South King County CNA Training: Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, and Des Moines Options

South King County residents can complete state-approved Nursing Assistant-Certified (NA-C) training without leaving the county's south end. Every approved program must deliver at least 108 clock hours under WAC 246-841A-440 (35 theory, 33 skills lab, 40 clinical), and the two-part state exam costs $155 in total. Huduma CNA Programs in Federal Way runs the 108-hour CNA Traditional course in 4 weeks for $1,100 tuition plus about $105 in books and supplies, and a 40-hour HCA to CNA bridge for $800. Federal Way sits at the transit hub of the subregion, with the 1 Line light rail, RapidRide A Line, Sound Transit 574, and King County Metro routes converging at Federal Way Downtown Station and the Federal Way Transit Center.

What "South King County" means for a CNA student

South King County generally covers Federal Way, Kent, Auburn, Des Moines, Renton, Burien, SeaTac, Tukwila, Covington, Maple Valley, and Enumclaw. The area matters for two reasons. First, it holds a large share of the county's skilled nursing facilities and licensed adult family homes, which are the settings where most new NA-Cs get their first job. Second, its transit network was rebuilt around the Federal Way Link Extension, which opened in December 2025 and put Kent Des Moines, Star Lake, and Federal Way Downtown on the same light rail line as SeaTac and downtown Seattle.

The state rules that apply everywhere in the county

The Washington State Board of Nursing (WABON) approves training programs and sets the exam standard; the Department of Health (DOH) issues the credential and runs the background check. Those rules do not change by city, so a Kent program and a Federal Way program must both meet the same 108-hour floor with licensed-nurse instructors who have recent direct-care experience (WAC 246-841A-430). Programs must also allow every student at least four attempts at the skills competency exam.

Since October 1, 2023, the exam has two parts in a fixed order: the $100 in-person skills test administered by the training program (or scheduled through WABON's online system if the program does not test), then the $55 Credentia knowledge test, which you may register for only after the skills pass is recorded. The full sequence is explained in the Washington NAC exam guide, and the 2026 rules for training, exam, and credentialing are summarized in Washington State CNA requirements in 2026.

Program types you will find in South King County

The differences between the first two rows are covered in community college vs private CNA school in Washington. The nursing-home route is faster to a paycheck but ties your training to one employer.

Getting to Federal Way from each South King County city

Travel times below are approximate, based on published Sound Transit, King County Metro, and Pierce Transit schedules as of September 2026, and will vary with traffic and time of day.

The A Line runs every 10 minutes during the day along Pacific Highway South between Tukwila International Boulevard Station and Federal Way Downtown, so students anywhere on that corridor rarely need to check a schedule. Parking at Federal Way Downtown Station is a 1,500-stall garage, which lets a driver from Auburn or Covington park once and walk. A full breakdown of the routes, including walking directions from the station, is in getting to CNA class in Federal Way by bus, light rail, or car.

Where South King County graduates work

The subregion has hospitals at each corner and a dense layer of long-term care in between:

• Federal Way: St. Francis Hospital (Virginia Mason Franciscan Health) plus skilled nursing facilities and adult family homes near the SR 99 corridor.
• Auburn: MultiCare Auburn Medical Center and surrounding long-term care.
• Renton: Valley Medical Center.
• Burien: Highline Medical Center.
• Kent, Des Moines, SeaTac, Tukwila: primarily skilled nursing, assisted living, and licensed adult family homes, of which Washington has thousands statewide.

Hospitals often prefer some experience; skilled nursing facilities and adult family homes hire new graduates, and many hire Nursing Assistant-Registered (NAR) students before certification, subject to the 4-month rule for nursing facilities.

What South King County CNAs earn

Job-posting data from Indeed (August 2026) puts the Washington average for nursing assistants at about $23.62 per hour, with Seattle postings at about $23.80. There is no separate published figure for South King County in that dataset, so treat the state average as the reference point and expect hospital roles to sit at the higher end and adult family homes at the lower end. Shift differentials of roughly $1.50 to $4 per hour for evenings, nights, and weekends are typical. For comparison, the 2026 Washington minimum wage is $17.13 per hour, and some cities set higher local minimums.

How Huduma CNA Programs fits the subregion

Huduma CNA Programs is operated by Caregiver Training and Huduma Center LLC, which is also a DSHS-approved Home Care Aide training provider and HCA exam site. That combination matters in South King County, where many caregivers already hold an HCA credential from DSHS-funded home care work. Those caregivers can take the HCA to CNA bridge, a 40-clock-hour course (36 instructional hours split 17 theory, 13 lab, and 6 clinical, plus 4 hours of mock testing) offered over 5 weekdays or about 2.5 weekends for $800.

Everyone else takes the CNA Traditional program: 108 clock hours in 4 weeks, day or weekend patterns, a background check before clinical placement, instruction in English, and the skills test administered on site so graduates do not travel to a separate test center. A high school diploma or GED is required for both courses. Current start dates are listed on the schedules page.

A decision rule for choosing among South King County options

1. Eliminate any program under 108 hours or without WABON approval. The credential depends on it.
2. Add up the real cost: tuition, books, the $155 exam, and the DOH application fee per the current fee schedule. A low tuition with off-site testing and a separate uniform fee can end up costing more.
3. Measure the commute for 4 weeks, not one day. A 20-minute difference each way becomes about 13 hours over a 20-day course.
4. Match the pattern to your life. Weekend cohorts suit students keeping a weekday job; 5-day patterns finish fastest.
5. Pick the shortest route to the exam. On-site skills testing removes one scheduling step.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a difference between CNA training in Kent and in Federal Way? Not in the state requirements. Both must meet the 108-hour minimum and use the same two-part exam. Differences are in start dates, price, schedule pattern, and whether the program tests on site.

Can I take the train to CNA class in Federal Way? Yes. The 1 Line stops at Federal Way Downtown Station, which also serves the A Line, Sound Transit 574, and King County Metro routes.

How long does the whole process take in South King County? Plan on 4 weeks of training plus the time to schedule the $100 skills test, register for and pass the $55 knowledge test, and receive the DOH credential. Most students should budget 6 to 10 weeks from the first class day to an active NA-C, a typical range rather than a guarantee.

Do I need to live in Federal Way to enroll at Huduma CNA Programs? No. Students come from across King and Pierce counties. Enrollment requires a high school diploma or GED and, for the bridge, an active Washington HCA credential.

For the statewide picture of program types and approval, read CNA training in Washington, and compare pay by setting in CNA salary in Washington State.