Certified nursing assistants in Maryland earn a median wage near $43,240, running about a thousand dollars above the national median, and openings continue to expand across Johns Hopkins and MedStar hospitals in Baltimore, the skilled nursing corridor ringing the DC suburbs, and rural facilities on the Eastern Shore.
Maryland is also unusual in how it credentials this workforce. The state has long operated a dual system, pairing the standard CNA license with a separate Geriatric Nursing Assistant designation required for long-term care work. As of April 2026, the Board of Nursing restructured that framework into a CNA-I pathway, and the older GNA route is being phased out for new applicants.
That transition, combined with a training market that ranges from $0 employer-sponsored classes to roughly $2,856 at community colleges, shapes nearly every enrollment decision made in the state this year.
Maryland's Top-Ranked CNA Programs for 2027
Maryland's community colleges carry most of the state's nursing assistant training, and the 2027 list below highlights a dozen programs worth a closer look. Across these schools you'll find five-week intensive schedules, evening and weekend options, and employer or scholarship pathways that lower the cost of entry.
How we ranked these
- Affordability and typical net price
- Graduate employment outcomes
- Institutional support services
- State approval and accreditation status
- Original research on individual programs
- NCES-IPEDS federal institutional data — nces.ed.gov
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- In-house program catalog data
Carroll Community College
#1Westminster, MD · $3,000/yr
Best for: High school students building healthcare careers
Carroll Community College connects a compact nursing assistant certificate to local employers, and its state GNA exam is administered on campus once training ends. The 132 hour program starts in the fall, spring, and summer and accepts students as young as 16. An employer sponsored Earn While You Learn option gives qualified Carroll County residents a paid route into the field.
- 132 hours of training completed in about two to three months
- Fall, spring, and summer start dates
- Students as young as 16 may enroll
- State GNA exam given on campus with fee included
- Employer sponsored Earn While You Learn option may cover tuition
- Clinical training at a continuing care community in Carroll County
Montgomery College
#2Rockville, MD · ~$8,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Prospective CNAs wanting hospital clinical experience
Montgomery College runs nursing assistant cohorts in an eight to twelve week format, pairing classroom and lab work with clinical experiences at acute care hospitals and a continuing care community. Students attend an information session and pass math and reading screens before registering. Needs-based scholarships are available, and cohorts begin in fall, spring, and summer.
- Eight to twelve week cohorts depending on campus
- 88 theory and lab hours plus 60 clinical hours
- Clinical placements span hospitals and long term care
- Information session plus math and reading screens required
- Needs-based scholarships for qualifying applicants
- Sessions run throughout fall, spring, and summer
Hagerstown Community College
#3Hagerstown, MD · $5,000 – $10,000/yr
Best for: English-language learners entering healthcare careers
Hagerstown Community College structures its curriculum around Foundations of Healthcare, two CNA modules, and a clinical externship, under an ACEN accredited program approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing. Graduates are prepared for state CNA and GNA certification. A companion CNA and phlebotomy track supports English language learners, and scholarship applicants use WorkKeys scores as part of the process.
- ACEN accredited training program
- Foundations of Healthcare plus two CNA modules
- Clinical externship included in the course sequence
- WorkKeys assessment tied to scholarship eligibility
- Coursework includes medical terminology and infection control
- Prepares graduates for CNA and GNA certification
College of Southern Maryland
#4La Plata, MD · $5,000 – $10,000/yr
The College of Southern Maryland delivers nursing assistant training through continuing education, structured as Nursing Assistant Fundamentals and Nursing Assistant Practice. Finishing both courses satisfies the state's training requirement for the nurse aide competency exam, and offerings are available at campuses across Southern Maryland. Board approved medicine aide training gives graduates a natural next credential.
- Two course sequence: Nursing Assistant Fundamentals and Practice
- Both courses must be completed to reach the state exam
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old
- WorkKeys assessment required before admission
- ACEN accredited program approved by the state board
- Background checks and health screening required for clinicals
Harford Community College
#5Bel Air, MD · $9,000/yr (net price)
Harford Community College's Board approved nursing assistant program can take about three months, with clinical time spent in county skilled nursing centers. The certificate targets entry into hospital and long term care roles and extends naturally toward licensed nursing. A limited dual enrollment option exists for high school students in the county.
