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Top CNA Programs in Georgia

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) as one of the fastest-growing occupations in the United States. Bearing this in mind, in the coming years there should be ample opportunities for CNAs to find work and have upward mobility inside of the healthcare profession.

Certified Nursing Assistants can be found working in a wide variety of healthcare settings like physicians' offices, convalescent homes, private homes, transitional care units and community health agencies.

Those flirting with the idea of pursuing a career as a CNA in Georgia should always seek out the best certification programs that are available to them.

How to Choose a Top CNA Program in Georgia

Those who are seriously considering pursuing a career as a Certified Nurse Assistant should look to attend a quality program in the state. Prospective CNA students should take the following measures into consideration when seeking out top programs:

  • If possible, determine the program's state standardized CNA certification exam pass rate
  • Look into any possible program accolades or awards which have been given to the school
  • Determine the approximate cost to attend the program
  • Number of campuses the program is offered at
  • How long has the program been around?
  • Availability of scholarships/financial aid/grants (how much money does the school award to students each year?)
  • Student success rate of the program (how many students enroll versus how may graduate?)
  • Local healthcare facility partnerships with the program
  • What sort of credentials do the administrators and instructors have?

Testing and Certification

The initial step in obtaining one's nursing assistant certification is to successfully complete a state-approved program. Students who successfully complete the Nurse Aide technical certificate of credit at a state-approved institution are then eligible to sit for the National Nurse Aide Assessment program (NNAAP) exam. This exam is administered by Pearson VUE.

The state certification exam fee is $122. It is composed of two distinct evaluations: section one evaluates the student's knowledge via a multiple-choice format. Section two represents the skills assessment portion of the exam. Here, the student is called on to carry out a number of randomly selected nursing assistant duties/skills.

When a CNA student passes this exam after having finished a state-approved program, the next step for them is to submit a notarized copy of the training certificate which includes the completion date and primary instructor's signature.

List of CNA Classes and Programs in Georgia

Choosing the right CNA school in Georgia can be challenging, as there are options all across the state. To help students narrow down the list, we’ve compiled some of the best nurse aide programs in Georgia. See our top picks below.

Southern Crescent Technical College

Formed in 2010, Southern Crescent Technical College is a publicly funded, two-year junior college offering a wide variety of programs and technical certificates. SCTC serves the educational needs and vocational requirements of eight counties in the southern Atlanta region.

SCTC offers its 2 semester, 3 credit hour nurse aide program (CN21) at 5 of its campus locations: Griffin, Flint River, Butts, Henry, and Jasper Centers.

Healthcare facilities located near SCTC currently hiring CNAs

  • Next Step Health Care Services
  • Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery Center
  • WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital
  • Southland Health and Rehabilitation

Tuition

The total estimated cost of SCTC’s CNA program is around $1,687.

Atlanta Technical College

Founded in 1967 and located in the state’s capitol, Atlanta Technical College is a public postsecondary educational institution which serves student populations in Clayton and Fulton counties. ATC currently serves 4,000 students.

One of ATC’s most popular certificate programs is its Nurse Aide Technical Certificate program. The program meets all state requirements for students to sit for the state certification exam upon successful completion. The one-semester long program is composed of 135 contact hours and 13 credit hours.

To be eligible to sit for the National Nurse Aide Assessment program (NNAPP), students are required to have maintained a 2.0 GPA in all required coursework.

Healthcare facilities located near city of Atlanta currently hiring CNAs

  • WellStar Spalding Hospital
  • Trimark Health Services Inc.
  • Ellsworth Healthcare Staffing

Tuition

The total estimated cost of Atlanta Technical College CNA program is $3,656.

Lanier Technical College

Lanier Technical College was originally founded in 1964 and serves the educational needs of seven counties in northern Georgia (Barrow, Dawson, Hall, Lumpkin, Banks, Jackson and Forsyth). LTC is one of the institutions in the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).

