How to Become a CNA in Illinois
To work as a certified nursing assistant in Illinois, you finish a state-approved training program of 120 hours, pass the competency exam given by Southern Illinois University Carbondale (INACE), and get listed on the state nurse aide registry. Illinois has 395 approved programs to choose from (list dated April 2026).
Updated October 2026 · Sources: Illinois Nurse Aide Testing (SIU Carbondale, the state's exam vendor) (April 2026), 77 Ill. Adm. Code 395.150, IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
- Training required
- 120 hr40 clinical
- Approved programs
- 395official list, April 2026
- Lowest college price
- $800median $1,300, 2 colleges
- Illinois median pay
- $45,960$22.10/hr · BLS May 2025
Step 1: Choose a state-approved program
Only programs on the official Illinois list qualify you for the exam. The Illinois Nurse Aide Testing (SIU Carbondale, the state's exam vendor) list has 395 approved programs. 71 programs are listed in a hybrid format; clinical hours are always in person (online CNA classes).
Biggest Illinois metro areas for CNA training
- CNA classes in Chicago184
- CNA classes in Peoria12
- CNA classes in Moline12
- CNA classes in Champaign6
- CNA classes in Rockford6
- CNA classes in Springfield5
- CNA classes in Bloomington5
- CNA classes in Kankakee5
Step 2: Complete 120 hours of training
Illinois requires 120 hours: 62 theory, 18 skills lab, 40 clinical, with at least 12 hours on Alzheimer's and dementia care. Source: 77 Ill. Adm. Code 395.150. That is 45 hours more than the federal minimum of 75.
What college CNA programs charge in Illinois
2 colleges report a CNA program price to the U.S. Department of Education: $800 to $1,800, median $1,300 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24).
| College (lowest prices) | City | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Career Center of Southern Illinois | Red Bud | $800 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois | Springfield | $1,800 |
Price = tuition plus books and supplies, self-reported by colleges for 2023–24. Exam and background-check fees are extra.
Step 3: Pass the Illinois competency exam
The exam has a written (or oral) part and a hands-on skills part, given by Southern Illinois University Carbondale (INACE).
Programs with the highest pass rates (2025, 20+ testers)
| Program | City | Testers | Passed |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Rainey Harper Coll. - Conant H.S. | Palatine | 102 | 100.0% |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | 72 | 100.0% |
| Rock Valley College-Hybrid | Rockford | 63 | 100.0% |
| Moraine Valley Community College-Hybrid | Palos Hills | 60 | 100.0% |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | 58 | 100.0% |
SIU Carbondale INACE 2025 annual cluster scores. Pass rates for every reporting program.
Step 4: Get listed on the registry
After you pass, you are added to the Illinois nurse aide registry, kept by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Health Care Worker Registry. Employers check it before hiring, and anyone can look up a CNA license for free. Under federal rules, if you go 24 months in a row without paid nursing-related work, you must retrain or retest.
Step 5: Find a job
68,640 nursing assistants work in Illinois. The median earns $45,960 a year; the top 10% earn $54,050 or more (BLS May 2025). See Illinois CNA pay by metro area.
CNA requirements by state
| State | Training hours | Clinical | Exam | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 160 | 100 | D&SDT-Headmaster, Credentia, or the Regional Testing Center | 592 |
| Colorado | 75+ | 16 | Credentia (NNAAP) | state list |
| Florida | 120 | 40 | Prometric | 201 |
| Georgia | 85 | 24 | Credentia (NNAAP) | 335 |
| Illinois | 120 | 40 | Southern Illinois University Carbondale (INACE) | 395 |
| Massachusetts | 75+ | — | D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) | 109 |
| Michigan | 75 | 16 | D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) | 222 |
| Missouri | 175+ | 100 | D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) | not checked |
| New Jersey | 90 | 40 | PSI and D&SDT-Headmaster | 158 |
| New York | 100 | 30 | Prometric | 196 |
| North Carolina | 75+ | — | Credentia (NNAAP) | 247 |
| Ohio | 75+ | 16 | D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) | not published |
| Pennsylvania | 80 | 37.5 | Credentia (NNAAP) | 182 |
| Texas | 100 | 40 | Prometric | not published |
| Virginia | 140+ | 40 | Credentia (NNAAP) | 220 |
| Washington | 108+ | 40 | Credentia | 170 |
| Wisconsin | 75+ | 16 | D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) | not checked |
Becoming a CNA in Illinois: FAQ
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Illinois?
Illinois requires 120 hours: 62 theory, 18 skills lab, 40 clinical, with at least 12 hours on Alzheimer's and dementia care (77 Ill. Adm. Code 395.150). The federal minimum is 75 hours, 16 of them supervised clinical.
Who runs the Illinois CNA exam?
The Illinois competency exam (a written or oral test plus a skills test) is given by Southern Illinois University Carbondale (INACE).
How much does CNA training cost in Illinois?
Among 2 Illinois colleges that report a CNA program price to the U.S. Department of Education, tuition plus books and supplies ranges from $800 to $1,800 (median $1,300, IPEDS 2023–24). Programs run by nursing homes and private schools are not in that data; ask them directly.
How do I look up a CNA license in Illinois?
Use the free Illinois nurse aide registry search, run by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Health Care Worker Registry. It shows whether a certificate is active. The link is in the rules box on this page.
How much do CNAs make in Illinois?
The median Illinois nursing assistant earned $45,960 a year ($22.10 an hour) in BLS May 2025 data, above the U.S. median of $42,260. The middle half earned $39,420 to $48,380.