Becoming a CNA in Ann Arbor: Local Schools, Training & Next Steps

Ann Arbor is a big healthcare employer with a thin supply of in-city CNA classes. Washtenaw Community College is the main local option, so many students also weigh programs in Ypsilanti, Livonia, Jackson, and metro Detroit, trading commute time against schedule and price.

The credential itself is one of the quickest ways into clinical work. Hospitals, nursing homes, and home care agencies across Washtenaw County hire nursing assistants steadily, and Michigan sets one training standard that every approved program must meet.

The real differences are cost, start dates, and whether a school is actually enrolling, and those gaps are wider than most directory listings suggest.

Best CNA Programs Serving Ann Arbor and Southeast Michigan, Ranked

Below are the top CNA programs serving Ann Arbor students, ranked by cost, institutional outcomes, and program fit. Every school on this list had to earn its spot on what students actually pay and how its students fare. Only one program sits inside Ann Arbor itself, so each card notes the city, the delivery format, and how far you would travel to train.

Which Ann Arbor CNA Schools Are Enrolling Right Now

Third-party directories often keep listing CNA classes long after a school has paused or dropped them, so a program that looks open online may not be taking students. Before you pay a deposit or rearrange your work schedule, confirm the program on the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs approved-program lists and call the school to ask about the next start date. As of 2026, Washtenaw Community College is the only Ann Arbor provider whose nurse aide training we could confirm as active. The other names below either lack a confirmed current status or sit on state lists for other nursing programs.

Inside the WCC Nursing Assistant Skills Training Program

For CNA Classes in Michigan, Washtenaw Community College offers the Nursing Assistant Skills Training (NAST) Certificate of Completion, organized around course HSC 100. This state-certified program prepares students for CNA certification and nursing-assistant work in nursing homes, hospitals, home care, and other healthcare settings through classroom, lab, and community clinical training.

Program structure and cost

The NAST program totals 100 hours: 45 classroom hours, 30 lab hours, and 25 clinical hours, and it carries 4 credits. WCC's published 2026 in-district tuition rate is $99 per credit, which makes the four-credit course roughly $396 before mandatory or course-specific fees. Use that as a starting estimate, not a final total. Some outside directories still show older figures in the $372 to $396 range; those may be based on prior rates and should be treated as outdated. Current NAST tuition, fees, uniforms, background screening, and drug screening should be confirmed directly with the college.

Schedule and enrollment

Official WCC materials describe the format as classroom, lab, and clinical, but do not publish a confirmed NAST meeting pattern. A nonofficial listing points to weekday morning sessions over about four to five weeks.¹ WCC offers day, evening, and blended-learning options year-round; weekend and accelerated formats are not confirmed in the official catalog. WCC's college-wide 2026 session start dates include May 11, May 26, June 23, August 31, September 23, October 7, and October 23², but NAST sections may follow their own cohort calendar. Because the course is compact and cohort based, seats may fill quickly, so it is safer to check current openings early rather than assume space later in a registration window.

Admission and exam eligibility

WCC identifies Academic Reading and Writing Level 3 as the prerequisite for HSC 100. The catalog does not publish one consolidated NAST-specific list for minimum age, TB test, immunizations, background check, or drug screen; these are common clinical-clearance items to confirm with the program before applying. Completing the course makes students eligible to apply for and take the Michigan Certified Nurse Aide exam.

Michigan Nurse Aide Certification Essentials

Clinical Hours, Prerequisites and Whether CNA Classes Can Be Taken Online

How many training hours does Michigan require before you can sit for the nurse aide exam? The state sets a floor of 75 hours for every approved program, and that total is divided in a specific way.

Michigan's 75-Hour Minimum

• Classroom: 16 hours, all completed before you have any direct contact with residents.
• Supervised clinical: 16 hours in a long-term care setting, supervised by an RN or LPN.
• Flexible: 43 hours the program can split among classroom, lab and clinical work.

Seventy-five hours is a minimum, not a target. Programs are free to schedule more classroom, lab or clinical time, so ask WCC or any other school for its hour breakdown and compare. Extra supervised skills practice can make the hands-on portion of the state exam feel far less intimidating.

Can You Take CNA Classes Online in Michigan?

Partly. Michigan allows the classroom or theory portion to be delivered online, as long as the coursework is documented and includes real interaction with a trainer who is present and available. Lab skills and clinical hours cannot be done online. You will practice hands-on care in person, under a permitted trainer, at an approved site.

That makes any fully online "CNA certificate" a red flag. It will not qualify you for the Michigan exam or the state registry, and you need active registration to work as a nurse aide. Before paying anyone, confirm the program is a state approved CNA training program with a current state training permit.

