Huduma CNA ProgramsFederal Way sits at the center of one of Washington's densest concentrations of long-term care employers, roughly halfway between Seattle and Tacoma, which makes it a practical place to train as a nursing assistant if you live anywhere in South King County or North Pierce County. Huduma CNA Programs, operated by Caregiver Training and Huduma Center LLC, offers two state-approved paths here: a four-week, 108-hour CNA Traditional program for $1,100 and a 40-hour HCA–CNA Bridge for $800, each with day or weekend schedules.
This guide covers what each class involves, what it costs, how enrollment works, how to get to Federal Way from nearby cities, and where graduates find work.
Two programs, one campus
| CNA Traditional | HCA–CNA Bridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Anyone starting without an HCA credential | Active Washington HCA credential holders |
| Hours | 108 (35 theory, 33 lab, 40 clinical) | 40 (36 instructional, 4 mock testing) |
| Length | 4 weeks | 5 weekdays or about 2.5 weekends |
| Tuition | $1,100 | $800 |
| Books and supplies | About $105 | About $105 |
| Prerequisites | High school diploma or GED | Active HCA credential, diploma or GED |
| Award | Certificate of Completion, eligibility for the NAC exam | Certificate of Completion, eligibility for the NAC exam |
Both programs follow Washington's approved curriculum: activities of daily living, vital signs, patient safety and transfers, infection control, communication, basic anatomy and physiology, nutrition and feeding, and legal and ethical responsibilities. Both end with the state skills test, which the program administers on site, followed by the Credentia knowledge test.
If you are unsure which program fits, the deciding question is simple: do you hold an active Washington Home Care Aide credential? If yes, the bridge saves you about three weeks and $300. If no, the traditional program is the route. Our comparison of the two programs goes deeper.
Schedules
Class dates are published by the program administrator on the class schedules page, which shows start dates, completion dates, session times, capacity, and enrollment deadlines. Draft and cancelled schedules never appear there, so what you see is what is actually running.
The traditional program uses day and weekend patterns. The bridge runs either five consecutive weekdays or a weekend pattern spread over about two and a half weekends, which is designed for caregivers who work Monday through Friday. Clinical hours take place at a partner nursing facility under instructor supervision.
Cohorts are capped by skills-lab capacity. Weekend cohorts fill first, so if you need a weekend schedule, enroll as soon as a date is published.
Cost breakdown for a Federal Way student
| Item | CNA Traditional | HCA–CNA Bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,100 | $800 |
| Books and supplies | $105 | $105 |
| Skills test (test site fee) | $100 | $100 |
| Knowledge test (Credentia) | $55 | $55 |
| DOH application | Per fee schedule | Per fee schedule |
| TB test, immunizations, scrubs, shoes | Varies | Varies |
Funding options that Federal Way residents commonly use include WorkSource King County (WIOA training funds), Basic Food Employment and Training for SNAP recipients, DSHS and SEIU 775 training benefits for current home care workers pursuing the bridge, DVR for eligible people with disabilities, and employer tuition reimbursement from local nursing homes. Ask about payment plans during enrollment.
How to enroll
- Review the program pages: CNA Traditional or HCA–CNA Bridge.
- Pick a published class on the schedules page.
- Complete the online enrollment and pay tuition.
- Gather your documents: photo ID, high school diploma or GED, HCA credential (bridge only), immunization records, and a recent TB test.
- Complete the background check required before clinical placement.
- Show up on day one in scrubs with closed-toe, non-slip shoes and a watch with a second hand.
Enrollment is first come, first served in order of completed applications.
Getting to class
Federal Way is well connected for students without a car.
- By light rail: The Federal Way Downtown station on the Link 1 Line connects to Kent/Des Moines, Angle Lake, SeaTac, Tukwila, and downtown Seattle. From the north, the ride from Seattle takes roughly an hour; from Kent/Des Moines, about ten minutes.
- By bus: Federal Way Transit Center is a King County Metro and Sound Transit hub. Route 574 links Tacoma and Lakewood to Federal Way; the A Line RapidRide runs along Pacific Highway South between Federal Way and Tukwila; Metro routes connect Auburn, Kent, and Des Moines.
- By car: The campus area is minutes from Interstate 5 and State Route 18. Typical drive times are about 20 minutes from Tacoma or Kent, 15 minutes from Auburn or Des Moines, and 30 to 40 minutes from Seattle or Puyallup outside rush hour.
Plan for clinical days separately: the partner facility may be a different address with different transit options, and your program will give you that information at orientation.
Where Federal Way graduates work
South King and North Pierce counties are dense with employers of nursing assistants:
- Hospitals: St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, MultiCare Auburn Medical Center, Highline Medical Center in Burien, Valley Medical Center in Renton, and the Tacoma hospitals of MultiCare and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.
- Skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities in Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, Des Moines, Burien, Tukwila, and Puyallup.
- Assisted living and memory care communities across the corridor from SeaTac to Tacoma.
- Adult family homes, which are especially numerous in South King County and often hire graduates who hold both HCA and NAC credentials.
- Home health and hospice agencies serving the Seattle–Tacoma area.
New graduates most often get their first offer from the facility where they completed clinicals. Wages in the Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue metro run above the statewide average; see CNA salary in Washington and CNA jobs in Washington for details.
Why train in Federal Way rather than Seattle or Tacoma
Three practical reasons come up repeatedly with students. First, cost: private programs in Seattle are often priced higher, and parking or transit costs add up over four weeks. Second, class size: a training center with a dedicated skills lab can keep cohorts small enough that every student gets hands-on time with equipment. Third, proximity to employers: the facilities that hire Federal Way graduates are the same ones that host their clinicals, so the transition from student to employee is short.
About the school
Huduma CNA Programs is the public brand of Caregiver Training and Huduma Center LLC, a Federal Way training organization that also delivers DSHS-approved Home Care Aide training and serves as an HCA exam site. That background is the reason the HCA–CNA Bridge is a natural fit here: many bridge students are caregivers who earned their HCA credential through the same organization. Instruction is delivered in English by licensed nurse instructors who meet Washington's experience requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How long are CNA classes in Federal Way? Four weeks for the 108-hour traditional program; five weekdays or about 2.5 weekends for the 40-hour HCA bridge.
How much do CNA classes cost in Federal Way? $1,100 tuition for the traditional program and $800 for the bridge, plus about $105 for books and supplies and $155 in state exam fees.
Can I take the state exam at the school? Yes. The skills test is administered on site. The knowledge test is scheduled separately through Credentia.
Do I need a car? No. The Federal Way light rail station and transit center serve the area, and most students commute from Kent, Auburn, Des Moines, SeaTac, and Tacoma by transit.
Is there a weekend option? Yes, for both programs. Weekend cohorts fill quickly, so enroll early.
To see the next Federal Way start dates, visit the class schedules page.
Which path may fit you?
Already an eligible HCA?
Review the HCA–CNA Bridge Program and confirm the active Washington HCA credential requirement before choosing a class.
Explore the HCA–CNA Bridge ProgramStarting CNA training?
Review CNA Traditional, the complete training route for learners who are not entering through the HCA bridge route.
Explore the CNA Traditional Program