CNA Classes in Nebraska | 9 Top Schools & Training Programs

It’s time to look into CNA classes in Nebraska. You’re sick and tired of the same old thing day in and day out and want a job with some variety. You’re also looking for a job that will keep you more active and let you interact with others. It’s time to consider getting your Nebraska CNA license!

Why hang around in the same job you hate, miserable every day, when you can start an exciting new career in a rapidly expanding market where demand is high? If you’re worried about how expensive it is to go back to school, then don’t be. CNA classes in Nebraska are very cheap and in less than a year you can have your CNA certification in Nebraska! You also don’t need to worry about money because the CNA salary in Nebraska is more than enough to make a living. 

Who is the regulatory body for CNAs in Nebraska?

In the state of Nebraska, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is the regulatory body for CNAs. They set the requirements for education and training to become a Nurse Aide and maintain the Nurse Aid Registry. It is their standards that training programs must follow to become qualified, and they determine whether your application is accepted when it is time to sit for your certification examinations. 

Who administers the CNA exam in Nebraska?

In Nebraska, the CNA exam is administered by individually certified facilities. If a college has a state approved CNA program, then they are generally allowed to administer the state CNA examinations.  Your college education will always administer the exam.


If you complete your program through a facility-based program instead, you will need to arrange testing. The Nebraska DHHS has a list of approved testing facilities on their site for you to go to. You can register with the Nebraska health Care learning Center or the Providence Health Care Institute. The Red Cross offers the examinations, as well. 

Nebraska State Requirements for CNAs

According to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, there are several requirements necessary to get your CNA and become a fully licensed nurse Aide.  Once you’ve become certified, you must work as a nurse aide in a paid position within 24 months of date of previous employment to stay active on the registry. 

If you end up with a lapsed certification status, you may reactivate your registration by retaking the written and clinical exams. If you were certified before 1989 and got grandfathered into the registry, you won’t be eligible for a retest and will have to take a full Nurse Aide course again.

Nursing students can ask to be placed on the registry by letter. Your letter must include your name, address, phone number, social security or I-94, and birthday. A certified copy of your transcript and letter signed by your instructor must be sent to identify the course you have completed. Your grade must be a 70% or higher or you will also have to provide documentation that you successfully passed the written and skills exams set forth by the state. You must also take Nebraska Abuse/Neglect/Misappropriation training if it was not already included in your coursework.

Foreign nurses will need the same cover letter plus a Credentials Evaluation Service Professional Report from the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools. They must also take the Nebraska Abuse/Neglect/Misappropriation Training and successfully pass the state approved written and skills exams. 

New students will need to take 75 hours of training or a 21-hour basic resident car4 course for intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled. You must be at least 16 years old. You must pass a criminal background check. You need to complete 1 hour of Nebraska specific abuse/neglect/misappropriation training. The Nebraska Department of health and Human Services is a great resource, providing FAQs, approved and recommended courses and training facilities, approved textbooks and materials, and the reimbursement responsibility for nurse aide training. 

 Nebraska CNA Exam Details

The written exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions. If you need to, you can request an oral examination instead and have the questions read aloud to you. A passing grade is 70% or higher. This exam covers safety, basic nursing skills, communication, data collection, infection control, personal care, role and responsibility of nurse aides, mental health care, disease processes, resident rights, care impaired, and older adult growth and development. 

The skills exam will require you to demonstrate 6 skills. A passing score is 70% or higher on each skill. Failing 1 skill fails your entire skills test. The steps may include mandatory steps, or key steps. These steps must be performed correctly or you will automatically fail. You are allowed to self-correct during this examination by telling your instructor that you have missed or miss-performed a step. They will allow you to perform it correctly. 

Individuals will be given 3 attempts to pass each exam. If you do not pass after 3 tries, you must retake your 75-hour training course. You should show up to your exam in scrubs and non-skid shoes with a watch that has a second hand. Make sure it isn’t a smart watch because electronics are prohibited during testing. 

