Huduma CNA ProgramsBremerton is one of the few mid-size Washington cities with a nursing assistant program on a college campus in town. Olympic College's program overview page describes a one-quarter, 13-credit Nursing Assistant certificate with no prerequisites, approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON), and reports that 97 percent of its 2024-25 students passed the skills exam on the first attempt. The alternative for a Bremerton resident who cannot wait for a quarter or wants a weekend pattern is the 4-week, 108-hour Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) course at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way: $1,100 tuition, about $105 for books and supplies, skills test on site. Federal Way is about 45 miles from Bremerton by SR 16 across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, or reachable by ferry to Seattle and the 1 Line south. Both programs meet the same 108-hour state minimum and lead to the same $155 exam.
Bremerton's two realistic options
| Question | Olympic College (Bremerton campus) | Huduma CNA Programs (Federal Way) |
|---|---|---|
| Approval | WABON-approved | WABON-approved |
| Length | One quarter, 13 credits per the program page | 4 weeks, 108 clock hours |
| Start dates | Each academic quarter, subject to seats | Several cohorts a year; see the schedules page |
| Prerequisites | None listed | High school diploma or GED |
| Tuition | Per the college's program overview page; it lists an estimated all-in cost of about $750 to $1,000 or more including supplies and exam fees | $1,100 tuition plus about $105 books |
| Financial aid | Program page says traditional aid does not apply; Worker Retraining and Opportunity Grants may | Payment plans; WorkSource and Basic Food E&T may apply |
| Skills test | College test site | On site, $100 |
| Weekend cohort | Check the quarter schedule | Yes |
| HCA bridge | Not listed | 40 hours, $800 |
| Commute | Local | About 45 miles by car, or ferry plus rail |
For most Bremerton residents who can start on the college calendar, Olympic College is the closest and cheapest route. The Federal Way course wins on start date, weekend availability, an on-site skills test, and the short HCA bridge. Facility-sponsored training at a Kitsap nursing home while working as a Nursing Assistant-Registered is a third path worth asking about, particularly at the larger campuses in Port Orchard and Silverdale.
What Olympic College requires before clinicals
Per the college's program overview, students must show proof of personal health insurance, complete immunizations including TB testing, pass a background check, and demonstrate English communication proficiency before the clinical courses. The program does not qualify for standard financial aid, but Worker Retraining and Opportunity Grants can offset costs; those grants are administered through the college, so ask the program office directly. The 13-credit structure covers the same 35 theory, 33 lab, and 40 clinical hours that WAC 246-841A-440 requires of every approved program, spread over roughly eleven weeks instead of four.
The main reason a Bremerton student looks past Olympic College is timing. If the next open seat is a quarter or two away, or if you work weekdays at the shipyard, the naval hospital, or a long-term care campus and need a weekend pattern, the college calendar may not fit.
Two ways from Bremerton to Federal Way
By car across the Narrows. SR 3 to SR 16, over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, then I-5 north to Federal Way, about 45 miles. Off-peak, plan roughly an hour. Per WSDOT's tolling page, the bridge charges only in the direction toward Tacoma, so a Bremerton student pays the toll on the way to class, $4.50 with a Good To Go pass for a two-axle vehicle, and nothing on the way home. The Federal Way Downtown station garage, about 1,500 stalls, is beside the school.
By ferry and rail. Kitsap Transit's Bremerton fast ferry, per its schedule effective September 1, 2026, crosses to Seattle's Pier 50 in about 30 minutes, with eastbound sailings on weekday mornings from 4:40 a.m. to 8:05 a.m. and westbound sailings in the afternoon from 1:50 p.m. to 7:05 p.m.; Saturday service runs May through September only. The fare is $2 eastbound and $13 westbound. Washington State Ferries' Seattle-Bremerton auto ferry takes about 60 minutes and runs all day. From Colman Dock or Pier 50, walk to Pioneer Square Station and take the 1 Line south to Federal Way Downtown, roughly 45 to 50 minutes. Total: about 1.5 hours with the fast ferry, closer to 2 hours with the state ferry.
The fast ferry's morning-only eastbound and afternoon-only westbound pattern fits a weekday class day but not a weekend cohort outside summer; weekend students should plan on the state ferry or the car.
Cost table for the Federal Way course
| Item | Set by | Traditional | HCA bridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | The program | $1,100 | $800 |
| Books and supplies | The program | About $105 | About $105 |
| Skills test, Part 1 | State rule; paid to the test site | $100 | $100 |
| Knowledge test, Part 2 | Credentia | $55 | $55 |
| DOH application | DOH fee schedule | Per the current schedule | Per the current schedule |
| Narrows toll, one way per class day | WSDOT | $4.50 with Good To Go, about 20 days | About 5 days |
| Ferry alternative | Kitsap Transit or WSF | $2 over, $13 back on the fast ferry | Same |
Options for paying tuition across the course are described in payment plans for CNA training in Washington. Kitsap residents on Basic Food or working with WorkSource Kitsap should read WorkSource, WIOA, and Basic Food Employment and Training before paying out of pocket.
Day, weekend, or bridge from Bremerton
- Day cohort. Twenty weekday class days. The fast ferry schedule suits it; the drive suits it if you can leave before the SR 16 and I-5 morning peak.
- Weekend cohort. The same 108 hours over more weeks on Saturdays and Sundays. Better for shipyard, hospital, and long-term care workers on weekday schedules. Drive or take the state ferry.
- HCA bridge. Active Home Care Aides take 40 hours for $800 in 5 weekdays or about 2.5 weekends, cutting the crossings to about five; details in HCA to CNA bridge near Bremerton, WA.
Every approved program must permit at least four attempts at the skills test. The 33 lab hours and mock testing in the Federal Way course exist to make one attempt enough; the lab is described in inside the CNA skills lab.
Where a Bremerton graduate works
Kitsap County's hospital is St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale, a Level III trauma center at 1800 NW Myhre Road per Virginia Mason Franciscan Health's hospital page. The Washington Veterans Home at Retsil in Port Orchard serves 240 residents per the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs, and Bremerton has skilled nursing facilities on Lebo Boulevard, Clare Avenue, and South Marion Avenue. ZipRecruiter's Bremerton CNA average is about $21.53 per hour as of July 2026, below the Indeed Washington average of about $23.62; both are approximate. The full employer list is in CNA jobs in Bremerton, WA.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a CNA class in Bremerton? Yes. Olympic College's Bremerton campus offers a one-quarter, 13-credit Nursing Assistant certificate approved by WABON, with no prerequisites.
How do I get from Bremerton to Federal Way for class? Drive SR 16 and I-5, about 45 miles and roughly an hour off-peak, paying the Narrows toll only toward Tacoma; or take the Kitsap Transit fast ferry or state ferry to Seattle and the 1 Line south, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
Is the 4-week course as valid as the college quarter? Yes. Both meet WAC 246-841A-440's 108-hour minimum and both graduates take the same two-part exam.
What is the total cost of the Federal Way course? $1,100 tuition, about $105 books and supplies, $155 for the two exam parts, the DOH application fee per the current schedule, plus tolls or ferry fares.
Can I use the Kitsap fast ferry for a weekend class? Only in summer. Per Kitsap Transit, Saturday service runs May through September and there is no Sunday fast ferry; use the state ferry or drive.
Do I need to take the skills test in Federal Way? The Federal Way program tests on site at the end of the course. The knowledge test is online through Credentia from anywhere.
The CNA Traditional program page lists documents and enrollment steps, and the schedules page shows upcoming cohorts.
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