Tennessee changed nurse aide exam vendors on June 1, 2026, so every Clarksville candidate now schedules through Credentia, with a new account required. The training behind that exam stays short: 100 hours total, 40 in the classroom, 20 in a skills lab, 40 in supervised clinical practice.
Locally, the pull is steady. Tennova Healthcare Clarksville, the Tennessee State Veterans' Home, and nursing facilities serving the Fort Campbell community hire nursing assistants at a metro median of $37,320. The tension is cost against commitment: a self-paying student budgets roughly $1,060 to $1,540, while an employer-paid seat usually carries a work obligation.
Who Trains CNAs in Clarksville Right Now: State-Approved Providers
Ahava Healthcare of Clarksville, at 111 Ussery Road, currently appears in 2026 listings as a Tennessee-approved nurse aide training provider (reachable at 931-647-0269). Available sources don't confirm whether a class is open for enrollment right now, so call before you plan around it. In a city this size, the approved-provider roster is short and shifts year to year, so the state's own records for CNA Classes in Tennessee matter more than any directory.
Three Pathways to Look For
- Facility-based programs: Nursing homes like Ahava run their own state-approved courses, often tied to a hiring commitment. These focus squarely on CNA certification.
- TCAT Dickson's Clarksville campus: Located at 135 International Blvd (931-572-1694), TCAT Dickson states it does not offer a standalone Nursing Assistant program. Instead, nurse aide eligibility is folded into larger credentials such as Patient Care Technology or Practical Nursing, where CNA Certification must still be pursued through the state board. The next Practical Nursing cohort starts January 2027, with a November 1, 2026 priority deadline.
- High school career and technical programs: These exist in some Tennessee districts, but no Montgomery County high school nurse aide program is confirmed for 2026.
Verify Before You Pay
Other names, including Tennessee Health Careers, LLC and Miller-Motte Clarksville, circulate in online directories, but their current approval could not be confirmed against the state record. Directories routinely list programs that have closed. Before putting down any deposit, confirm a provider's active approval through the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission, which lets you filter by city, county, and program type.
Clarksville-Area CNA Schools Ranked by Cost, Completion, and Format
Below are the ranked CNA and nursing assistant programs serving Clarksville students, each carrying its own fee structure, schedule, and clinical requirement. Because state-approved classrooms inside the city are limited, the list reaches to TCAT campuses and community colleges across Tennessee and says plainly which ones ask you to relocate or drive. Price and completion figures shown with each school are institution-wide averages after aid and reflect the whole school, not one CNA class.
How we ranked these
- Ten-year earnings after entry
- Institution-wide graduation rates
- Program cost and fees
- Schedule and clinical format
- Class size and support
- 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
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Hartsville
#1Hartsville, TN · ~$7,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Part-time day students on a tight budget
TCAT Hartsville keeps its nursing assistant certificate among the least expensive in the state system, with a 120-clock-hour course that blends classroom work, safety and patient care units, and a long-term care clinical. The schedule runs part time during the day, which suits students who can protect a block of morning hours. It sits well east of Clarksville, so treat the drive as part of the cost.
- $465 total tuition and fees
- $87 for textbooks and supplies
- 120 clock hours on a part-time daytime schedule
- Covers safety, patient and resident care, special care patients
- Includes a long-term care clinical
- Built around Tennessee Department of Health rules
- Certificate awarded on completion
- Median $46,390 one year after finishing
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jacksboro
#2Jacksboro, TN · ~$13,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Career changers wanting weekday classroom training
TCAT Jacksboro splits its nursing aide certificate into 80 classroom hours and 40 clinical hours, delivered full time during the day at the main campus. Coursework covers safety, patient and resident care, and special care patients, with a long-term care clinical before state exam eligibility. Books cost more than tuition here, so budget accordingly, and plan on weekday attendance in East Tennessee rather than a Clarksville commute.
- $636 total tuition and fees
- $865 for textbooks and supplies
- 80 classroom hours plus 40 clinical hours
- Full-time daytime classes at the main campus
- Covers safety, patient and resident care, special care patients
- Prepares graduates for the state licensure exam
- Median $42,300 one year after finishing
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Oneida-Huntsville
#3Huntsville, TN · ~$16,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Hands-on learners who prefer small campuses
TCAT Oneida-Huntsville teaches its nursing aide certificate at the Oneida extension campus, 80 classroom hours plus 40 clinical hours for 120 total. Cohorts are small and tuition plus books stays under $800, which makes it one of the leanest options on this list. Classes run during the day in Scott County, so Clarksville readers should plan for travel or a temporary move.
