CNA Classes Near Auburn, WA: Programs, Costs, and Commute to Federal Way

Auburn and Federal Way share a border on Auburn's West Hill, and SR 18 connects downtown Auburn to I-5 in Federal Way in under 4 miles of freeway, so a 4-week, 108-hour Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) course in Federal Way is a local option for Auburn residents. Huduma CNA Programs charges $1,100 tuition plus about $105 for books and supplies, meets the state's 108-clock-hour minimum (35 theory, 33 skills lab, 40 clinical), and administers the $100 skills test on site. King County Metro route 181 runs from Auburn Station to Federal Way Downtown Station, and by car the trip is typically 10 to 15 minutes outside peak hours. What differs between programs available to Auburn residents is length, start dates, total cost, and where you test, not the hours or the exam.

Where Auburn students start from

Auburn (population 87,256 at the 2020 census, per the Census Bureau) spreads across the Green River valley floor, Lea Hill to the northeast, West Hill against Federal Way, and Lakeland Hills to the south, with the Muckleshoot Reservation to the southeast. Downtown Auburn, Auburn Station, and MultiCare Auburn Medical Center sit on the valley floor. Green River College is on Lea Hill. The two commuting questions that matter for 20 class days are whether you are near Auburn Station and whether you have a car.

Getting from Auburn to Federal Way

Times are approximate, from King County Metro and Sound Transit published information as of September 2026.

Auburn Station also has Sounder S Line service and Sound Transit route 566, but neither goes to Federal Way; they matter later for job commutes. Metro route 181 is the direct transit link, and for anyone driving, SR 18 west to I-5 and the S 320th Street exit is the standard path.

Program types Auburn residents compare

Every approved Washington program must deliver at least 108 clock hours and use licensed-nurse instructors with recent direct-care experience, so the credential is identical. The variables are time to credential, total cost, and whether you need to travel to a separate test site. The community-college-versus-private tradeoff is covered in community college vs private CNA school in Washington, and the facility-based model in CNA training in a nursing home vs a training center in Washington.

Total cost for an Auburn student

The three state costs (skills test, knowledge test, DOH fee) do not change with the school. Auburn residents who are on Basic Food or registered with WorkSource may qualify for training funds; see free CNA training in Washington for the programs that pay tuition.

The 4-week timeline from Auburn

1. Before day one: provide a high school diploma or GED, complete the background check for clinical placement, and submit TB and immunization records.
2. Weeks 1 and 2: classroom theory and skills lab in Federal Way, on the day or weekend pattern you chose.
3. Weeks 3 and 4: the 40 clinical hours in a licensed nursing facility plus mock skills testing; this is when to apply for NAR status and start contacting Auburn employers.
4. Final days: the skills test on site; then register with Credentia for the knowledge test once the pass is recorded.
5. After both passes: DOH application, name-based background check, and listing on the Provider Credential Search.

Day-pattern students finish in four calendar weeks. Weekend students take longer on the calendar because the same 108 hours are spread across Saturdays and Sundays; check the schedules page for the exact pattern of each cohort.

What comes after: Auburn's employers

MultiCare Auburn Medical Center is the city's hospital, with a 24-hour emergency department, a birth center, and inpatient psychiatric units, and MultiCare's site lists it as a state-designated Level 2 stroke center. Auburn also has skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and licensed adult family homes, and Sound Transit route 566 and the Sounder S Line put Kent, Renton (Valley Medical Center), Bellevue, and Seattle hospitals within reach on weekdays. Indeed job-posting data (August 2026) gives a Washington average of about $23.62 per hour; Auburn is not broken out. The employer detail is in CNA jobs in Auburn, WA.

Which option fits which Auburn resident

• You want the credential in weeks, not a quarter: the 4-week course in Federal Way, reached by route 181 or SR 18.
• You are already planning a nursing degree at Green River College: price the college route, and confirm its current nursing assistant offering with the college and the WABON list.
• You need to earn while training: a nursing-facility program that hires you as a NAR, with the 4-month completion rule attached.
• You hold an active Washington HCA credential: skip 68 hours and take the 40-hour bridge for $800.
• You can only train on weekends: confirm the weekend pattern exists before enrolling anywhere; Huduma runs weekend cohorts of the full 108 hours.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Federal Way from Auburn for CNA classes? Downtown Auburn to downtown Federal Way is a short SR 18 drive, typically 10 to 15 minutes outside rush hour, or 20 to 30 minutes on Metro route 181 from Auburn Station.

Is there a bus from Auburn directly to the Federal Way light rail station? Yes. King County Metro route 181 connects Auburn Station and Federal Way Downtown Station without a transfer.

Does Green River College offer CNA classes? Green River College is Auburn's community college; confirm its current nursing assistant course dates and cost directly with the college and check that the program appears on the WABON approved list.

Can I train in Federal Way and work in Auburn? Yes. Employers verify the NA-C on the DOH registry, not the school. MultiCare Auburn and Auburn's long-term care facilities hire graduates of any approved program.

How many hours is a Washington CNA class? At least 108 clock hours under WAC 246-841A-440: 35 theory, 33 lab, 40 clinical. The federal minimum elsewhere is 75.

Do I need a diploma to enroll? Huduma CNA Programs requires a high school diploma or GED. Other programs set their own admission rules.

The CNA Traditional program covers the full 108 hours in 4 weeks with on-site testing; the statewide steps are in how to become a CNA in Washington State.