CNA Classes in Massachusetts | Certified Nursing Assistant Training Programs

Massachusetts Department of Public Health

CNA Classes & Training Programs in Massachusetts

The Bay State | Start Your Healthcare Career in as Little as 4-8 Weeks

Find Programs Near You How to Get Certified

100

Minimum Training Hours

$125

State Exam Fee

$38,000

Average Annual Salary

4-8

Weeks to Complete

About CNA Certification in Massachusetts

Begin Your Healthcare Journey in The Bay State

Massachusetts's world-renowned healthcare sector offers outstanding opportunities for aspiring Certified Nursing Assistants throughout the Commonwealth. From the prestigious medical institutions of Boston and Cambridge to the healthcare facilities of Worcester, Springfield, and Cape Cod, CNAs play an essential role in delivering quality patient care. Massachusetts requires 100 hours of comprehensive training regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), providing thorough preparation while allowing entry into the healthcare workforce in 4-8 weeks.

The Bay State's concentration of leading hospitals, research institutions, and academic medical centers creates exceptional employment opportunities for qualified CNAs. Massachusetts offers the highest CNA wages in New England and among the top in the nation, reflecting the state's commitment to quality healthcare and competitive labor market. Major employment centers include Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, and New Bedford, with coastal communities and western Massachusetts also providing excellent opportunities. Whether you're starting your healthcare career or seeking advancement, Massachusetts offers unparalleled access to nursing education programs, including bridge programs at renowned institutions throughout the state.

Comprehensive 100-hour training for excellent preparation
Highest CNA wages in New England
Access to world-class healthcare institutions
Exceptional education and advancement opportunities

Quick Facts

Training Hours Required 100 Hours

Classroom/Lab Hours 51 Hours

Clinical Hours 49 Hours

Exam Format Written + Skills

Exam Fee $125

Regulatory Body MA DPH

Registry MA Nurse Aide Registry

Browse CNA Schools in Massachusetts

Explore our directory of Massachusetts Department of Public Health-approved nursing assistant training programs. Filter by location, cost, and program type to find the perfect fit for your career goals.

View All Schools

Certification Process

How to Become a CNA in Massachusetts

Complete State-Approved Training

Enroll in a 100-hour training program approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). Massachusetts's curriculum includes 51 hours of classroom and laboratory instruction covering nursing fundamentals, infection control, patient safety, therapeutic communication, residents' rights, and advanced patient care concepts, plus 49 hours of supervised clinical practice in licensed healthcare facilities such as nursing homes, hospitals, or assisted living centers. Training is available through community colleges, technical schools, healthcare facilities, and private training centers across Massachusetts. Full-time programs typically complete in 4-6 weeks with daily intensive classes, while part-time options accommodate working students over 8-12 weeks with evening or weekend schedules. You'll master comprehensive skills including vital signs monitoring, assistance with complex activities of daily living (ADLs), patient transfers using various techniques, infection prevention protocols, emergency response procedures, and specialized care principles. Upon successful completion, your training facility will provide a completion certificate and submit your eligibility information to the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry for exam registration.

Pass the State Competency Exam

After completing training, you'll take the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation administered by Prometric. The exam consists of two mandatory components: a written or oral knowledge test with 60 multiple-choice questions covering nursing skills, infection control, safety procedures, communication techniques, residents' rights, and patient care fundamentals (you need 70% or 42 correct answers to pass), and a hands-on clinical skills demonstration where you'll perform 5 randomly selected nursing skills from a list of 25 possible tasks. Skills may include proper handwashing, measuring vital signs with precision, assisting with complex mobility and transfers, providing personal hygiene care, catheter care, range of motion exercises, or specialized feeding assistance. The complete exam takes approximately 2.5-3 hours. You must pass both sections on the same testing day to earn certification—if you pass one component but fail the other, you only need to retake the failed portion. Massachusetts allows three testing attempts within two years of training completion; if you fail all three, you must complete training again. The current exam fee is $125. Testing centers are located throughout Massachusetts in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, New Bedford, and other cities, with exams offered frequently to accommodate the state's large healthcare workforce.

