Huduma CNA ProgramsMarysville has no nursing assistant school inside city limits, so a resident chooses among three routes: Everett Community College's state-approved nursing assistant certificate, which the college's program page says takes one quarter; a facility-sponsored course at a Snohomish County nursing home while working as a Nursing Assistant-Registered; or the 4-week, 108-hour Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) program at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way for $1,100 tuition plus about $105 for books and supplies, with the skills test administered on site. Federal Way is roughly 60 miles south of Marysville on I-5, which makes the Federal Way option a commitment of either 20 long driving days or a weekend cohort. All three paths meet the same 108-hour state minimum and lead to the same $155 two-part exam.
Marysville options compared
| Question | Everett Community College | Facility-based program | Huduma CNA Programs (Federal Way) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | Everett campus, about 8 miles south on I-5 | A nursing facility in Marysville, Arlington, or Everett | Federal Way, near Federal Way Downtown Station |
| Starts | Each academic quarter, subject to seats | When the facility has vacancies to fill | Multiple cohorts a year; see the schedules page |
| Length | One quarter per the college's page | Several weeks while employed | 4 weeks |
| Cost | Per-credit tuition and fees per the college's current tuition page; financial aid may apply | Usually free in exchange for a work commitment | $1,100 tuition plus about $105 books |
| Skills test | College test site or WABON online scheduling | Facility or a scheduled site | On site, $100 |
| Weekend schedule | Check the quarter offering | Rare | Yes |
| HCA bridge | Not listed on the program page | No | 40 hours, $800 |
Everett Community College is the practical local choice for anyone who can wait for the next quarter and wants campus resources. The facility route fits someone who needs income immediately and accepts a work commitment. Federal Way is the fastest fixed-price option and the only one of the three with a short HCA bridge and a weekend pattern.
Everett Community College, in more detail
Per the college's nursing assistant certificate page, the program is approved by the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON), completes in one quarter, and includes clinical experience at regional health care facilities; the contact office is in Liberty Hall. The catalog lists the program as a certificate rather than a degree. The page does not publish the clock-hour breakdown, but every WABON-approved program must deliver at least 108 hours under WAC 246-841A-440 (35 theory, 33 lab, 40 clinical). Tuition is per credit; check the college's current tuition page for the quarter you intend to start. From Marysville, the Everett campus is a short drive down I-5, and Community Transit's 201 and 202 routes from Marysville stop at Everett Station, from which Everett Transit local routes serve the college area.
Waitlists are the main friction at community college nursing assistant programs. If the next available seat is two quarters out, the calendar math shifts toward the 4-week course.
Federal Way from Marysville: the honest commute
Marysville to Federal Way is about 60 miles, all on I-5 through Everett, Seattle, and the south end. Off-peak, plan roughly 1 hour 15 minutes; a weekday morning southbound trip through downtown Seattle can stretch past 90 minutes, and the northbound afternoon return is often worse.
By transit, Community Transit's published information as of September 2026 lists seven routes serving Marysville, including 201 and 202, which run seven days a week from Smokey Point Transit Center through Marysville (201 along State Avenue, 202 along 51st Avenue NE) to Lynnwood City Center Station. There a student boards Sound Transit's 1 Line and rides it end to end to Federal Way Downtown Station, about 80 to 90 minutes on the train alone. Total transit time is around 2.5 hours each way. That is workable for a weekend cohort or a 5-day bridge; for 20 weekday class days it is a hard schedule, and most Marysville students who choose Federal Way either drive or stay with family or friends in south King County during the course.
Two ways to shorten it:
- Drive to Lynnwood City Center and take the train from there. The station garage has about 1,670 park-and-ride stalls per Sound Transit, and the drive from Marysville is about 20 miles.
- Choose the weekend cohort, which reduces the number of trips per week and puts the drive on days when I-5 through Seattle moves.
The full range of transit and parking choices at the Federal Way end is in getting to CNA class in Federal Way.
Cost line by line
| Cost | Set by | Federal Way traditional | Federal Way HCA bridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | The program | $1,100 | $800 |
| Books and supplies | The program | About $105 | About $105 |
| Skills test (Part 1) | State exam rule; paid to test site | $100 | $100 |
| Knowledge test (Part 2) | Credentia | $55 | $55 |
| DOH NA-C application | DOH fee schedule | Per the current schedule | Per the current schedule |
| Fuel or fare | Your route | About 120 miles round trip by car per class day, or ORCA fares | About 5 trips total |
Marysville residents who receive Basic Food or are registered with WorkSource Snohomish may be able to have tuition covered; the mechanics are in WorkSource, WIOA, and Basic Food Employment and Training. Spreading tuition across the course is covered in payment plans for CNA training in Washington.
Who should pick which option
- Working weekdays in Marysville, Arlington, or at the Tulalip employers: the weekend cohort in Federal Way, or a college quarter with evening components if the schedule allows.
- Already a Home Care Aide with an active credential: the 40-hour bridge, five trips instead of twenty; details for Marysville are in HCA to CNA bridge near Marysville, WA.
- Need a paycheck during training: ask Marysville Care Center on Grove Street (97 beds, per its facility listing) and other Snohomish County nursing homes whether they sponsor training for NARs.
- Want financial aid and a campus: Everett Community College, if a seat is available in the quarter you want.
- Need a start date this month and a fixed all-in price: the CNA Traditional program in Federal Way.
After class: where Marysville graduates work
Marysville's own employers are skilled nursing facilities such as Marysville Care Center, senior living around State Avenue and Smokey Point, and adult family homes. The nearest hospital is Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, a Level II trauma center with 571 licensed beds across its Colby and Pacific campuses in downtown Everett. ZipRecruiter's Marysville figure as of September 2026 is about $22.06 per hour for certified nursing assistants, and Indeed's August 2026 Everett figure is about $24.89; both are approximate. The employer list and commute options are in CNA jobs in Marysville, WA.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a CNA class in Marysville? Not a standalone school. The closest WABON-approved program is Everett Community College's one-quarter certificate; nursing facilities in the area sometimes train their own NARs.
How far is Federal Way from Marysville? About 60 miles on I-5, roughly 1 hour 15 minutes off-peak by car. By Community Transit 201 or 202 to Lynnwood and then the 1 Line, about 2.5 hours each way.
Does the 4-week program count the same as a college quarter? Yes. Both must meet the 108-hour minimum in WAC 246-841A-440 and both graduates take the same exam.
What does the Federal Way course cost in total? $1,100 tuition, about $105 for books and supplies, $155 for the two exam parts, and the DOH application fee per the current schedule.
Can I take the skills test near Marysville after training in Federal Way? The Federal Way program administers the skills test on site at the end of the course, so no separate trip is needed. The knowledge test is online through Credentia.
Do I need a diploma to enroll? Yes, a high school diploma or GED for both the traditional course and the bridge.
Cohort dates are on the schedules page, and the statewide requirements are summarized in Washington State CNA requirements in 2026.
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