Huduma CNA ProgramsOlympia, the state capital with 57,970 residents in the Office of Financial Management's April 2025 estimate, is roughly 40 miles south of Federal Way on I-5, which puts it inside daily commuting range of a Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) course there: about 45 minutes to an hour by car off peak, or around 1.5 hours by transit since Intercity Transit launched its Lakewood routes in September 2025. Every Washington program, in Thurston County or in Federal Way, must deliver 108 clock hours (35 theory, 33 skills lab, 40 clinical), and every candidate pays $155 for the two-part exam. Huduma CNA Programs runs those 108 hours in 4 weeks for $1,100 tuition plus about $105 in books and supplies, with the skills test on site. For an Olympia resident the choice comes down to start dates, total price, whether the local option tests on site, and whether a 20-day commute or an 8-to-9-day weekend pattern fits better.
Thurston County options and what they involve
Olympia and neighboring Lacey and Tumwater have two general acute-care hospitals on the Washington hospital list, Providence St. Peter Hospital and MultiCare Capital Medical Center, plus skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and adult family homes. Training options follow that pattern:
| Type | Where | Typical timeline | What to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community college NA-C course | Thurston County's public college campus | One academic quarter, about 10 to 12 weeks | Quarter start dates, placement testing, per-credit cost |
| Skilled nursing facility program | Nursing homes in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater | Weeks, while employed as a NAR | Post-certification work commitment; the NAR has 4 months from hire to certify |
| Private training center | Olympia and Thurston County | Varies | WABON approval, 108 hours, on-site testing |
| Huduma CNA Programs | Federal Way, a short walk from Federal Way Downtown Station | 4 weeks, day or weekend | Start dates on the schedules page |
Each of these leads to the same credential on the DOH Provider Credential Search. If you are on a nursing pathway at the college and it offers a nursing assistant course in the quarter you need, that keeps everything on one campus; if you need the credential in weeks, the private 4-week course is faster. The general comparison is in community college vs private CNA school in Washington.
Getting from Olympia to Federal Way
Times are approximate and based on Intercity Transit and Sound Transit published schedules as of September 2026.
| Method | Route | Approximate one-way time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus, weekdays | Intercity Transit route 600 (Lakewood Commuter) from Olympia Transit Center to Lakewood Station or the SR 512 Park & Ride, then Sound Transit 574 north to Federal Way Downtown Station | Roughly 1.5 hours | Route 600 is weekday-only, running from about 5 a.m.; the 574 leg from SR 512 is about 25 to 30 minutes |
| Bus, any day | Intercity Transit route 610 (Lacey Connector) from Olympia Transit Center via Lacey Transit Center and Hawks Prairie to Lakewood Station and SR 512, then the 574 | Roughly 1.5 to 1.75 hours | Route 610 runs seven days a week, about an hour to Lakewood; the weekend option for a weekend cohort |
| Train and bus, weekdays | Sounder S Line from Lakewood Station north to Tacoma Dome, then the 574 | Similar to the bus option | Sounder runs weekday peak hours only |
| Car | I-5 north past Joint Base Lewis-McChord and Tacoma | 45 minutes to 1 hour off peak; 1.5 hours or more at rush hour | Park in the garage at Federal Way Downtown Station |
The I-5 stretch past Joint Base Lewis-McChord is the variable. Olympia students in a weekday day cohort who can leave before 6 a.m. usually beat the worst of it; weekend cohorts avoid it almost entirely. The 610's seven-day service is what makes a weekend cohort workable without a car.
Total cost from Olympia
| Item | Huduma CNA Programs | Same everywhere? |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,100 traditional; $800 HCA bridge | No |
| Books and supplies | About $105 | No |
| Skills test, Part 1 | $100, on site | Yes, $100 at any site |
| Knowledge test, Part 2 | $55 to Credentia | Yes |
| DOH application and background check | Per the current DOH fee schedule | Yes |
| Travel | Intercity Transit and ORCA fares, or fuel for about 80 miles a day | Depends on where you train |
The exam and DOH costs never change. Olympia residents who qualify for WorkSource, WIOA, or Basic Food Employment and Training through the regional WorkSource system may have tuition covered at an approved program; eligibility is explained in WorkSource, WIOA, and Basic Food Employment and Training.
A decision rule for Olympia residents
- Do you hold an active Washington HCA credential? Take the 40-hour bridge for $800 instead of repeating 108 hours; 5 weekday trips or about 2.5 weekends finishes it. See HCA to CNA bridge near Olympia, WA.
- Is a Thurston County cohort starting in the next few weeks with on-site testing? Take it; the commute saved outweighs most other differences.
- Is the local option a quarter away or tests off site? Compare the schedules page for Federal Way cohorts; a 4-week course with the test on site may finish before a quarter course starts.
- Can you drive early or ride the 600? The weekday day cohort works. Otherwise choose the weekend cohort and the 610.
- Do you want to work in Pierce or South King County afterward? Clinical hours in a South King County nursing facility put you in front of those employers.
What Olympia employers pay and hire for
Indeed's August 2026 posting data does not report Olympia separately, so the Washington average of about $23.62 per hour (approximate) is the planning number; the state minimum wage, which Olympia uses, is $17.13 per hour in 2026, and shift differentials of roughly $1.50 to $4 per hour apply in hospital and facility work. Providence St. Peter Hospital and MultiCare Capital Medical Center are the hospital employers, skilled nursing facilities hire most new graduates, and Western State Hospital in Lakewood sits on the same Intercity Transit and 574 corridor. Employer detail is in CNA jobs in Olympia, WA.
How the Federal Way course runs
The CNA Traditional program at Huduma CNA Programs delivers the 108 clock hours in 4 weeks, day or weekend pattern, with licensed-nurse instructors, a background check before clinical placement, a Certificate of Completion, and the $100 skills test administered on site. It requires a high school diploma or GED and is taught in English. The HCA to CNA bridge is 40 hours for $800. Both are a short walk from Federal Way Downtown Station and the Federal Way Transit Center, where the 574 from Lakewood arrives.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Olympia from Federal Way for CNA classes? Roughly 40 miles by I-5, about 45 minutes to an hour by car off peak, or around 1.5 hours by Intercity Transit's route 600 or 610 to Lakewood and Sound Transit's 574.
Can I get to a weekend CNA class from Olympia without a car? Yes. Intercity Transit's route 610 runs seven days a week between Olympia Transit Center and Lakewood Station and the SR 512 Park & Ride, where the 574 continues to Federal Way.
Are there CNA classes in Olympia? Yes: college, nursing facility, and private programs operate in Thurston County. Confirm each on the WABON approved-program list and ask whether it tests on site.
Is the exam different in Thurston County? No. The $100 skills test and $55 Credentia knowledge test are the same statewide, and the DOH issues one credential.
How soon can I start in Federal Way? Cohorts run through the year; the next dates are on the schedules page. Community college courses start with the academic quarter.
For the full path from enrollment to the registry, read how to become a CNA in Washington State.
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