- Program fee bundles CPR, NNAAP exam, and state registration
- About three months from start to certification eligibility
- CNA and GNA credentials both available after completion
- Reading and math assessment required, SAT or ACT accepted
- Clinical work in county skilled nursing facilities
- Small dual enrollment cohort for county high school students
Cecil College
#6North East, MD · $10,000/yr
Cecil College designs its nursing assistant training around an evening and weekend schedule, which suits students who work during the day. The 150 hour program is approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing, and graduates can seek Delaware reciprocity if they plan to work across the state line. The certificate also feeds into Board approved medicine aide training.
- 150 hours of combined classroom and clinical study
- Evening and weekend schedule fits a workday
- BLS CPR certificate required before training starts
- Maryland approval with Delaware reciprocity available
- Leads toward Board approved medicine aide training
- Background check and drug screening required at entry
Prince George's Community College
#7Largo, MD · $5,000 – $10,000/yr
Prince George's Community College concentrates the curriculum into about seven weeks of theory plus a week of clinical work. The Board approved program is offered at multiple sites inside the county, and it sets up graduates for both CNA and GNA exams. County workforce partnerships have produced free and scholarship funded seats for eligible residents.
- About seven weeks of theory plus one week of clinical
- Approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing
- Free and scholarship funded seats through workforce partnerships
- Prepares for state CNA and GNA examinations
- Classes offered at multiple county campus locations
- High school diploma or GED required for admission
Howard Community College
#8Columbia, MD · ~$11,000/yr (est.)
Howard Community College runs one of the state's most compact nursing assistant programs, a five week sequence that still includes 40 hours of clinical time. The curriculum is recognized by ACEN and the Maryland Board of Nursing, and graduates can pursue CNA certification and the state GNA exam. CEUs and a digital badge document the training for employers.
- 145 hours over a five week session
- 40 clinical hours plus skills lab practice
- ACEN accredited and approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing
- Leads to CNA certification and GNA exam readiness
- Earns 14.5 CEUs and a digital badge
- Applicants must be at least 18 with a high school diploma
Allegany College of Maryland
#9Cumberland, MD · $9,000/yr
Allegany College of Maryland packages its nursing assistant training as a 16 credit certificate completed in a single semester, with 45 clinical hours built into the schedule. The state lists the program as a health manpower shortage offering, signaling support for training in rural Western Maryland. Daytime and evening sections plus financial aid widen access.
- 16 credit certificate finished in one semester
- 45 hours of supervised clinical experience
- No separate application beyond placement testing
- Daytime and evening course options available
- Designated as a health manpower shortage training program
- Financial aid available for qualifying students
Community College of Baltimore County
#10Baltimore, MD · $4,000 – $11,000/yr
The Community College of Baltimore County counts among the region's biggest nursing assistant providers, running Board approved courses from campuses in Dundalk, Essex, and Randallstown. Its continuing education certificate is eligible for Baltimore County and Maryland College Promise scholarships, and a hospital partnership has funded tuition-free cohorts for area residents. Graduates exit ready for CNA certification and the state GNA exam.
- 88 theory hours plus 48 clinical hours and CPR
- Continuing education certificate with an academic transcript
- Eligible for Baltimore County and Maryland College Promise scholarships
- Partnership cohorts at Northwest Hospital can be tuition free
- Classes on Dundalk, Essex, and Randallstown campuses
- Prepares for CNA certification and GNA exam eligibility
Anne Arundel Community College
#11Arnold, MD · $4,000 – $12,000/yr
Anne Arundel Community College keeps barriers low at enrollment: two noncredit courses, no college application, and start steps limited to an information session and health screening. Students need to be at least 18 before beginning. The 136 hour curriculum prepares graduates for CNA duties in hospitals and long term care.
- 136 total hours across two noncredit courses
- No college application needed to register
- Age 18 or older with an info session required
- Health screenings and background checks precede clinicals
- Ready for jobs in hospitals or long term care
- Dedicated GNA exam after CNA certification
Frederick Community College
#12Frederick, MD · $4,000 – $10,000/yr
Frederick Community College offers a continuing education route to CNA certification that does not require a college application and that can convert to academic credit later. Dual enrolled public school students from the county can attend with tuition and textbooks covered. Clinical placement follows health screening, background checks, and CPR.