- $576 total tuition and fees
- $179 for textbooks
- 120 hours: 80 classroom, 40 clinical
- Taught at the Oneida extension campus
- Daytime class schedule
- Small cohorts with close instructor supervision
- Prepares students for the state licensure exam
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Harriman
#4Harriman, TN · $10,000 – $15,000/yr (est.)
TCAT Harriman built its CNA certificate around working adults: 120 hours, part time, evening sessions, and a typical finish in about two months. Admission steps include a background check, drug screen, physical, CPR card, and immunizations, the same screening Tennessee employers run before hire. The campus is in Roane County, so the evening format helps only if the drive home stays manageable.
- $1,249 tuition and fees
- $324 for books and supplies
- 120 hours on a part-time evening schedule
- Typical completion in about two months
- Background check, drug screen, and physical required
- CPR card, TB test, and hepatitis B needed
- Clinical hours in long-term and acute care
- Median $37,837 one year after finishing
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Knoxville
#5Knoxville, TN · $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.)
TCAT Knoxville runs one of the larger nursing aide cohorts in the state system, 120 clock hours across roughly two months with day and evening sections at more than one location. Total cost lands near $850 once books and the state test fee are counted, and financial aid is available for eligible students. It is an East Tennessee program, best suited to Clarksville readers who are relocating or splitting time between regions.
- $591 tuition
- Books about $371; total near $850 with test fees
- 120 clock hours over about two months
- Day and evening sections
- More than one campus location, including Maryville
- Applicants must be 18 with background check and drug screen
- Financial aid available for eligible students
- Median $38,388 one year after finishing
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis
#6Memphis, TN · $14,000/yr (est. net price)
TCAT Memphis delivers its nursing aide certificate as a full-time daytime section at the main campus, 120 clock hours spanning communication, safety, basic anatomy, and long-term care clinical work. The curriculum adds ethics and workplace responsibility, and the cohort is small enough for close supervision. It is a West Tennessee option, realistic for Clarksville students only with a move or existing ties to Memphis.
- 120 clock hours to a certificate
- Full-time daytime section at the main campus
- Covers communication, safety, and basic anatomy
- Clinical experience in long-term care settings
- Includes ethics and workplace responsibility
- Prepares students for the state CNA exam
- Median $44,669 one year after finishing
Southern Adventist University
#7Collegedale, TN · $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.)
Southern Adventist University's clinical nurse aide program is a workforce certificate rather than a degree track, priced as a flat program fee with payment plans and a $500 minimum deposit. Four to six months of video instruction and competency assessment sit alongside hands-on clinical rotations, and the certification exam fee is included. Employer tuition reimbursement is supported, which matters if a facility is sponsoring you, though the campus sits near Chattanooga.
- Flat $2,000 program tuition
- Payment plans with a $500 minimum deposit
- Four to six months to complete
- Video instruction plus competency assessments
- Hands-on clinical rotations
- Certification exam fee included
- Prepares students for NRSA and CCMA credentials
- Employer tuition reimbursement supported
Roane State Community College
#8Harriman, TN · $4,300/yr (est. net price)
Roane State Community College runs its clinical nurse aide course through workforce training, 120 hours of lecture, skills lab, and 24 supervised clinical hours inside a long-term care facility. The course is approved by the Tennessee Department of Health and prepares students for the state exam, and American Job Center funding may cover tuition for those who qualify. Seats close two weeks before each start, and the class meets at the Oak Ridge campus.
- Approved by the Tennessee Department of Health
- 120 hours of lecture, skills lab, and clinical
- 24 supervised clinical hours in a long-term care facility
- Prepares students for the state CNA exam
- American Job Center funding may cover tuition
- Offered at the Oak Ridge campus
- Registration closes two weeks before the start date
Walters State Community College
#9Morristown, TN · ~$5,000/yr (est.)
Walters State Community College offers nursing assistant training through its Allied Health Training division, plus a continuing education section that publishes its costs line by line. Both tracks require CPR certification, a background check, a drug screen, and immunizations before clinical, matching what Tennessee employers verify at hire. The campus is in Morristown, so this is a relocation or long-drive choice for Clarksville students.
