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

Renton has one of the strongest nursing assistant job markets in South King County because Valley Medical Center, the city's second-largest employer with 4,304 employees in Renton's 2023 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, sits inside the city, and Kaiser Permanente (2,550 employees) and Providence (2,050) also rank among its top five employers. Add skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, and a large number of licensed adult family homes, and a new Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) in Renton can usually choose between hospital, facility, and community settings without leaving the city. Indeed job-posting data (August 2026) reports a Washington nursing assistant average of about $23.62 per hour and Seattle about $23.80; Renton is not listed separately, so plan around the state figure.

Valley Medical Center

Valley Medical Center is at 400 S 43rd Street, in the Talbot Hill area south of downtown, and is part of the UW Medicine system. For a nursing assistant it is the single largest employer in the city and the most common goal for Renton graduates. The roles a new NA-C should search for:

• Nursing assistant on inpatient units: medical, surgical, orthopedic, and telemetry floors; day, evening, and night shifts; postings commonly list 6 to 12 months of experience as preferred.
• Emergency department technician: NA-C plus additional skills such as EKG; often requires prior experience.
• Float pool: variable units and shifts, and the typical entry point for a graduate without hospital experience.
• Clinic support roles: in Valley's clinic network across South King County; read each posting, because many require medical assistant credentials rather than an NA-C.

Because Valley is UW Medicine, a Renton hire can later apply to Harborview or UW Medical Center as an internal candidate. The hospital verifies credentials on the DOH Provider Credential Search and requires BLS CPR.

Every other setting in Renton

Kaiser and Providence appear in Renton's employer rankings largely because of office and regional service operations, so a nursing assistant should read each posting's location and duties rather than assume a bedside role. The line between NA-C, HCA, and delegated tasks is explained in NAR vs NAC in Washington.

Pay in and around Renton

All figures are approximate. In Renton the spread is wide: adult family homes and agency shifts near the floor, skilled nursing facilities in the low-to-mid $20s, and Valley Medical Center night shifts with differentials above the state average. The pattern by setting statewide is in CNA salary in Washington State.

Transit reach for a Renton nursing assistant

Renton Transit Center is the hub, and Sound Transit's Stride S1 bus rapid transit along I-405 is scheduled for 2028 with a new transit center under construction south of downtown. Until then, per Sound Transit and King County Metro published schedules as of September 2026:

• RapidRide F Line connects Renton Transit Center and The Landing with Tukwila International Boulevard Station on the 1 Line, running every 10 minutes at weekday peaks; the 1 Line then reaches Seattle hospitals north and Federal Way south.
• Sound Transit route 560 runs from Bellevue through Renton to SeaTac, Burien, and West Seattle, linking Renton to the 1 Line at SeaTac and to Overlake in Bellevue. Sound Transit has proposed shortening the route to end at Burien; the board vote is expected in November 2026.
• Sound Transit route 566 links Renton Transit Center with Kent, Auburn, and Bellevue on weekdays.
• King County Metro route 160 runs Renton to Kent Station to Auburn Station, and Metro's RapidRide I Line is planned to upgrade that corridor in 2027.

Valley Medical Center itself is on the south side of the city and served by Metro routes from Renton Transit Center; a car is the practical choice for night shifts.

NAR or NA-C: what Renton employers accept

1. Skilled nursing facilities can hire a Nursing Assistant-Registered (NAR) who is enrolled in or has completed training; the NAR then has 4 months from hire to pass both exam parts.
2. Valley Medical Center and other hospitals generally post for an active NA-C; some list "NAR acceptable, NA-C within 4 months" for specific units, so read each posting.
3. Adult family homes and assisted living usually accept a Certificate of Completion with the exam pending, plus their own background check.
4. Every employer checks the DOH registry, requires a name-based background check result, and asks for TB and immunization records.

The rules for working before certification are in the NAR four-month rule in Washington.

Application timeline for a Renton graduate

• Final two weeks of training: apply to skilled nursing facilities in Renton, Tukwila, and Kent as a NAR; ask which will sponsor the exam fees.
• Skills pass recorded: register with Credentia for the $55 knowledge test immediately.
• Knowledge pass: file the DOH application; submit Valley Medical Center float pool and unit applications so they are in the queue when the NA-C posts.
• NA-C on the registry: update your employer for the pay change; set alerts for UW Medicine, Kaiser Permanente, and Swedish postings reachable by the F Line and 1 Line.
• 6 to 12 months in: reapply for hospital unit roles that listed experience as preferred; that window is the typical range hospitals name.

Frequently asked questions

How much do CNAs earn in Renton, WA? Indeed's August 2026 data does not break out Renton. The Washington average is about $23.62 per hour; expect long-term care to start below it and Valley Medical Center night shifts with differentials to exceed it.

Does Valley Medical Center hire new CNAs? Valley posts nursing assistant and float pool roles; many list experience as preferred rather than required. Apply with an active NA-C and BLS CPR.

Can I reach Seattle hospitals from Renton without a car? Yes. The F Line to Tukwila International Boulevard Station connects to the 1 Line, which serves downtown Seattle, First Hill via connections, and the University District.

Which Renton employers hire before I pass the exam? Skilled nursing facilities can hire NARs under the 4-month rule, and adult family homes often hire on a Certificate of Completion.

Does it matter where I trained? No. Renton employers verify an active NA-C on the DOH Provider Credential Search. The 108-hour CNA Traditional program at Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way, about 15 miles south, leads to the same credential as any other approved program.

The statewide picture of openings is in CNA jobs in Washington, and the training options for the city are compared in CNA classes near Renton, WA.