- Continuing education route open without college application
- CNA certificate can convert to academic credit later
- Dual-enrolled county public school students can attend tuition free
- Textbooks included for dual enrollment participants
- GNA exam preparation included
- Health screening, background check, and CPR required
Steps to Earning Your CNA Credential in Maryland
Since April 2026, Maryland's credential structure has been redesigned. New applicants now pursue the CNA-I certification, which replaced the former GNA track. Here is the step-by-step pathway and the approximate time each stage takes.
Maryland CNA Training Hour Requirements and Clinical Rules
State regulations set a clear floor for CNA training in Maryland, and understanding how those hours break down helps you plan your path toward how to become a certified nursing assistant.
The 100-Hour Minimum Explained
Maryland requires at least 100 total training hours, divided into two components:1
- Didactic and laboratory instruction: 60 hours, which includes classroom learning plus hands-on lab practice. At least 16 of these hours must be in-person laboratory training, and this lab component must be completed before you begin any clinical rotation.1
- Supervised clinical training: 40 hours in a clinical facility. Of these, at least 16 hours must involve long-term care services or care for elderly or chronically ill individuals, performed under direct supervision.1
This structure ensures students master foundational skills in a controlled setting before working with actual patients.
Why Some Programs Exceed the Minimum
You may notice programs advertising 120 or even 150 hours. This is perfectly normal. While 100 hours is the state minimum, many schools add extra clinical time or expanded coursework to better prepare students for the certification exam and real-world demands. More hours can translate to greater confidence, though it also means a longer time commitment.
State Approval Requirements
Every program among Maryland's CNA Classes & Programs must be approved by the Maryland Board of Nursing. Clinical sites must meet specific standards, and programs must demonstrate their curriculum covers all required components, including the pre-clinical laboratory requirement, before receiving approval.
How Long Training Takes
Most students complete their training in four to eight weeks, depending on whether they enroll in a full-time or part-time schedule.
CNA vs GNA in Maryland: Two Credentials Explained
Maryland is one of a handful of states that distinguishes between two nursing assistant credentials: the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and the Geriatric Nursing Assistant (GNA). Understanding the difference matters because each credential opens the door to different work settings. In short, every GNA is first a CNA, but not every CNA holds GNA status. The GNA is an additional certification layered on top of the base CNA credential, required specifically for nursing assistants who work in licensed comprehensive care facilities (nursing homes).
| Comparison Point | CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) | GNA (Geriatric Nursing Assistant) |
|---|---|---|
| How the credential is defined | An individual certified by the Maryland Board of Nursing to perform nursing tasks delegated by an RN or LPN for compensation | A CNA who has also passed the Geriatric Nursing Assistant Competency Evaluation (GNA-CE) and meets federal nursing home requirements |
| Prerequisite | Completion of a Board-approved nursing assistant training program with classroom and clinical components | Must already hold active CNA certification, then complete an approved GNA course |
| Exam required | No separate national exam is required for base CNA certification in Maryland | Must pass the NNAAP exam, which includes a written (or oral) knowledge test and a skills performance evaluation |
| Federal regulatory basis | Governed by state regulation through the Maryland Board of Nursing | Must satisfy federal requirements under 42 CFR 483.151 through 483.156, plus Maryland COMAR 10.07.02.39 through .42 |
| Typical employers | Hospitals, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, private duty settings | Licensed comprehensive care facilities (nursing homes); GNA certification is required in these settings |
| Scope of duties | Performs nursing tasks delegated by an RN or LPN; in assisted living or private duty, any aide routinely performing such tasks must hold CNA certification | Performs the same delegated nursing tasks as a CNA, but specifically for residents in nursing home settings under federal oversight |
| Renewal requirement | Meets Board of Nursing renewal standards for CNAs | Must verify at least 8 hours of work as a GNA in a comprehensive care facility within the two years before renewal |
| Registry listing | Listed in the Maryland Board of Nursing CNA database | Listed on the Maryland Geriatric Nursing Assistant Registry in addition to the CNA database; GNA status appears on the CNA certificate |
Explore other Maryland related topics
The NNAAP Exam: Fees, Format, Pass Rates, and Retake Policy
In 2026, Maryland's CNA competency exam remains a two-part NNAAP evaluation administered through Credentia, and its fee and retake structure reward candidates who prepare before scheduling.