Complete Background Check & Registry Enrollment

Before beginning CNA employment in Massachusetts, you must complete a comprehensive criminal background check and register with the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry. Massachusetts requires thorough background screening including state and federal criminal history checks, sex offender registry searches, and abuse registry checks to ensure the highest standards of patient safety. Most healthcare employers coordinate the background check process as part of their hiring procedures, though you can also initiate it independently through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Background checks typically cost $40-80 and must be completed through approved vendors. Once you pass both portions of the competency exam, your results are electronically transmitted to the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry and processed within 10-14 business days. You'll receive an official registry identification number and certification from the Massachusetts DPH confirming your active status. Massachusetts CNAs must maintain active registry status by working at least 8 hours in a paid nursing assistant position within each 24-month certification period. You can verify your certification status anytime through the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry online portal at mass.gov/dph. With certification complete, you're qualified to work in Massachusetts's extensive healthcare system, including world-renowned institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and hundreds of other facilities throughout the Commonwealth.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About CNA Certification in Massachusetts

Becoming a CNA in Massachusetts typically takes 6-12 weeks from enrollment to certification. Massachusetts requires 100 hours of training, including 51 hours of classroom instruction and 49 hours of clinical practice, providing comprehensive preparation for professional nursing assistant careers. Full-time accelerated programs offered by institutions like Bunker Hill Community College, Quinsigamond Community College, Springfield Technical Community College, and Northern Essex Community College complete training in 4-6 weeks with daily intensive schedules Monday through Friday. Part-time programs extend over 8-12 weeks, offering evening or weekend classes to accommodate students with work or family obligations throughout the Greater Boston area, Worcester, Springfield, and Cape Cod regions. After completing training, you'll schedule your state competency exam through Prometric, typically available within 1-2 weeks at testing centers throughout Massachusetts. Exam results are usually provided immediately after testing for the skills portion, with final certification processing within 10-14 business days once you're added to the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry. The complete timeline from first day of training to starting your first CNA position generally ranges from 7-14 weeks. Massachusetts's comprehensive training ensures graduates are well-prepared for the state's high standards of healthcare delivery, and many employers throughout the Commonwealth prefer Massachusetts-trained CNAs for their thorough skill sets and professional competency.

CNA training costs in Massachusetts range from $800 to $2,500 depending on the institution type and geographic location. Massachusetts community colleges—including Bunker Hill, Quinsigamond, Springfield Technical, Northern Essex, Bristol, Cape Cod, and Berkshire Community Colleges—offer the most affordable options at $800-$1,500 since they receive state funding for workforce development programs. Private vocational schools and healthcare training academies typically charge $1,800-$2,500 but often provide accelerated schedules, smaller class sizes, convenient locations throughout the Greater Boston area, and flexible scheduling options. Many Massachusetts nursing homes and healthcare facilities offer FREE CNA training programs in exchange for a 12-18 month employment commitment—this "earn while you learn" model is particularly prevalent in rural areas of western Massachusetts and Cape Cod experiencing healthcare worker shortages. Most program fees include textbooks, training materials, uniforms, clinical supplies, and liability insurance, though you should budget an additional $125 for the state competency exam fee and $40-80 for background check processing. Massachusetts residents may qualify for financial assistance through MassHire Career Centers (Massachusetts Workforce Development), Federal Pell Grants for eligible students, or Commonwealth Corporation training grants. Major healthcare employers like Mass General Brigham, Beth Israel Lahey Health, Tufts Medicine, and Wellforce offer generous tuition reimbursement programs and signing bonuses ($2,000-$5,000) that can offset training costs within the first few months of employment. Given Massachusetts's high CNA wages ($18-24/hour in Greater Boston), training investments typically pay for themselves within 2-3 months of full-time employment.

Massachusetts allows hybrid CNA training where theoretical classroom instruction can be completed online, but hands-on clinical training must be conducted in person at an approved healthcare facility. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health permits up to 51 hours of didactic coursework—including lectures, reading assignments, instructional videos, case studies, and written assessments—to be delivered via distance learning platforms. However, the mandatory 49 hours of clinical skills training must be completed face-to-face in a licensed nursing home, hospital, or long-term care facility under direct supervision of qualified registered nurse instructors. This hybrid model provides valuable flexibility for students managing employment, family responsibilities, or transportation challenges in Massachusetts's densely populated urban areas and rural regions, while ensuring you gain essential hands-on patient care experience. Several Massachusetts institutions including select community colleges and private training providers now offer hybrid programs combining online theory modules with weekend or evening clinical rotations at healthcare facilities throughout the state. It's critical to understand that FULLY online CNA programs (100% virtual with no in-person clinical component) are NOT recognized by Massachusetts and will not qualify you to take the state competency exam or obtain certification. Federal and state regulations require supervised, in-person clinical training to ensure patient safety and proper skill development. When researching programs, always verify that the provider is approved by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and includes the required 49 hours of supervised clinical training in a licensed healthcare facility. Check the official state registry of approved programs on the Massachusetts DPH website at mass.gov/dph before enrolling to ensure your training will be accepted for certification.