- Career-focused training through Allied Health Training
- Campus-based format
- Builds new skills and refreshes existing ones
- Developed with local healthcare providers
- Prepares students for entry-level medical settings
- $899 program fee
- 35 clinical hours
- $123 textbook
- $140 state exam fee
- Students must be at least 18
- CPR certification required before clinical
- Background check and drug screen required
- MMR and TB test documentation needed
Miller-Motte College-Chattanooga
#10Chattanooga, TN · $24,000/yr (est. net price)
Miller-Motte College in Chattanooga compresses its certified nursing assistant program into five weeks, 120 clock hours of hands-on campus training with new starts about every five weeks. Patient safety, medical terminology, HIPAA compliance, and therapeutic communication are all covered, and career services and financial aid are part of the package. The rolling schedule rewards a quick start, but the campus is far from Fort Campbell.
- Five-week, 120-clock-hour program
- Rolling admissions with starts every five weeks
- Covers patient safety and medical terminology
- HIPAA compliance and ethical responsibilities included
- Hands-on campus training
- Career services and financial aid available
- State-approved curriculum
- Median $14,037 one year after finishing
Quick Answers for Clarksville CNA Students
These short answers cover the questions Clarksville students ask most before they enroll. Each one points to the section below where you can dig into the details.
What's the total price of CNA classes in Clarksville, TN?
Is it possible to train as a CNA at no cost in Clarksville?
How many weeks does it take to become a CNA in Tennessee?
Does Tennessee accept fully online nurse aide training?
How many supervised clinical hours does Tennessee require before the exam?
Can a CNA certified in Kentucky work in Clarksville without retesting?
TCAT Dickson, Facility Programs, or High School: Comparing Clarksville CNA Pathways
The $4,481 figure often quoted for TCAT Dickson's Clarksville campus is the 2025 tuition for the bundled Patient Care Technology/Medical Assisting diploma, not CNA-only training, and it excludes $1,500.48 in textbooks and supplies. TCAT Dickson has no standalone Nursing Assistant program. Its Nurse Aid certificate comes after the first 432-hour trimester of Practical Nursing, a trimester that falls in the $1,541 fee band on the 2026-2027 schedule. If you need to earn while you train, or you are still in high school, the facility-based and school-based routes covered later in this guide may suit you better than a weekday technical college schedule.
| Detail | Practical Nursing (Nurse Aid option) | Patient Care Technology/Medical Assisting | Medical Assisting |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it relates to CNA | Nurse Aid certificate awarded after all first-trimester coursework is completed | Bundled diploma program, not a CNA-only option | Bundled certificate, not presented as a CNA program |
| Clock hours | 432 to the Nurse Aid certificate; 1,296 for the full program | 1,296 (3 trimesters) | 864 (2 trimesters) |
| Published cost | $4,943 for the full program (2026); the 432-hour first trimester falls in the $1,541 fee band | $4,481 plus $1,500.48 textbooks and supplies (2025 listing) | $3,102 (2026) |
| Schedule | Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 2:30 pm; clinical hours vary by site | Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 2:30 pm; clinical hours vary by site | Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 2:30 pm; clinical hours vary by site |
| Next start and deadline | January 2027 at the Dickson Center of Higher Education; apply by November 1, 2026; starts depend on enrollment | Spring 2026 cohort with a November 1, 2025 deadline (2025 listing); starts depend on enrollment | Contact the campus for the next cohort |
| Best fit | Career changers planning to become an LPN who want a CNA credential partway through | Applicants with no healthcare experience who want broad patient care and clinic skills | Students aiming for clinic or office roles rather than nurse aide work |
Tennessee Nurse Aide Rules: Classroom Hours, Clinical Time, and Screening
Tennessee sets a minimum training floor before you can sit for the nurse aide competency exam: 100 total hours, with 40 hours of classroom instruction, 20 hours in a skills lab, and 40 hours of supervised clinical practice. Of those clinical hours, at least 24 must happen in a long-term care facility; the remaining 16 can take place in any healthcare setting that employs CNAs.
