Huduma CNA ProgramsCNA jobs in Auburn, WA center on one hospital and a dense band of long-term care. MultiCare Auburn Medical Center on North Division Street is one of the city's largest employers, and the valley floor and hills around it hold skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, memory care, and licensed adult family homes that hire Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) holders and, in nursing facilities, Nursing Assistant-Registered (NAR) trainees. Auburn Station adds reach: the Sounder S Line runs to Seattle and Tacoma, and Sound Transit route 566 runs weekdays to Kent, Renton, and Bellevue. Indeed job-posting data (August 2026) puts the Washington nursing assistant average at about $23.62 per hour; Auburn is not reported separately, so treat the state figure as the planning number and expect a first long-term care job to start below it.
MultiCare Auburn Medical Center
MultiCare's site lists the hospital at 202 N Division St with a 24-hour emergency department, a 24-hour birth center, inpatient psychiatric units, and a state Level 2 stroke center designation. Published employer rankings for the city count roughly 1,200 jobs there, making it Auburn's fourth-largest employer. For a nursing assistant, that mix means several distinct hiring channels:
- Medical-surgical and telemetry units: nursing assistant or patient care technician roles; postings often list 6 to 12 months of experience as preferred, not required.
- Emergency department: technician roles that usually add phlebotomy or EKG skills on top of the NA-C.
- Inpatient psychiatry: mental health technician positions that accept an NA-C and value de-escalation training.
- Float pool: the fastest route into the hospital for a new NA-C willing to take variable units and shifts.
MultiCare is one of the largest healthcare employers in the state (Tacoma General is in the same system), so an Auburn hire can later transfer within the system without re-verifying credentials.
Long-term care inside Auburn
| Setting | Who they hire | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled nursing facilities | NA-C; NAR before certification under the 4-month rule | 8- or 12-hour shifts, the highest resident loads, most first jobs start here |
| Assisted living and memory care | NA-C and HCA | Personal care, nurse delegation for medications, lighter lifting |
| Licensed adult family homes | NA-C, HCA, and long-term care workers | Six residents or fewer, flexible shifts, pay closer to the wage floor |
| Home care agencies serving Auburn, Algona, and Pacific | HCA rate unless the role needs NA-C scope | Client visits, mileage, variable hours |
| Muckleshoot Tribe health and elder programs | Varies by posting | Check the tribe's employment page directly |
Skilled nursing facilities are where clinical rotations happen, so many Auburn graduates are hired by the facility they trained in. Adult family homes are plentiful in Auburn's residential neighborhoods and hire quickly, but pay and hours vary more than facility work. The scope difference between these settings is explained in Washington CNA scope of practice.
Reach from Auburn Station
Auburn Station is what separates Auburn from most South King County cities of its size. Per Sound Transit, the Sounder S Line runs 13 weekday round trips with about 35 minutes to King Street Station in Seattle and about 28 minutes to Tacoma Dome, and the station has 633 parking spaces with a second garage planned by 2027. Route 566 runs weekdays from Auburn through Kent Station and Renton Transit Center to Bellevue Transit Center and Redmond Technology Station.
| Destination employer | Transit from Auburn | Approximate weekday time |
|---|---|---|
| Valley Medical Center, Renton | Route 566 or Metro route 160 | 30 to 45 minutes |
| St. Francis Hospital, Federal Way | Metro route 181 | 20 to 30 minutes |
| Harborview, UW Medicine, Swedish (Seattle) | Sounder to King Street, then walk or bus | 35 minutes to King Street plus connection |
| MultiCare Tacoma General, St. Joseph Tacoma | Sounder to Tacoma Dome, then Pierce Transit | About 28 minutes plus connection |
| Overlake, Bellevue | Route 566 | Roughly 60 to 75 minutes |
Times are approximate and based on Sound Transit and King County Metro published schedules as of September 2026. Sounder and route 566 are weekday services; for evening, night, or weekend hospital shifts you will need a car or the Metro network via Kent or Federal Way.
Starting pay around Auburn
| Reference | Approximate figure |
|---|---|
| Indeed postings, Washington (Aug 2026) | $23.62 per hour |
| Indeed postings, Seattle (Aug 2026) | $23.80 per hour |
| BLS OEWS, Seattle-metro healthcare support mean (May 2025) | $25.96 per hour |
| Washington minimum wage, 2026 | $17.13 per hour |
| Shift differentials | $1.50 to $4 per hour for evenings, nights, weekends |
Auburn uses the state minimum wage. A realistic pattern for a new NA-C: a first skilled nursing or adult family home position below the state posting average, a move to MultiCare Auburn or a Renton or Seattle hospital after 6 to 12 months, and differentials that push a night-shift hospital rate above the average. Detailed breakdowns by setting are in CNA salary in Washington State.
What Auburn employers check before an offer
- DOH Provider Credential Search: an active NA-C, or a NAR for facility employment while you finish the exam.
- Background check: DOH runs a name-based statewide check at application; facilities and adult family homes run their own.
- BLS CPR from a recognized provider; hospitals will not schedule orientation without it.
- TB test and immunization records, generally the same documents used for clinicals.
- Physical demands sign-off, since lifting and transfer requirements are written into most facility job descriptions.
An HCA who wants to move from home care into MultiCare Auburn or a skilled nursing facility usually needs the NA-C; the 40-hour route for active HCA credential holders is in HCA to CNA bridge near Auburn, WA.
A first-90-days plan for an Auburn graduate
- Before the skills test: apply to two or three skilled nursing facilities in Auburn and Kent and to adult family homes near home; ask each about NAR hiring.
- Skills pass recorded: register for the Credentia knowledge test the same day.
- Knowledge pass: submit the DOH application, then apply to MultiCare Auburn's float pool and technician postings.
- NA-C on the registry: send the credential number to your current employer for the pay change, and set up job alerts for Valley Medical Center and the Seattle systems reachable by Sounder.
- Month three: ask for evening or night shifts if you want the differential, and track the hours; hospitals count experience in months of direct care.
Working legally before the credential arrives has rules, covered in working as a CNA before certification in Washington.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CNA make in Auburn, WA? No Auburn-specific figure appears in the August 2026 Indeed data. Use the Washington average of about $23.62 per hour as the reference; long-term care starts below it, hospital roles with differentials go above it.
Does MultiCare Auburn hire new graduate CNAs? Hospitals in the MultiCare system post nursing assistant, technician, and float pool roles; many list experience as preferred rather than required. Apply with the NA-C active and BLS CPR in hand.
Can I get to Seattle hospital jobs from Auburn without a car? On weekdays, yes: Sounder from Auburn Station to King Street is about 35 minutes. Weekend and night shifts are harder without a car because Sounder is weekday-only.
What is the difference between HCA and CNA jobs in Auburn? HCAs work in home care, assisted living, and adult family homes. NA-Cs also work in skilled nursing facilities and hospitals under a licensed nurse, which is where most of the higher-paying Auburn postings are.
Which Auburn employers hire before certification? Skilled nursing facilities can hire a NAR, who then has 4 months from hire to complete training and pass the exam. Adult family homes and assisted living often hire on a Certificate of Completion with the exam pending.
The statewide openings picture is in CNA jobs in Washington. If you have not trained yet, Huduma CNA Programs runs the 108-hour CNA Traditional program in Federal Way, one Metro route 181 ride from Auburn Station.
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