CNA Jobs in Lynnwood, WA: Employers, Settings, and Starting Pay

Lynnwood sits between two hospital markets and has its own long-term care base, which gives a new Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) three tiers of employers to choose from. The closest hospital is Swedish Edmonds at 21601 76th Avenue W, with more than 200 licensed inpatient beds per the Providence Swedish careers page. Inside the city, skilled nursing facilities such as Lynnwood Post-Acute Rehabilitation Center on 188th Street SW (67 licensed beds, per the Washington Health Care Association facility finder) hire on a Certificate of Completion plus NAR status. Seattle's hospitals are one 1 Line ride from Lynnwood City Center Station. For pay, ZipRecruiter's Lynnwood CNA listings in September 2026 show an average of about $22.20 per hour within a posted range of roughly $18 to $39, while Indeed's August 2026 data for nearby Everett lists about $24.89 and the Washington average about $23.62. Treat every figure as approximate.

Lynnwood's employer map

The first two tiers absorb most new graduates. The hospital tiers are where a Lynnwood NA-C moves after a year, usually for base pay plus evening, night, and weekend differentials of about $1.50 to $4 per hour.

What the numbers mean for a Lynnwood applicant

ZipRecruiter's $22.20 average is pulled down by agency and PRN listings and by home care roles that accept Home Care Aides; it is not what a skilled nursing facility offers a certified nursing assistant on a fixed schedule. The Everett figure of about $24.89 from Indeed is closer to a facility or hospital base rate for Snohomish County. Individual postings in the same September 2026 data ranged from a $21.22 night-shift role at a community health center to $23 to $30 at a post-acute facility in Edmonds. Read the role and the shift before comparing rates. The statewide picture, including how differentials and per diem premiums are built, is in CNA salary in Washington State.

A second detail: BLS OEWS reports the Seattle-metro healthcare support mean at about $25.96 per hour for May 2025, well above the $19.62 national figure. Lynnwood is inside that metro area, which is why an out-of-state CNA comparing offers should expect Lynnwood numbers to look high and Lynnwood rents to explain why.

Three commutes, three job markets

Lynnwood's transit position is unusual for a suburb. Community Transit's Lynnwood guide lists fourteen of its bus routes at Lynnwood City Center Station, including the Swift Orange Line, Route 166 to Edmonds Station, and Route 119 to Mountlake Terrace Station, with a RideStore on site for ORCA cards. Sound Transit's 1 Line starts at the same station and runs to Federal Way Downtown.

• Swedish Edmonds: by car, west on 196th Street SW or 212th Street SW to 76th Avenue W, about 10 to 15 minutes. By bus, Route 166 toward Edmonds passes within walking distance of the 76th Avenue corridor; confirm the stop on the Community Transit route page.
• Providence Everett: north on I-5, about 20 to 30 minutes by car outside the peak. Sound Transit Express buses connect Lynnwood City Center with Everett Station, and Community Transit's Swift Blue Line runs the Highway 99 corridor toward Everett.
• Seattle hospitals: the 1 Line from Lynnwood City Center reaches U District Station for UW Medical Center, Capitol Hill for Swedish First Hill and Virginia Mason, and the International District for Harborview via a short bus or walk. No transfer is needed until you leave the train.

A Lynnwood NA-C working in the city itself can often walk or take one Swift or local bus. Adult family home work spread across Lynnwood, Edmonds, and Mountlake Terrace generally requires a car.

Credentials Lynnwood employers check

The NA-C is issued by the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) and verified on the Provider Credential Search. Beyond that, expect these requests:

1. NAR proof if you apply before certification. A nursing facility can hire a Nursing Assistant-Registered and must see the NA-C within 4 months of hire; the rule is explained in the NAR four-month rule in Washington.
2. BLS CPR from every hospital and nearly every skilled nursing facility.
3. TB test and immunizations, with the same documents you gathered for clinicals.
4. A DSHS background check for adult family homes, assisted living, and home care agencies, in addition to the DOH name-based check. Applicants who lived outside Washington in the past three years may be asked for fingerprints.
5. The medication assistant endorsement for medication aide roles in senior living, which requires 8 hours of medication-specific continuing education and 250 documented hours per renewal cycle.

A hiring timeline built around Lynnwood

• During training, weeks 3 and 4: apply to the skilled nursing facilities on 188th Street SW and around Alderwood, and to post-acute facilities in Edmonds, with your Certificate of Completion and NAR confirmation.
• When the $100 skills pass is recorded: book the $55 Credentia knowledge test; the order is fixed by the state exam rule that took effect October 1, 2023.
• After the knowledge pass: file the DOH application and start applying to Swedish Edmonds float pool and per diem postings, which are the usual entry point for a new NA-C at a hospital.
• Once the NA-C shows on the registry: notify your employer so your title, scope, and pay update, then decide whether Providence Everett or a Seattle hospital is worth the longer commute for the differential.
• After 6 to 12 months: hospital unit positions that listed an experience preference open up. That preference is a posting habit, not a regulation.

Training options for Lynnwood residents who have not certified yet

Edmonds College in Lynnwood runs a WABON-approved nurse assistant certificate of 8 credits in one quarter, per the college's program page, with prerequisite courses in medical terminology, CPR, and related subjects that can extend the timeline. Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way runs the CNA Traditional program in 4 weeks for $1,100 tuition, 108 clock hours, with the skills test on site, and an active Home Care Aide can instead take the 40-hour HCA to CNA bridge for $800. The comparison for a Lynnwood student, including the 1 Line ride from Lynnwood City Center, is in CNA classes near Lynnwood, WA, and the bridge specifics are in HCA to CNA bridge near Lynnwood, WA.

Frequently asked questions

How much do CNA jobs in Lynnwood pay? ZipRecruiter's Lynnwood listings in September 2026 average about $22.20 per hour; Indeed's Everett figure of about $24.89 is closer to facility and hospital base rates in Snohomish County. Both are approximate, and differentials add roughly $1.50 to $4 per hour.

Which hospital is nearest to Lynnwood for a CNA? Swedish Edmonds on 76th Avenue W, about 10 to 15 minutes by car and reachable by Community Transit Route 166. Providence Everett is the next closest.

Can I work in Lynnwood before I pass the NA-C exam? Yes, at a skilled nursing facility as a Nursing Assistant-Registered, with 4 months from hire to certify. Hospitals usually wait for the NA-C.

Do Lynnwood employers care whether I trained in Snohomish or King County? No. The NA-C is a state credential issued by DOH. Employers check the registry, CPR, immunizations, and background results, not the county where you trained.

Can I reach Seattle hospitals from Lynnwood without a car? Yes. The 1 Line from Lynnwood City Center Station runs directly to U District, Capitol Hill, and the International District, and Lynnwood City Center's garage holds about 1,670 park-and-ride stalls per Sound Transit.

Is a home care agency job the same as a CNA job? No. Agency caregiver roles are usually posted at the HCA rate and scope. Look for "NA-C" or "nursing assistant" in the posting and confirm the rate applies to certified staff.

For openings by setting across the state, read CNA jobs in Washington. If you are still choosing a program, the schedules page lists upcoming Federal Way cohorts.