Prerequisites to Prepare For

• Background check: Long-term care employers must run state and federal checks. Depending on the offense, exclusions range from one year to permanent. Substantiated abuse, neglect or misappropriation findings, or a listing on the Nurse Aide Abuse Registry or sex offender registry, can also bar you. Employers may hire conditionally before results arrive, but only without unsupervised direct access to residents.
• Health screening: Expect a TB test and proof of immunizations, since programs and clinical sites set their own requirements.
• Age and documents: Minimum age and ID requirements vary by program, so request the admission checklist early.

If you have a past conviction, raise it with the program before you enroll. It is far better to learn about an exclusion now than after paying tuition.

What Does CNA Training in Ann Arbor Really Cost Beyond Tuition?

Tuition is only part of the bill. Plan for roughly $455-$720 in extra out-of-pocket costs on top of WCC tuition or any other program's fees. Only the $175 Michigan competency exam and the $40 registry registration fee are fixed, so the chart uses the midpoint of each typical range for everything else. Employer-sponsored and facility-based programs often absorb some of these costs, most commonly tuition and the exam fee, so get in writing which items your sponsor covers before you buy anything.

Free and Employer-Paid CNA Training in Washtenaw County

Free CNA training means you complete the state-approved coursework and exam without paying out of pocket, usually because a nursing facility, a workforce agency, or a scholarship covers the bill. Federal rules make this more realistic than many applicants expect, though the details matter.

The Federal Reimbursement Rule

Under 42 CFR 483.152, a Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing facility cannot charge a nurse aide for a facility-based, State-approved training program (at least 75 clock hours, including at least 16 supervised practical hours) if the aide is employed by, or has an offer from, that facility when training begins. That protection covers textbooks, materials, and competency-evaluation fees. CMS reiterated in 2026 that covered aides cannot be charged these fees.²

If you pay for training first and are hired by a covered facility within 12 months of finishing, the State must reimburse you pro rata while you are employed. The same 12-month rule applies to the competency exam. Keep every receipt for tuition, supplies, and exam fees, and ask HR how to submit them.

Local Employers and Workforce Funding

I could not verify a current list of Washtenaw County facilities that run paid or free in-house CNA training, so it would be a mistake to name employers here as confirmed. Ask nearby nursing homes and senior living communities whether they offer earn while you learn nursing opportunities, whether pay continues during class, and whether testing is covered.

Michigan Works! Southeast says eligible career seekers may receive paid workplace training and help toward certifications, and it lists nursing among its opportunities.³ Eligibility is required before assistance, and published information does not confirm WIOA amounts or whether the WCC course is an approved funding option. Contact a career advisor before you register.

Michigan Reconnect is a similar question. The program is designed for adult community college students, but no available source confirms that it applies to WCC's Nursing Assistant Skills Training or states the age, residency, and enrollment rules. Ask both WCC and Michigan Reconnect directly.

Payment Plans, Aid and One Smart Question

Ask WCC's financial aid office about payment plans, and whether any scholarships or foundation aid cover short-term certificates. Availability changes, so confirm current options.

Before enrolling anywhere, ask each prospective employer: "Do you reimburse tuition or sponsor training for new hires?" A yes could save you the entire cost.

Michigan's Statewide Pay Benchmark for Nursing Assistants

Before comparing Ann Arbor programs, it helps to know what the credential pays. Michigan employs 43,290 nursing assistants. Most earn between $38,160 and $44,910 a year.

Passing the Michigan CNA Exam: Format, Fees and Test Sites Near Ann Arbor

Finishing a state-approved training program in Washtenaw County is only half the requirement. Before your name appears on the Michigan nurse aide registry, you have to pass a two-part competency evaluation administered by D&SDT-Headmaster and scheduled through the Michigan TMU system. Note that Michigan does not use Prometric, so study materials written for other states may not match what you sit for.

What the Two Parts Look Like

The knowledge test is 65 multiple-choice questions with a 60-minute limit, and you need at least 74% to pass. It is available in written form or as an oral/audio version, which is worth asking about if reading speed or English as a second language is a concern for you.

The manual skills test gives you 30 minutes to perform three or four tasks drawn from a 17-skill pool. Handwashing and indirect care steps are standard fixtures; the remaining skills are assigned at random. Each task requires every key step, plus at least 80% of the remaining scored steps. First-time candidates typically sit for both parts the same day.

Fees, Retakes and the 24-Month Window

Headmaster materials list $175 for the initial attempt, with knowledge-only and skills-only retakes also at $175. If you pass one component and fail the other, your passing score carries forward and you retake only the part you missed.

Each component may be attempted up to three times within 24 months of completing your training. That limit is per component, not three sittings total. Exhaust three attempts on either part and you must complete another state-approved program before testing again.

Scheduling and Pass Rates

Registration runs through mi.tmutest.com, which is also the authoritative source for which in-person sites are currently operating near Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Jackson and metro Detroit. Site availability shifts, so check the portal rather than relying on an older list. Remote testing from home is possible for candidates with a computer, webcam, reliable internet and a private room.

