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

Maple Valley has no nursing assistant training program inside the city, but it has something almost as useful: SR 18, the highway that ends at I-5 in Federal Way. That puts the 4-week, 108-clock-hour CNA Traditional program at Huduma CNA Programs, $1,100 tuition plus about $105 in books and supplies, roughly 17 to 20 miles and 25 to 30 minutes away by car. The main college alternative is Green River College's nursing assistant certificate, which its program page describes as a 3-month, 15-credit program starting each quarter, at an approximate cost of $2,909.51 for tuition and supplies. Both meet the state minimum in WAC 246-841A-440 (35 theory, 33 lab, 40 clinical hours) and both feed into the same $155 two-part Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) exam.

Side by side for a Maple Valley resident

The college route costs more and takes longer but carries college credit and access to Workforce Education Services funding. The Federal Way route is the faster and cheaper way to the same credential, with a weekend cohort the college does not list.

Green River College's nursing assistant certificate

Per Green River College's nursing assistant program page, the certificate runs 3 months, starts quarterly, and awards 15 credits across HEALTH 104, HEALTH 102, NRS A 103, NRS A 104, and a clinical course (NRS A 105) with four required dates near the end of the quarter. The fall schedule on that page shows a mix of morning, midday, and evening blocks on Tuesdays and Thursdays plus a Friday morning class, so students need weekday availability across several days rather than one fixed shift. The college lists the total at approximately $2,909.51 for tuition and supplies and notes that Workforce Education Services can help with tuition, books, fees, and tools for eligible students. From Maple Valley, the Auburn campus is reached by SR 18 west to Auburn, about 20 minutes.

The 4-week course and the SR 18 commute

The CNA Traditional program compresses the same 108 hours into 20 class days, or into a weekend cohort over more weeks, with licensed-nurse instructors, a background check before the 40-hour clinical placement in a licensed nursing facility, and the skills test administered on site. A high school diploma or GED is required and instruction is in English.

From Maple Valley by car:

• Take SR 169 south to the SR 18 interchange, then SR 18 southwest through Covington and Auburn to Federal Way, where the highway ends at I-5 and SR 99. Per the state route description, SR 18 is 28 miles from I-90 to Federal Way, and Maple Valley sits roughly in the middle of it.
• Off-peak, plan 25 to 30 minutes. The Auburn to Federal Way segment slows in the afternoon peak, so weekday students should add 10 to 15 minutes for the return.
• Park in the Federal Way Downtown station garage, roughly 1,500 stalls, a short walk from the school.

This is one of the shortest commutes of any city outside Federal Way itself; a Maple Valley student can leave home after 7 a.m. for an 8 a.m. class.

Reaching Federal Way by bus from Maple Valley

King County Metro's South Link Connections page, updated for the March and August 2026 service changes, describes two routes that chain together:

1. Route 168, Maple Valley to Kent Station via Covington and Kent East Hill, with improved weekday peak service. It runs seven days a week.
2. Route 183, Kent Station to Federal Way Downtown Station via Star Lake Station, with newly added Sunday service.

The 168 is a long local route and the transfer at Kent Station adds wait time, so plan about 90 minutes each way. For a weekend cohort, confirm the 183's Sunday span before relying on it. Alternatively, ride the 168 to Kent Station and drive from a Kent park and ride the rest of the way. Arrival details at the school are in getting to CNA class in Federal Way.

Every cost a Maple Valley student pays

Grant and scholarship options for either path are in CNA training grants and scholarships in Washington State.

Where Maple Valley graduates work

Maple Valley itself has senior living, memory care, and licensed adult family homes; senior living directories list Fountain Court Senior Living and Bonaventure of Maple Valley inside the city. Skilled nursing and hospitals are just outside it: MultiCare Covington Medical Center at 17700 SE 272nd Street per the MultiCare location page, about 5 miles west, with a 24/7 emergency department and certified joint replacement and stroke programs; skilled nursing facilities in Kent, Renton, and Auburn; and Valley Medical Center in Renton up SR 169. Indeed's August 2026 posting data does not report Maple Valley separately; the Washington average is about $23.62 per hour and Seattle about $23.80, both approximate. The employer map by setting is in CNA jobs in Maple Valley, WA.

Because most of Maple Valley's own openings are assisted living and adult family homes, a graduate who wants skilled nursing experience usually commutes to Kent or Covington first.

Choosing between the options

• Want college credit and can spend a quarter: Green River College.
• Want the credential in a month with a fixed price: Federal Way day cohort.
• Work weekdays, including at Maple Valley senior living: Federal Way weekend cohort.
• Hold an active Washington HCA credential: the 40-hour HCA to CNA bridge for $800, covered in HCA to CNA bridge near Maple Valley, WA.
• Already hired at a nursing facility as a NAR: ask about sponsored training; you have 4 months from hire to certify.

Current cohort dates for both Federal Way programs are on the schedules page.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a CNA class in Maple Valley? No approved nursing assistant program is based in Maple Valley. Green River College in Auburn and the Federal Way course are the closest options, both under 30 minutes by SR 18.

How long does it take to drive from Maple Valley to Federal Way? About 25 to 30 minutes off-peak via SR 169 and SR 18, roughly 17 to 20 miles. Afternoon peak on the Auburn segment adds time.

Is Green River College's program cheaper than a private school? Its program page lists about $2,909.51 for tuition and supplies, compared with $1,100 plus about $105 in Federal Way. The college figure includes credit and may be offset by Workforce Education Services funding.

Can I take CNA classes on weekends near Maple Valley? The Federal Way course offers a weekend cohort. Green River's schedule shows weekday blocks.

What are the exam fees? $100 for the skills test paid to the test site and $55 for the Credentia knowledge test, $155 in total, the same for every Washington candidate.

Does the 4-week course provide the required clinical hours? Yes. Forty clinical hours in a licensed nursing facility are built into the 108, after background clearance.

The step-by-step path after class is described in how to become a CNA in Washington State.