Skills and Clinical Readiness
Before entering a clinical site, students need BLS CPR certification and competence in first aid, body mechanics, Standard Precautions, and confidentiality.1 The training itself covers the core tasks you will perform on the job: taking vital signs, safe transfers and positioning, infection control, and protecting resident rights.
Entry Screening and Program Rules
Tennessee does not publish one universal minimum age, immunization list, or TB testing schedule, so check these with your program. Clinical sites commonly require a criminal background check, a TB test or negative chest X-ray, current immunizations, and sometimes a drug screen before patient contact. Approved programs must be registered with the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission at least 30 days before class begins.
Keeping Your Certification Active
Nurse aide certification lasts 24 months. Renewal requires documented paid aide work in a licensed or certified facility, typically 8 hours per year, during the preceding two years. Private-duty, companion, physician-office, volunteer, and private-care hours do not count. If you cannot show continuous qualifying employment, you must retrain and retest.
Tennessee Nurse Aide Oversight
What You'll Pay for CNA Training in Clarksville, Line by Line
A self-paying student taking a standalone Clarksville CNA course should budget roughly $1,060 to $1,540 once the exam, background check, TB test, scrubs, and supplies are added to $900 in tuition. Train in a nursing-home-based program while employed by a skilled nursing facility, and Tennessee makes both training and testing free. For a public-school benchmark, TCAT Clarksville's longer program costs $4,481 before additional fees, but that price also covers phlebotomy and EKG training.
| Cost Item | Typical Range | Who Usually Pays | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition, standalone CNA course (Tennessee Health Careers) | $900 | Student, unless an employer sponsors training | Four-week course. Applicants must pass a background check, a TB skin test, and reading, English, and math competency exams. |
| Tuition, TCAT Clarksville Patient Care Technology/Medical Assisting | $4,481 | Student, unless covered by aid or a sponsor | Public-school benchmark. Bundles nursing assistant training with phlebotomy and EKG work and includes 246 clinical hours. Published cost is before additional fees. |
| Tuition, Ahava Healthcare of Clarksville | Not published | N/A | State-approved provider. Ask the provider directly for current pricing. |
| Tennessee nurse aide competency exam (skills and written or oral) | $122 total | Candidate | Both portions are paid when you schedule the exam. |
| Textbooks, books, and supplies | $0 to $324 | Student | About $72 is typical. Costs vary by program. |
| Scrubs or uniform | $30 to $150 | Student | A basic set can cost about $30. General clinical uniform estimates run near $150. |
| Criminal background check | $25 to $60 | Student, unless the program or employer covers it | One published fee is $24.50. |
| TB test | $10 | Student, unless the program or employer covers it | Required before you can start clinical training. |
| Training and testing in a nursing-home-based program | $0 | Employing skilled nursing facility | Free for candidates employed by a skilled nursing facility. All other programs are private, and their fees may vary. |
Free and Employer-Paid CNA Training: Ahava, the Veterans' Home, and WIOA
Paying tuition yourself and letting an employer or a workforce grant pay it are two different deals, and the second one comes with strings. Confirm every term in writing before you sign anything.
Clarksville Employers to Ask
Ahava Healthcare of Clarksville (111 Ussery Road) is a Tennessee state-approved CNA training provider. The Tennessee State Veterans' Home (250 Arrowood Drive) is also listed among Clarksville-area training locations. Some local nursing homes advertise free CNA training. We could not confirm a current tuition-free class, pay during training, or experience requirements at any named facility, so call each one and ask whether people with no experience are accepted.
The Usual Catch
Employer-paid training typically ties you to the facility for a set period after certification, often 6 to 12 months. Leave early and you may owe some or all of the tuition back. Ask how repayment is calculated and whether the commitment is full-time.
WIOA Funding
WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker funds can cover training through an Individual Training Account. Applicants generally must be 18 or older and unemployed, underemployed, or displaced. Approval is not automatic: you usually must show you need training to become competitive. The program must lead to an in-demand occupation and appear on the state's Eligible Training Provider List, so confirm that your CNA provider is listed.
At the American Job Center in Clarksville, ask for a WIOA training appointment with a Career Specialist. Bring:
- Identity: photo ID, Social Security card, and work authorization
- Income: proof of income or public assistance
- Veterans: your DD-214
Eligibility decisions can take about two weeks.