How much does the Nebraska CNA exam cost?

One of the really cool things about Nebraska is that there is no application fee or form requirement for nurse aides who want to take their certification examinations. In fact, even if program tuition costs are a bit high for you, they also have a reimbursement mandate thanks to the high demand for nurse aides in the state. This means that even if you have to put the costs up front, your investment will very quickly pay itself back. 

No nurse aide who is employed by or has received an employment offer from a facility when they begin their training and competency evaluation program can be charged for any part of the program, including textbook fees and course material. If someone who isn’t employed receives an offer of employment from someone within a year of completing their training and competency program, the state must provide reimbursement of any costs incurred for completing the program on a pro rata basis while they’re employed as a nurse aide.  

Tuition costs usually range from $400 to $500 for training. You may also need to purchase materials, such as scrubs and shoes, out of pocket. Some programs offer free training and financial aid options for those who can’t afford the up front costs before reimbursement. 

If you are taking the exam through college programs, then your exam fee should be covered with your tuition. If you’re taking a facility-based program, then the test facilities recommended by the state may charge a fee. The Nebraska Health Care Institute charges about $20 for the written exam and $32 for the skills exam, totaling $52 for the exam costs. 

Where can you take the CNA exam in Nebraska?

In Nebraska, there are several colleges approved for nurse aid competency testing and re-testing. You can find colleges in Columbus, Grand Island, Hastings, Lincoln, Omaha, McCook, Norfolk, North Platte, and other local areas. 

CCC has several locations and both Nebraska Health Care Learning Center and Providence Health Care Institute, LLC, offer testing throughout the state. MPCC has a few locations, and there are multiple test facilities throughout Omaha. 

Most first time test takers will find that their program includes the certification test, and will sit for their state certification examinations at their home facility. If you are retesting, Nebraska has provided a list of recommended re-certification facilities. Make sure to ask your school whether exam fees are included, and what they charge if they aren’t. 

How much does a CNA get paid in Nebraska?

The biggest question most people have when switching careers is whether it is worth the risk. Can they be sure that they’re going t be paid well enough to make a living in their new field? The good news with healthcare jobs is that they’re in high demand so job security is very good.

CNAs usually make around $15 per hour in Nebraska, which is 18% above the national average. They can expect around $5000 in overtime pay per year. This number is growing rapidly, because many of the open job positions are starting at $16 o $25 per hour for qualified CNAs. The average annual pay is $29,000 as of July 30, 2019. The high in the state can top out at just under $40,000 per year. 

CNA Schools in Nebraska

So you have sorted out testing and registration with the information above and still want to pursue a career as a Certified Nurse Aide. That’s fantastic! The next step is discovering where you want to go to get the mandatory training. Here are some great programs across the state that could work for you. 

Union College - Lincoln

union college - lincoln

Union College has one of the best nursing schools in Nebraska. Their NCLEX-RN first time pass rate for 2018 was 100%, which is pretty much unheard of!

This is their third graduating class in a row with a 100% passing rate, too. This makes then a great place to go for your CA.

They clearly know how to prepare their students properly for examinations, so you can be sure that you’re getting exactly the right training to pass our test. On top of that, you will graduate with a basic foundation for the nursing industry. If you choose to keep going and get certified as an RN< you’ve already got the right program… Just keep building on what you’ve already learned with the same great facility and careful instructors!   

Union College treats each student as an individual. You will get personalized, hands on training with fantastic instructors who know how to teach what’s important and prepare you to be the top of your field. They do this by keeping class sizes small. 

Metropolitan Community College

Metropolitan Community College really understands the role a CNA plays in the healthcare community. They have a great program that forms the foundation of a career in nursing. Their program qualifies as the CNA prerequisite to PN and RN programs for nursing. They have dedicated faculty that run the CNA program specifically

Their curriculum follows the Nebraska requirements and has specific learning objectives outlined in each study unit. The program consists of 9 units with a quiz and competency check after each unit presented. The class runs 82 hours, and students are required to attend 77 of those hours. Students may not miss any of their clinical hours during the course. They provide 59 hours of classroom and lab experience and 22.5 clinical hours in a local healthcare facility.

