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

Shoreline residents have two realistic ways to become a Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C): the Nursing Assistant Certified certificate at Shoreline Community College, a Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) approved program of 16 to 18 credits with fall, winter, spring, and summer entry per the college's program page, or the 4-week, 108-hour course at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way for $1,100 tuition plus about $105 in books. The Federal Way option is unusually easy to reach from Shoreline because both Shoreline South/148th and Shoreline North/185th are 1 Line stations, and Federal Way Downtown is the line's southern end: one train, no transfer, roughly 70 to 80 minutes. Both programs meet the same state minimum of 108 clock hours and lead to the same $155 two-part exam.

Shoreline Community College versus the 4-week course

The college's I-BEST option, which pairs a nursing instructor with a basic-skills instructor, is worth a look for a student who wants writing or English support built into the course, and the college publishes estimated per-quarter tuition ranges by residency and credit load. The Federal Way course is the answer for a start within weeks, a fixed price, or a weekend pattern.

The 108-hour rule and what each format does with it

WAC 246-841A-440 sets the floor every approved program must meet: 35 hours of classroom theory, 33 hours of skills lab, and 40 hours of clinical practice in a licensed nursing facility. A college certificate spreads this across a quarter or more and may add college-level coursework on top, which is why its credit count exceeds what 108 hours alone would produce. A 4-week course reaches the same hours with full days. Instructors in either format must be licensed nurses with recent direct-care experience under WAC 246-841A-430, and every program must allow at least four attempts at the skills competency exam. The rule and its amendments are covered in WAC 246-841A explained.

One train from Shoreline: the commute in detail

Sound Transit's station pages describe two Shoreline stops on the 1 Line:

• Shoreline South/148th, 14711 5th Avenue NE, with 500 parking spaces including 9 accessible stalls, and King County Metro routes 65, 72, 333, 345, 346, and 365.
• Shoreline North/185th, 710 NE 185th Street, with 494 parking spaces including 9 accessible stalls, Community Transit's Swift Blue Line, and Metro routes 348 and 365.

From either station the 1 Line runs south through Northgate, the University District, downtown Seattle, SeaTac, and Kent Des Moines to Federal Way Downtown Station, where the school is a short walk. Trains run about every 10 minutes through most of the day. Expect roughly 70 to 80 minutes of riding each way, which is the entire commute; there is no bus leg at the Federal Way end. The Shoreline stations' parking permits and daily limits are described on Sound Transit's parking pages, so a student planning to park for a full class day should check the current rules first.

Driving instead: Shoreline to Federal Way Downtown is about 32 miles on I-5 through downtown Seattle, about 40 minutes off-peak and well over an hour at the morning southbound or afternoon northbound peak. The train is the more predictable weekday option; the car is faster on weekends.

Costs for either path

Shoreline residents receiving Basic Food or registered with WorkSource may qualify for tuition help; the mechanics are in WorkSource, WIOA, and Basic Food Employment and Training. Financial aid at the college follows its own rules; ask the college's financial aid office.

Day, weekend, or bridge for a Shoreline student

• Day cohort. Twenty weekday class days in four weeks, about three hours of train time per day. Best for a student who wants the credential in one month and can use the ride for skills review.
• Weekend cohort. The same 108 hours on Saturdays and Sundays over more weeks, for someone working weekdays at Fircrest, in Shoreline senior living, or in home care. The 1 Line runs weekends at reduced frequency; check timetables.
• HCA bridge. Active Home Care Aides take 40 hours in 5 weekdays or about 2.5 weekends for $800, cutting the number of train trips from 20 to about 5.

The lab component is where the 4-week schedule earns its keep: 33 hours of repetition so that the skills test, which the school administers on site, is passed on the first attempt. What that lab time involves is in inside the CNA skills lab.

Where a Shoreline graduate works

Shoreline has no hospital inside city limits, but UW Medical Center Northwest at 1550 N 115th Street is a few minutes south, Swedish Edmonds is a few minutes north, and the city itself has skilled nursing at Shoreline Health and Rehabilitation on NE 145th Street, the CRISTA senior living campus, and Fircrest Residential Habilitation Center, a DSHS-run campus on 15th Avenue NE that includes a 100-bed nursing facility per DSHS. Indeed's posting data updated September 2, 2026, lists about $23.93 per hour for nursing assistants in Shoreline from 70 reports, approximate. Employers by setting are in CNA jobs in Shoreline, WA.

The Federal Way course in detail

The CNA Traditional program runs 35 theory, 33 lab, and 40 clinical hours under licensed-nurse instructors in 4 weeks, requires a high school diploma or GED, runs a background check before clinical placement, and administers the $100 skills test on site. Instruction is in English. Cohort dates for day, weekend, and bridge patterns are on the schedules page.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a CNA program in Shoreline? Yes. Shoreline Community College's Nursing Assistant Certified certificate is WABON-approved with entry each quarter. The 4-week course in Federal Way is the fixed-price alternative.

How long does the 1 Line take from Shoreline to Federal Way? Roughly 70 to 80 minutes from Shoreline South/148th or Shoreline North/185th to Federal Way Downtown, with no transfer.

Can I park at a Shoreline station all day? Shoreline South/148th has 500 spaces and Shoreline North/185th has 494, per Sound Transit. Check the current permit and daily-limit rules before relying on a stall.

Is the college course cheaper than the 4-week course? It depends on credit load, residency, and program fees, which the college publishes on its tuition page; the Federal Way course is a flat $1,100 plus about $105 in books.

Do both programs lead to the same exam? Yes. A $100 skills test, then a $55 Credentia knowledge test, for every Washington candidate.

Can I take the Federal Way course if I live in Shoreline? Yes. The NA-C is a statewide credential, and enrollment terms are the same regardless of city.

Once a Shoreline student finishes class, the sequence of skills test, knowledge test, and DOH application is laid out in how to become a CNA in Washington State.