How to Become a CNA in Missouri
To work as a certified nursing assistant in Missouri, you finish a state-approved training program of at least 175 hours, pass the competency exam given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster), and get listed on the state nurse aide registry. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services approves training programs; ask any program to show its current state approval before you pay. 2 colleges here report a CNA program to the U.S. Department of Education.
Updated October 2026 · Sources: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Health Education Unit), 19 CSR 30-84.010(4), IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
- Training required
- 175+ hr100 clinical
- Colleges with CNA programs
- 2IPEDS 2023–24
- Lowest college price
- $16,118the only college price reported
- Missouri median pay
- $37,680$18.11/hr · BLS May 2025
Step 1: Choose a state-approved program
Only a nurse aide training program approved by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services qualifies you for the exam. We could not open the state's approved-program list when we checked in October 2026, so ask each program for its current state approval in writing before you pay. The 2 colleges that report a CNA program to the U.S. Department of Education are listed with costs here; programs run by nursing homes and private schools are not in that federal data.
Biggest Missouri metro areas for CNA training
Step 2: Complete at least 175 hours of training
Missouri requires at least 175 hours: 75 hours of classroom instruction plus 100 hours of supervised on-the-job (clinical) training, followed by a final exam. Source: 19 CSR 30-84.010(4). That is 100 hours more than the federal minimum of 75.
What college CNA programs charge in Missouri
Only 1 college reports a CNA program price to the U.S. Department of Education: $16,118 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24).
| College (lowest prices) | City | Price |
|---|---|---|
| St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis | Saint Louis | $16,118 |
Price = tuition plus books and supplies, self-reported by colleges for 2023–24. Exam and background-check fees are extra.
Step 3: Pass the Missouri competency exam
The exam has a written (or oral) part and a hands-on skills part, given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster). Missouri's rule requires a score of at least 80% to pass, and students must score 80% or better on at least three written or oral tests during the course to sit the final exam.
Step 4: Get listed on the registry
After you pass, you are added to the Missouri nurse aide registry, kept by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Health Education Unit). 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
34,050 nursing assistants work in Missouri. The median earns $37,680 a year; the top 10% earn $45,260 or more (BLS May 2025). See Missouri 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 Missouri: FAQ
How many hours of training does a CNA need in Missouri?
Missouri requires at least 175 hours: 75 hours of classroom instruction plus 100 hours of supervised on-the-job (clinical) training, followed by a final exam (19 CSR 30-84.010(4)). The federal minimum is 75 hours, 16 of them supervised clinical.
Who runs the Missouri CNA exam?
The Missouri competency exam (a written or oral test plus a skills test) is given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster). Missouri's rule requires a score of at least 80% to pass, and students must score 80% or better on at least three written or oral tests during the course to sit the final exam.
How much does CNA training cost in Missouri?
Only 1 Missouri college reports a CNA program price to the U.S. Department of Education: $16,118 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24). Programs run by nursing homes and private schools are not in that data; ask them directly.
Is there a list of state-approved CNA programs in Missouri?
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services approves nurse aide training programs in Missouri. We could not open the state's approved-program list when we checked in October 2026, so we don't show a program count here. Only an approved program qualifies you for the D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) exam: ask any program to show you its current state approval before you pay. 2 colleges in Missouri report a CNA program to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS 2023–24); they are listed on this page.
How do I look up a CNA license in Missouri?
Use the free Missouri nurse aide registry search, run by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (Health Education Unit). It shows whether a certificate is active. The link is in the rules box on this page.
How much do CNAs make in Missouri?
The median Missouri nursing assistant earned $37,680 a year ($18.11 an hour) in BLS May 2025 data, below the U.S. median of $42,260. The middle half earned $35,400 to $41,600.