Michigan does not publish statewide or program-level first-time pass rates, so ask any school directly what share of its graduates pass on the first try and how they track it. One Michigan provider, PES School of Nursing, reports 88% for its own first-time test takers, though that is a school-reported figure and not a state benchmark.

Three prep habits that pay off: rehearse each skill aloud, naming every step as you go; never skip handwashing or the indirect care courtesies (privacy, call light, bed position); and practice under a timer so 30 minutes feels familiar.

Nursing Assistant Pay in the Ann Arbor Metro

CNAs in the Ann Arbor metro earn a median annual wage of $44,570, based on 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half of the area's roughly 3,430 nursing assistants earn between $37,860 and $46,620, and the average of $43,110 sits slightly below the median because lower-paid entry-level roles pull it down. Metro figures for home health and personal care aides were not available for this page, so compare these numbers with the statewide benchmark in the Michigan pay section above to judge whether Ann Arbor pays a premium.

Where Ann Arbor CNAs Work and Where the Job Can Lead

The CNA role in Ann Arbor is increasingly treated as a starting point rather than a destination, with employers and nursing schools building clearer pathways from certification into LPN, ADN, and BSN programs.

Where New CNAs Typically Start

The largest area healthcare employers include Michigan Medicine, Trinity Health Ann Arbor, and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, plus skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and home care agencies. Newly certified nursing assistants most often get their first paid hours in nursing homes, assisted living, and home health settings, where entry-level aide hiring tends to be steadier. Hospital aide roles exist, but some may prefer prior experience or additional competencies, so many CNAs work a year in long-term care before applying to a hospital. For a new CNA, the clearest immediate route is often a skilled nursing or home health position that offers a preceptor and a set schedule.

Michigan's Demand Signal

Michigan's most recent long-term projection shows nursing assistant employment growing by about 2,560 jobs statewide from 2024 to 2034. That growth is distributed across many settings, not just nursing facilities, and local openings will depend on turnover and staffing needs. In Michigan nursing care facilities, CNAs earned a median of $20.73 per hour as of December 2025, but hospital and home health pay can differ.

From CNA to LPN, ADN, or BSN

CNA experience is widely valued in nursing admissions. Programs such as Washtenaw Community College's nursing pathway and nearby university RN to BSN programs in Michigan often prefer applicants with direct patient care hours, and some treat CNA certification as a practical expectation even when not a formal requirement. The credential can also support admission to LPN tracks. CNA work also builds the communication and time-management habits that nursing programs expect.

Employer Support Worth Asking About

Some local employers advertise education benefits. Ciena Healthcare lists tuition reimbursement, student loan reimbursement, and advancement support toward LPN or lead CNA roles, though eligibility and amounts vary by facility. Michigan Medicine, Trinity Health Ann Arbor, and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System have not published uniform 2026 tuition-assistance policies for CNAs pursuing nursing degrees in the sources reviewed, so it is worth asking human resources directly. When comparing facilities, ask whether tuition reimbursement covers LPN or RN prerequisite courses, whether repayment agreements apply, and whether benefits require full-time status.

Matching a CNA Program to Your Situation

Picking a CNA program comes down to three practical variables: when you can be in class, how much you can pay up front, and what you want the certificate to lead to. The same training standard applies everywhere in Michigan, so the real decision is about fit, not prestige.

Start With Your Learner Profile

• High school students: Ask your counselor about dual enrollment or a career and technical education health sciences pathway. Districts in the Ann Arbor area sometimes cover tuition, and you can test before graduation.
• Working adults: Look for evening cohorts or hybrid formats where lecture happens online and lab and nursing clinical rotations meet on scheduled weekends. Confirm the clinical block before you enroll, since those dates are rarely flexible.
• Career changers: For nursing as a second career, employer-paid training at a nursing facility or health system can eliminate tuition entirely in exchange for a work commitment. Read the repayment clause before signing.
• Future RN students: To prepare for nursing school, credit-bearing coursework at Washtenaw Community College keeps you inside a college transcript system and gives you patient care hours that strengthen a later nursing application.

A Short Verification Checklist

Confirm the program appears on Michigan's state-approved nurse aide training list through LARA before you commit. Ask directly for first-time exam pass rates, and ask which facilities host clinical rotations so you know where you will be driving. Then get the quoted price itemized: textbook, scrubs, exam fee, TB test, and background check are frequently billed separately.

Weigh Commute Against Waitlist

In-city seats fill fast. A program in Ypsilanti, Livonia, or Jackson may start weeks sooner, and starting sooner usually beats waiting for a closer classroom, especially since clinical sites may send you out of town regardless. Map the drive at the actual class time, not midday.

Your Next Step

Call or email two programs this week and ask for the next cohort start date. Then schedule your TB test and begin the background check immediately, because those clearances are the most common reason a student misses an otherwise open seat.

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