Nashville Option
If you can commute, Nashville employers advertise paid training, including a listing from Sunrise Health at $25 to $30 an hour. It is unclear whether that figure covers CNA certification training, so verify the role, location, and commitment first.
Evening, Weekend, and Hybrid Schedules for Working Adults
A night or weekend CNA schedule shifts classroom time to hours that fit around a day job, but one thing never moves online: Tennessee does not allow fully online CNA certification. The hands-on skills lab and clinical rotations must happen in person, so even a hybrid program that puts theory on a screen still brings you into a building to practice and be observed.
What Clarksville Offers Right Now
In Clarksville itself, confirmed off-hours options are thin. The TCAT Dickson Clarksville Campus Nurse Aide certificate runs 246 hours in person, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM. Available 2026 listings do not establish an evening, weekend, or hybrid CNA format in the city. Ahava Healthcare of Clarksville is state-approved, but its meeting days and format are not published, so call before assuming any particular schedule.
Nearby Cohorts to Check
If you can commute, nearby areas add flexibility:
- Dickson: NHC Dickson runs weekday daytime classes; no evening or weekend CNA track is confirmed there.
- Nashville: NGH School of Health Sciences offers a Saturday-only CNA program over 12 weeks at about 8 hours weekly, and the Nashville Center for Rehabilitation & Healing lists free training with morning or evening classes.
- Hopkinsville, KY: No specific 2026 schedule is established, and a Kentucky certificate requires transfer for Tennessee work.
One question many "night" programs fail to answer: ask whether the clinical shifts also fall in the evening, not just the lectures.
From Last Class to Registry Listing: The Tennessee CNA Exam Path
Once you finish a Tennessee-approved program, your program sends your details to Credentia (the state's exam vendor since June 1, 2026). You then create a new Credentia account, even if you had one with the former vendor, and schedule both exams, ideally at least 30 days before your target date. You must pass the written or oral knowledge test (75% required) and a skills demonstration of at least five tasks within 24 months of completing class. If you fail one part, you retake only that part, but three straight failures mean retraining. Passing both parts gets you listed on the Tennessee Nurse Aide Registry. Prep tip: drill hand hygiene, which is reported as part of every skills exam, and practice measurement skills until your readings are exact.
Nursing Assistant Pay in the Clarksville TN-KY Metro
Federal wage data put the median nursing assistant salary in the Clarksville TN-KY metro at $37,320, with the middle half of earners between $31,230 and $39,510. Tennova Healthcare Clarksville and the Tennessee State Veterans' Home are major local employers but have not published a current CNA pay rate, so the employer rows below come from 2026 postings by home care, hospice, and nursing home employers. Shift and weekend differentials are the quickest way to raise your hourly pay, and the CNA-to-LPN ladder is the longer-term path to higher earnings.
| Measure or Employer | Pay Figure | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Clarksville TN-KY metro median annual wage (BLS OEWS) | $37,320 | Midpoint for nursing assistants across all local settings |
| Clarksville TN-KY metro mean annual wage (BLS OEWS) | $37,180 | Average across all local nursing assistants |
| Clarksville TN-KY metro 25th percentile (BLS OEWS) | $31,230 | One in four local nursing assistants earns less than this |
| Clarksville TN-KY metro 75th percentile (BLS OEWS) | $39,510 | One in four local nursing assistants earns more than this |
| Clarksville TN-KY metro employment (BLS OEWS) | 620 nursing assistants | Total metro employment for the occupation |
| Right at Home Clarksville (home care) | $14 to $15 per hour in one 2026 posting; another lists $15 to $18 | Weekly pay; weekend differential offered, amount not stated |
| AdvanceCare Family Caregiver (home care) | $15.37 per hour | Rate covers HHA, CNA, and PCA roles; full-time, part-time, and PRN |
| Signature HealthCARE of Clarksville (nursing home) | Not stated | Shift differentials and enhanced weekend rates; tuition forgiveness or education reimbursement |
| Ahava Healthcare of Clarksville (nursing home) | Not stated | DailyPay, PTO, 401(k) match; no hiring bonus published |
| Tennessee Quality Care Hospice | Not stated | Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, no on-call; 401(k) match |
Earnings Soon After Finishing a Ranked Program
Among the schools ranked here, one Tennessee College of Applied Technology campus reports the strongest early earnings for its nursing assistant completers.