Their schedule is flexible so you can take classes daytimes, evenings, or over weekends. They also have several different locations throughout the state. 

Southeast Community College

southeast community colelge

Southeast Community College offers a full nursing Assistant program. They prepare their students for careers in long-term care facilities, home health care, hospice, and mental health facilities.

They teach students to help with daily living activities, feeding, bathing, dressing, walking, and more. 

Their course is fully approved by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services to certify you as a qualified CNA. 

They offer classes in Lincoln, Beatrice, Falls City, Hebron, Milford, Nebraska City, Plattsmouth, Wahoo, and York, so no mater where you live, you can get started soon. Their classes are about $477 for residents, and count as 4 semester credits towards your education. They offer classes during evenings or mornings to accommodate any schedule. 

Northeast Community College

Northeast Community College also offers a Nurse Aide program that counts towards college credit. Their course was designed according to the Nebraska DHHS standards, so it meets all the necessary requirements and allows students to sit their competency examinations for a $45 fee at the end of their training. 

The course is a combination of classroom labs and lectures with clinical hands-on experience in partner facilities. For this coursework, you can’t register online. You must register in person. They offer financial assistance through the Community College GAP Assistance Program if your income qualifies. 

Central Community College

The Nursing Assistance Training program at Central Community College is a 76-hour training that follows the guidelines required by the Nebraska DHHS.

Students are eligible to take the exam once they’ve completed their coursework successfully.

They have locations in Columbus, Grand Island, and Hastings, as well as learning centers in Holdrege, Ord, Kearney, and Lexington. Their program is part of the Extended Learning Services office.  They offer daytime and evening classes to accommodate work schedules. 

Clarkson College

The Clarkson College nurse Aide (CCNA) course prepares their students to become licensed CNAs. They instruct students on safe, effective, and caring patient interaction in several different health care settings, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, home health, and developmental disability facilities. 

Their class is non-credit offering, but it is short term, so you can quickly qualify to be a CNA. They provide classroom and clinical skills to their students and show them how to be a contributing member of their health care team. Students learn effective communication with both patients and coworkers alongside more practical and theoretical knowledge like safety and infection controls.   

Their clinical are conducted with a partnering long-term care facility that requires students to wear navy blue scrubs and a watch with a second hand. Closed toe, non-skid shoes are also required. The clinical times are different from your classroom times. Students will be provided with a complete schedule at registration so they can be sure to have the time free. 

Western Nebraska Community College

Western Nebraska Community College is a great place to begin building a career. Their CNA program prepares you for the state certification examination. Upon completion, you will already be well on your away towards a pre-professional nursing degree – your Associate of Science in Nursing (Pre-professional). 

From there, you can build even further by getting a general Associates in Nursing, a Practical Nursing degree, or Advanced LPN to RN degree. You can also switch careers within health care and learn about Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Radiological Technology, Medical Technology, Medical Lab Technical, and more.  

Nebraska Methodist College of nursing and Allied Health

nebraska methodist college of nursing and allied health

The Nebraska Methodist College will help you become a certified CNA in just weeks. They offer a 1-month program with small classes taught by experienced instructors.

Students will be immersed in a hands-on learning environment that helps them quickly prepare for the CNA examination. 

They also offer a 6-week hybrid certificate program that offers mostly online coursework with weekly interactive labs and clinical practical facilitated in person. 

Their program teaches care for all types of patients but pays extra attention or patients in the process of aging, including both physical and emotional aspects of aging. They offer daytime, evening, and weekend classes.   

Bryan College of Health Sciences

Bryan offers a Basic Nursing Assistant program of study. This class allows you to build a foundation that you can move into nursing or allied health from and prepares you for your CNA examination. 

Their class fulfills their college’s prerequisite for nursing school admission. It costs $499 for tuition, and that covers your manual, workbook, and instruction.