CNA Classes in Hawaii (Top Schools)

A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) has the skills and competency to provide excellent patient care.

And in Hawaii, Prometric was entrusted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to:

• Be responsible for the administration of the Nurse Aide Competency Exam (NACE)
• Manage the Nurse Aide Registry

Passing the NACE is mandatory for every CNA candidate.

If qualified nurse aides from other states want to work in Hawaii, then they can apply for the registry.

However, this is only possible if their state has a reciprocity agreement with Hawaii.

Taking on a CNA Training Program in Hawaii

There are both free and paid CNA training programs in Hawaii.

You will pay for the program when you choose to enroll yourself in a college or technical school.

On the other side, you can receive training at no cost when you enter a work agreement with a healthcare facility.

Meaning, the medical center or senior care facility will bear the cost of your education.

And in exchange, you’ll work for them for an agreed period.

In a way, entering into such an agreement is beneficial as it gives you real-life patient care experience on top of the program’s internship.

Below is a list of approved training schools and health care facilities in the state.

Evaluating a CNA Candidate

To apply for NACE, CNA candidates must present the following:

• A copy of their training certificate
• Duly accomplished NACE application form

More documents may be required in special cases, such as existing criminal history.

You will then submit these to the facility coordinator at your testing facility.

For out-of-state or reciprocity candidates, you will mail these to Prometric at this address:

Prometric
HI Nurse Aide
354 Uluniu Street
Suite 308
Kailua, HI 96734

In submitting the form, these candidates must ensure that they’ve chosen a regional testing facility they prefer.

Here are the choices:

• Big Island of Hawaii – Kona
• Big Island of Hawaii – Hilo
• Oahu – West
• Oahu – East
• Maui
• Kauai

Only candidates who provide the required documents will be allowed to take the test.

If considered ready to be tested, you will receive an Authorization to Test from Prometric.

In the exam, you will:

• Answer a 60-item written test or oral test
• Clinical skills test

At least a satisfactory performance on all tested skills is required to pass NACE.

If you fail, you must retake the exam.

You only have three attempts to pass it.

To help aspiring CNAs, Prometric offers resource materials like practice exams to increase their chances of passing NACE.

Results are available online after 48-70 hours, with an official report published no longer than 10 days.

Exam Fees

In taking NACE, you will pay the following fees:

For first time testers or lapsed candidates:

• Application cost – $25
• Written and clinical tests – $200
• Oral and clinical tests – $210

Note that you can choose either a written or oral test to go along with your clinical test.

For exam retakers:

• Clinical test only – $150
• Written test only – $50
• Oral test only – $60

You can also ask for a reschedule up to five business days before the exam for a fee of $25.

Out-of-state or reciprocity candidates will also pay a $25 reciprocity fee.

Potential Salary

The average nurse assistant salary in Hawaii is currently $33,185.

Today, there’s been a constant demand for qualified nurse aides in Hawaii.

Because of this, salary is expected to rise in the near future.

Below, you can see an overview of salary levels per city in the state.

Annual Salary Range:* Salary information last updated 2023

CNA Schools by City

• Honolulu3 Schools