Exam Format and Fees
The full competency evaluation costs $130. If you only need to retake one portion, the written or oral knowledge exam costs $45, and the skills-only exam costs $85.
The written knowledge test contains 70 multiple-choice questions. Candidates who have difficulty reading English may choose an oral version with 60 multiple-choice questions plus 10 reading comprehension items. The skills evaluation requires five nursing assistant tasks, including at least one measurement task, and you must perform four of the five correctly to pass. The oral and written options test the same nursing assistant knowledge, so the oral route is not a reduced-content exam.
Pass Rates and Retake Policy
Official Maryland-specific or current national NNAAP pass rates are not published in readily available board materials. Candidates should lean on program preparation and practice tests rather than a single pass-rate benchmark.
Maryland allows up to four exam attempts within 24 months of completing training. The first attempt must occur within 12 months of program completion. If you fail one component, you retake only that component, not the entire exam. No separate waiting period between retakes is specified beyond the 12-month first-attempt deadline and the 24-month limit. If you do not pass within that window, Maryland requires re-enrollment in a Board-approved training program before you can test again.
What CNA Classes Cost in Maryland, and How to Train for Free
Total out-of-pocket costs for Maryland CNA training vary widely, from $0 at employer-sponsored and workforce development programs to roughly $2,856 at community colleges. Community college tuition across programs such as Carroll Community College, Hagerstown Community College, and Prince George's Community College typically falls between $1,600 and $2,856. On top of tuition, budget for the state certification application fee, a criminal background check, required textbooks, scrubs, and clinical supplies. Several paths let you train at no cost: Atlantic General Hospital (Berlin) offers a paid, tuition-free seven-week program with a one-year work commitment; Tribute Home Care (Baltimore) runs a free four-week course; the University of Maryland Medical Center Career Academy provides free, paid training for Maryland residents age 18 and older with a high school diploma or GED; MOLC Inc. covers tuition for income-qualifying applicants; and the Maryland Department of Labor funds free CNA training through WIOA-eligible partners such as Health Focus and It Works in Baltimore. Montgomery College's Nexus Montgomery scholarship has also covered full tuition for recent cohorts.
CNA Pay in Maryland: Statewide and by Metro Area
Maryland's certified nursing assistants earn a statewide median salary of approximately $43,240 per year, which edges above the national median of roughly $42,260 reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for May 2025. Entry-level CNAs in the state start near $36,060 (10th percentile), while experienced aides in higher-paying settings can reach about $49,330 (90th percentile). Detailed metro-level breakdowns for areas such as Baltimore, the Washington, D.C. suburbs, Salisbury, and Hagerstown are not yet available in the latest published BLS release for this occupation. Generally, hospital-based CNAs tend to earn more than those in skilled nursing facilities, and home health aides typically fall at the lower end of the pay scale, though exact differentials vary by employer and region.
| Geographic Area | 25th Percentile | Median (50th Percentile) | 75th Percentile | Mean (Average) | Total Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland (Statewide) | $38,400 | $43,240 | $45,760 | $43,310 | 27,720 |
| United States (National) | N/A | $42,260 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Picking the Right CNA Program: A Decision Framework
The best CNA program for you is rarely the cheapest or the closest one; it is the one that fits your schedule, clears you for the certification exam on the first try, and opens a door beyond entry-level work.
Weigh the Practical Factors First
Start by ranking schedule flexibility, total cost, clinical site quality, and exam pass rates against your own constraints. A parent working days needs evening or weekend cohorts. Someone with tight savings needs to know the full price, including uniforms, background check requirements, and physical exams, not just tuition. Ask any program for its most recent exam pass rate and where students complete supervised clinical hours; a hospital or well-staffed nursing home placement generally beats a rushed rotation in an under-resourced facility.
Think Past Certification
Some CNA programs, particularly those housed at community colleges, articulate directly into LPN or RN tracks, letting completed coursework count toward a future degree. If you see nursing as a long-term career rather than a single job, that head start matters more than a slightly lower sticker price elsewhere.
Confirm Eligibility and Consider the Trade-Offs
Before enrolling anywhere, verify the program appears on the Maryland Board of Nursing's approved list; only graduates of approved programs qualify to sit for the state exam. And if a facility offers earn while you learn free training in exchange for a work commitment, weigh that obligation carefully against the flexibility you give up.