LTC offers a 2 semester, 13 credit hour CNA program which is composed of four individual courses:

  • ALHS 1040 Introduction to Healthcare
  • ALHS 1060 Diet & Nutrition for ALHS
  • ALHS 1090 Medical Terminology
  • NAST 1100 Nurse Aid Fundamentals

Healthcare facilities located near SCTC currently hiring CNAs

  • Presbyterian Healthcare Services
  • The Retreat Nursing Home
  • Pruitt Health Monroe

Tuition

Students who wish to attend Lanier Technical College’s CNA program will need to set aside approximately $1,415.

Columbus Technical College

Originally established in 1961, Columbus Technical College is a 2 year, state funded technical institution located in the city of Columbus, in the western region of the state. CTC represents one of the colleges which makes up the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).

CTC’s Certified Nursing Assistant program is one of the school’s most popular certificate degree programs. The program is composed of a mixture of didactic, in-class instruction and clinical skills training. In total, the program’s duration is a semester long and totals 13 semester credit hours. Instruction hours can be completed during the day or evening.

Similar to other CNA programs offered at institutions that are a part of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Columbus Technical College’s CNA program also consists of the following four individual courses:

  • ALHS 1040 Introduction to Health Care
  • ALHS 1090 Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences
  • ALHS 1060 Diet and Nutrition for Allied Health Sciences
  • NAST 1100 Nurse Aide Fundamentals

Healthcare facilities located near Columbus currently hiring CNAs

  • Aveanna Healthcare
  • Canterbury Nursing and Rehab Center
  • Francis Columbus Center

Tuition

Students wishing to attend Columbus Technical College’s CNA program will be required to pay an estimated total cost of $2,100.

Savannah Technical College

Savannah Technical College is a 2-year, state funded, technical community college located in the city of Savannah. STC is a part of Technical College System of Georgia, and as such offers the same 4 course, 13 credit nursing assistant program which other institutions in TCSG offer. STC was originally established in back in 1929. Today it serves a student body of around 3,500 students.

STC’s program is offered at its Liberty, Savannah and Effingham campuses.

STC’s Nurse Aide program students who successfully complete all of the program courses are then able to sit for the National Nurse Aide Assessment program (NNAAP) exam. 

Healthcare facilities located near Savannah currently hiring CNAs

  • Signature Healthcare
  • Zeppone Caring Hands
  • Joseph’s/Candler

Tuition

In-state students wishing to attend STCs Certified Nursing Assistant program will be required to pay an estimated total cost of $1,157, while out-of-state students will be required to pay around $2,314.

Ogeechee Technical College

Ogeechee Technical College is a state funded, two-year post-secondary educational institution located in the city of Statesboro. OTC was originally established in 1987 and is a part of the TCSG. The school serves students from Evans, Screven and Bulloch counties.

OTC offers students a Nurse Aide Certificate program that’s 1 semester long, 270 contact hours, and 13 semester credit hours. The program goes by the name CN21 Nurse Aide Certificate. It seeks to prepare its students via a mixture of classroom instruction and on-site clinical skills training. OTC offers its Nursing Aide students 5 different clinical sites in the surrounding area. Students who successfully complete this semester long program become eligible to sit for the state certification exam.

Healthcare facilities located near Statesboro currently hiring CNAs

  • Browns Health & Rehab
  • Ethica Health
  • East Georgia Regional Medical Center

Tuition

Students who wish to attend Ogeechee Technical College’s CNA program will need be prepared to pay approximately $2,020.

Athens Technical College

Founded in 1958, Athens Technical College, like a number of other colleges on this list, is part of the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG). With its main campus located in Athens, the technical college also maintains satellite campuses in Greensboro, Elberton and Monroe.

ATC offers students a 12-week, 135 contact hour CNA program that incorporates both in-class instruction and clinical/lab skills instruction. The initial 9 weeks of the program occurs inside of the classroom, whereas the final 3 weeks of instruction are carried out in a long-term care nursing facility. In order to pass this program, 100% attendance at each class section is required.

Healthcare facilities located near Athens currently hiring CNAs

  • Regency Hospice
  • University Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
  • The Oaks
  • Landmark Hospitals

Tuition

Students enrolled in Athens Technical College’s CNA program will be required to pay approximately $2,900.