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

Bothell straddles the King and Snohomish county line, and that geography defines its CNA class options. Two public colleges with Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) approved nursing assistant programs sit a few miles away in opposite directions: Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Kirkland's Totem Lake and Edmonds College in Lynnwood. The 4-week, 108-hour Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) course at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way ($1,100 tuition, about $105 books and supplies, skills test on site) is about 36 miles south by I-405 and I-5, or an ST Express 522 ride to the 1 Line at Shoreline South/148th Station. Whichever a Bothell resident picks, the state sets the floor: 108 clock hours split 35 theory, 33 lab, and 40 clinical, and a $155 two-part exam.

Bothell's position on the map

Downtown Bothell and the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College campus are on the King County side along Bothell Way (SR 522). Canyon Park, Thrashers Corner, and the North Creek business parks are on the Snohomish side, served by Community Transit's Swift Green Line, whose southern terminus is Canyon Park Park and Ride. Totem Lake, with EvergreenHealth's Level III trauma hospital and Lake Washington Institute of Technology, borders Bothell to the south. That split means a Canyon Park resident and a downtown Bothell resident may have different best options even though both are "in Bothell."

Program options ranked by distance from Bothell

Both colleges are close and both are WABON-approved, so the honest question for a Bothell resident is calendar and price, not distance. A quarter course starts three or four times a year and runs 10 to 12 weeks; a private 4-week course starts more often and finishes faster. Comparing the two models in detail is the subject of community college vs private CNA school in Washington.

When the Federal Way commute is worth it for a Bothell student

• You need to start this month, not next quarter. Private cohorts run through the year; the schedules page lists the next one.
• You want a fixed all-in price. $1,100 tuition plus about $105 in books, no per-credit or lab fees layered on.
• You want the skills test at the school. Part 1 is administered on site rather than booked separately.
• You need a weekend cohort. The full 108 hours on Saturdays and Sundays for a student holding a weekday job in the North Creek office parks or a Bothell retail job.
• You hold an active HCA credential. The 40-hour bridge finishes in 5 weekdays, which makes the distance nearly irrelevant.

If none of those apply, one of the two nearby colleges is probably the better choice, and that is a fair answer.

Getting from Bothell to Federal Way

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

By car

Bothell to Federal Way Downtown is about 36 miles: I-405 south to I-5 south, or SR 522 to I-5 through Seattle. Off-peak, about 45 minutes; the afternoon return north on I-405 through Bellevue or on I-5 through Seattle is regularly over an hour. The Federal Way Downtown station garage has about 1,500 stalls, and the school is a short walk from it.

By transit

1. ST Express 522 runs along Bothell Way through downtown Bothell between Woodinville and Shoreline South/148th Station, about every 15 minutes at peak and every 30 minutes off-peak per Sound Transit's schedule.
2. 1 Line south from Shoreline South/148th to Federal Way Downtown. Sound Transit's end-to-end time from Lynnwood City Center to Federal Way is roughly 80 to 90 minutes, and Shoreline South is three stops closer.
3. Total: about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours each way.

Canyon Park residents can instead ride Sound Transit Express 535, which Sound Transit's schedule shows stopping at Canyon Park on its Lynnwood to Bellevue run, north to Lynnwood City Center Station and board the 1 Line at its northern end for a one-seat ride south. Rail-only planning for a class in Federal Way is described in getting to CNA class in Federal Way by bus, light rail, or car.

Cost for a Bothell student, by who sets it

Tuition assistance through WorkSource, WIOA, or Basic Food Employment and Training is available to Bothell residents who qualify in either county; see WorkSource, WIOA, and Basic Food Employment and Training.

Where a Bothell graduate works

The immediate market is EvergreenHealth Kirkland in Totem Lake, skilled nursing and assisted living in Bothell and Kirkland, senior living around Canyon Park and Mill Creek, and adult family homes across both counties. Swedish Edmonds, a 217-bed hospital per the Swedish locations page, and Providence in Everett are a short drive north. Indeed's August 2026 posting data does not list Bothell separately; Kirkland averages about $23.73 per hour and Everett about $24.89, both approximate. The full breakdown is in CNA jobs in Bothell, WA.

What the Federal Way course includes

The CNA Traditional program covers 35 theory, 33 lab, and 40 clinical hours over 4 weeks under licensed-nurse instructors, with a background check before clinical placement, at least four skills exam attempts as WAC 246-841A-430 requires, and the $100 skills test administered on site. It requires a high school diploma or GED. Active HCAs use the HCA to CNA bridge instead.

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest CNA program to Bothell? Lake Washington Institute of Technology in Totem Lake and Edmonds College in Lynnwood are both a few miles away and WABON-approved. Both run on the academic quarter.

How far is the Federal Way course from Bothell? About 36 miles. Roughly 45 minutes by car off-peak; about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by ST Express 522 and the 1 Line.

Why would a Bothell resident choose a 4-week course that far away? A start date this month, a fixed $1,100 price, on-site skills testing, a weekend cohort, or the 40-hour bridge for HCAs.

Does the county line matter for CNA certification? No. The credential is statewide, issued by the DOH, and any WABON-approved program qualifies you for it.

Is a 4-week course really the full 108 hours? Yes. WAC 246-841A-440 requires 108 clock hours from every approved program; the 4-week course meets it with longer daily sessions.

The requirements in full are in Washington State CNA requirements in 2026.