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

Renton is roughly 15 miles north of Federal Way, a drive of about 20 to 35 minutes via SR 167 or I-405 to I-5 depending on traffic, and it is one of the few South King County cities with a large hospital inside its limits: Valley Medical Center on South 43rd Street. For a Renton resident, a 4-week, 108-hour Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) course at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way costs $1,100 tuition plus about $105 for books and supplies, and includes the $100 skills test on site. The state minimum of 108 clock hours (35 theory, 33 lab, 40 clinical) and the $155 two-part exam are the same in every approved Washington program, so the questions that decide the choice are start dates, total cost, testing location, and whether the commute works for 20 class days or a set of weekends.

Renton's program landscape

Renton (population 106,785 at the 2020 census) has more training options nearby than most South King County cities because of its size and its hospital. The options fall into four groups.

Any of these produces the same NA-C credential if the program is on the Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) approved list and delivers 108 hours. What differs: a quarter-long college course may fit a nursing-degree plan; a facility program ties training to a job under the 4-month NAR rule; a private 4-week course gets you to the exam fastest with a fixed price. Guidance on checking approval status is in choosing a DOH-approved CNA program in Washington.

Four ways from Renton to Federal Way

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

Route 560 is the simplest transit option because it makes one transfer to a frequent train. Sound Transit's 2026 service plan lists 1 Line trains every 8 to 10 minutes during the day. The F Line, per King County Metro, runs every 10 minutes at weekday peaks and 15 minutes off-peak, and reaches the 1 Line at Tukwila International Boulevard. Drivers should note the 1,500-stall garage at Federal Way Downtown Station, a short walk from the school. If you are choosing between a day and weekend pattern, weekend bus frequencies are lower, so drivers have the easier weekend commute.

Hour-by-hour: what 108 hours buys

Washington's 108-hour rule (WAC 246-841A-440) is well above the 75-hour federal floor, and programs must offer at least four attempts at the skills test. Renton students sometimes ask whether a shorter online course counts; it does not, because the lab and clinical hours must be in person. The detail is in online CNA classes in Washington.

What it costs from Renton

• Tuition: $1,100 for the 4-week course; $800 for the 40-hour bridge if you hold an active Washington HCA credential.
• Books and supplies: about $105.
• Exam: $100 skills test paid to the test site, $55 knowledge test paid to Credentia; $155 total at every school in the state.
• DOH application: per the current DOH fee schedule.
• Transit: ORCA fares on route 560 and the 1 Line, or fuel and time for a 15-mile drive; check Sound Transit's current parking terms for the Federal Way Downtown Station garage before relying on it daily.

Renton residents on Basic Food, registered with WorkSource, or eligible under WIOA may have tuition paid; the qualifying rules are in CNA training grants and scholarships in Washington State.

Day pattern or weekend pattern for a Renton student

The day pattern finishes in four calendar weeks and suits students not currently working full time. The weekend pattern covers the identical 108 hours on Saturdays and Sundays over a longer calendar span and suits Renton residents with weekday jobs, including Boeing shift workers and Valley Medical Center support staff who want to move into a clinical role. A weekend student driving from Renton spends roughly 20 to 30 minutes each way with lighter weekend traffic on I-405 and I-5. Both patterns end with the skills test on site.

Where Renton graduates work

Valley Medical Center is Renton's second-largest employer after Boeing, with more than 4,000 employees per the city's 2023 financial report, and it hires nursing assistants across inpatient units, its emergency department, and float pools. Renton also has skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and many licensed adult family homes, and Kaiser Permanente and Providence both have large Renton operations. Indeed job-posting data (August 2026) gives a Washington nursing assistant average of about $23.62 per hour; Renton is not reported separately. The employer detail is in CNA jobs in Renton, WA.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Federal Way from Renton for CNA classes? About 15 miles. Driving takes roughly 20 to 35 minutes; transit takes 40 to 55 minutes using Sound Transit route 560 to SeaTac and the 1 Line to Federal Way Downtown.

Does Renton Technical College have a CNA program? Renton Technical College is the city's public technical college. Confirm its current nursing assistant course dates, cost, and WABON approval directly with the college before comparing it with a 4-week private course.

Can I work at Valley Medical Center after training in Federal Way? Yes. Valley Medical Center verifies an active NA-C on the DOH Provider Credential Search; the training school does not matter as long as it is WABON-approved.

Is there a weekend CNA class for Renton residents? Huduma CNA Programs runs weekend cohorts of the full 108-hour course in Federal Way. Confirm the pattern of any other program before assuming it offers weekends.

Do I need a car to attend from Renton? No. Route 560 plus the 1 Line, or the F Line plus the 1 Line, reaches Federal Way Downtown Station, which is a short walk from the school. A car shortens the trip to about half an hour.

The CNA Traditional program page lists admission documents, and the current cohorts are on the schedules page.