How to Become a CNA in New York
To work as a certified nursing assistant in New York, you finish a state-approved training program of 100 hours, pass the competency exam given by Prometric, and get listed on the state nurse aide registry. New York has 196 approved programs to choose from (list dated September 2026).
Updated October 2026 · Sources: NY State Department of Health (September 2026), 10 NYCRR 415.26, IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
- Training required
- 100 hr30 clinical
- Approved programs
- 196official list, September 2026
- Lowest college price
- $810median $1,975, 4 colleges
- New York median pay
- $48,590$23.36/hr · BLS May 2025
Step 1: Choose a state-approved program
Only programs on the official New York list qualify you for the exam. The NY State Department of Health list has 196 approved programs: 156 nursing home programs, 37 college programs and 3 job corps programs. Federal law bars a nursing home from charging the aides it hires for training: see free CNA classes in New York. 39 programs are listed in a hybrid format; clinical hours are always in person (online CNA classes).
Biggest New York metro areas for CNA training
- CNA classes in New York39
- CNA classes in Rochester23
- CNA classes in Buffalo19
- CNA classes in Albany18
- CNA classes in Kiryas Joel10
- CNA classes in Glens Falls8
- CNA classes in Utica7
- CNA classes in Syracuse6
Step 2: Complete 100 hours of training
New York requires 100 hours: 70 classroom/lab and 30 supervised clinical in a nursing home. Source: 10 NYCRR 415.26. That is 25 hours more than the federal minimum of 75.
For programs approved by the State Education Department, classroom theory may be taught on a remote platform such as Zoom when in-person delivery is unavailable; the skills lab is in person with the approved RN instructor, and clinical hours are in a nursing home (NYSED nurse aide program guidelines, July 2026). Source: official guidance. More: online CNA classes.
What college CNA programs charge in New York
4 colleges report a CNA program price to the U.S. Department of Education: $810 to $2,225, median $1,975 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24).
| College (lowest prices) | City | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Medical Assistant Training | Forest Hills | $810 |
| New Age Training | New York | $1,725 |
| Access Careers | Hempstead | $2,225 |
| Access Careers-Islandia | Islandia | $2,225 |
Price = tuition plus books and supplies, self-reported by colleges for 2023–24. Exam and background-check fees are extra.
Step 3: Pass the New York competency exam
The exam has a written (or oral) part and a hands-on skills part, given by Prometric.
Step 4: Get listed on the registry
After you pass, you are added to the New York nurse aide registry, kept by the New York State Department of Health, Nurse Aide 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
87,990 nursing assistants work in New York. The median earns $48,590 a year; the top 10% earn $59,890 or more (BLS May 2025). See New York 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 New York: FAQ
How many hours of training does a CNA need in New York?
New York requires 100 hours: 70 classroom/lab and 30 supervised clinical in a nursing home (10 NYCRR 415.26). The federal minimum is 75 hours, 16 of them supervised clinical.
Who runs the New York CNA exam?
The New York competency exam (a written or oral test plus a skills test) is given by Prometric.
How much does CNA training cost in New York?
Among 4 New York colleges that report a CNA program price to the U.S. Department of Education, tuition plus books and supplies ranges from $810 to $2,225 (median $1,975, IPEDS 2023–24). Programs run by nursing homes and private schools are not in that data; ask them directly.
Can I do the New York CNA classroom hours online?
For programs approved by the State Education Department, classroom theory may be taught on a remote platform such as Zoom when in-person delivery is unavailable; the skills lab is in person with the approved RN instructor, and clinical hours are in a nursing home (NYSED nurse aide program guidelines, July 2026).
How do I look up a CNA license in New York?
Use the free New York nurse aide registry search, run by the New York State Department of Health, Nurse Aide Registry. It shows whether a certificate is active. The link is in the rules box on this page.
How much do CNAs make in New York?
The median New York nursing assistant earned $48,590 a year ($23.36 an hour) in BLS May 2025 data, above the U.S. median of $42,260. The middle half earned $43,760 to $51,980.