort's first-time pass rate before you enroll.
Do you plan to bridge to LPN later, making a community college start more useful?
If nursing is a longer-term goal, choosing a community college CNA program can give you a clearer path into an LPN or ADN sequence and smoother credit or prerequisite recognition later. A short private program may be faster but less connected to that next step.
North Charleston CNA Training FAQs
These are the questions prospective CNAs in North Charleston ask most often. Costs, timelines, and testing rules vary by provider and personal schedule, so use the details below as a starting point before you contact programs directly.
You must complete a state-approved 100-hour nurse aide course with classroom and clinical hours at nursing schools in South Carolina, then schedule the two-part NNAAP exam.1 Full-time students often finish training in a few weeks, while part-time or evening schedules can take several months. The state requires passing the exam within two years of completing training.
Costs vary by school and may include tuition, supplies, background check, and exam fees. Some employers and workforce programs in the Charleston area, including nursing schools in Charleston SC, offer free or reduced-cost training if you commit to work after certification, but this is not guaranteed. Contact each program directly for a current price sheet.
Yes, in most cases. Your certification must be active and in good standing on another state registry, meet OBRA 1987 requirements, and show completion of a 100-hour state-approved course with no abuse, neglect, or misappropriation findings.1 Apply online through the Credentia South Carolina portal.1 Eligible CNAs do not repeat training or the NNAAP exam.
You may retake the failed component. South Carolina allows three total attempts to pass the NNAAP, and both the written or oral and skills portions must be passed. After three failures, you must complete a new 100-hour state-approved program before retesting. The exam must be passed within two years of finishing approved training.