The Massachusetts CNA competency exam, administered by Prometric, consists of two mandatory components that comprehensively test your knowledge and practical nursing skills. The written or oral knowledge test contains 60 multiple-choice questions covering basic and advanced nursing skills, infection prevention and control, safety and emergency procedures, therapeutic communication and interpersonal skills, residents' rights and independence, personal care assistance, and patient dignity principles. You have 90 minutes to complete the exam and need a score of 70% (42 out of 60 questions correct) to pass. The test is available in English and Spanish, and an oral version is offered for candidates who prefer auditory testing or have reading difficulties. After completing the written portion, you'll immediately proceed to the clinical skills evaluation where you'll demonstrate 5 randomly selected nursing procedures from a list of 25 possible skills. Common skills include proper handwashing technique, measuring and recording vital signs with precision (blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature), assisting residents with complex ambulation using safety devices, performing passive and active range of motion exercises, providing comprehensive perineal care, assisting with specialized feeding techniques, measuring urinary output, providing catheter care, or assisting with transfers using proper body mechanics. You'll perform these skills on a mannequin or volunteer "patient" while a trained Prometric evaluator observes and scores your performance using a detailed checklist focusing on safety, infection control, patient dignity, communication, and proper technique. The skills test typically takes 60-75 minutes. You must pass BOTH sections on the same day to earn certification—if you pass one section but fail the other, you only retake the failed component. Massachusetts allows three testing attempts within two years of training completion; failing all three requires repeating the entire 100-hour training program. The current exam fee is $125 for both sections. Testing centers are conveniently located throughout Massachusetts in Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, and New Bedford.

Yes, Massachusetts accepts CNA certifications from other states through reciprocity or endorsement, provided you meet specific requirements. If you hold an active, unexpired CNA certification from another state and are in good standing on that state's nurse aide registry, you can apply for Massachusetts certification by endorsement through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The endorsement process requires submitting a completed application form available on the Massachusetts DPH website, requesting verification of your out-of-state certification sent directly from your current state's registry to Massachusetts, completing a Massachusetts-specific criminal background check including fingerprinting and sex offender registry search through approved vendors, and paying applicable fees (approximately $40-80 for background checks plus a $30-50 endorsement application fee). Massachusetts requires that your out-of-state training met or exceeded Massachusetts's 100-hour minimum standard—most states have equal or higher requirements, so this is rarely problematic. If your certification has expired for more than 24 months or you haven't worked as a CNA during that period, Massachusetts may require you to complete a competency evaluation or refresher training before granting endorsement. The entire reciprocity process typically takes 6-10 weeks from application submission to approval. It's essential to initiate this process BEFORE beginning employment in Massachusetts, as federal regulations prohibit healthcare facilities from hiring CNAs who aren't properly certified in the state where they're working. Once approved, you'll receive a Massachusetts Registry identification number and official certification from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, allowing you to work immediately in any licensed healthcare facility throughout the Commonwealth. Massachusetts's proximity to neighboring states (Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire) and its high wages make it an attractive destination for CNAs seeking to transfer their credentials for better compensation and career opportunities in one of the nation's premier healthcare markets.

Maintaining Your Certification

CNA Certification Renewal in Massachusetts

How to Renew Your Massachusetts CNA Certification

Massachusetts maintains an employment-based renewal system for CNA certifications. Your certification remains active on the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry indefinitely as long as you work in a paid nursing assistant position for at least 8 hours (one shift) during each 24-month certification period. Unlike many states requiring formal renewal applications, continuing education credits, or renewal fees, Massachusetts automatically maintains your active status through employer-reported work verification. When you're employed as a CNA in Massachusetts, your healthcare facility is responsible for reporting your employment activity to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, which keeps your registry status current without any action required on your part.

If your certification lapses due to not working for 24 consecutive months, you must reactivate it through one of two pathways. The first option involves completing a competency evaluation where you demonstrate proficiency in required nursing skills through testing with an approved evaluator, typically costing $200-400 depending on the testing provider and location within Massachusetts. The second option requires completing a state-approved refresher training course (usually 40-75 hours of instruction) followed by passing the clinical skills portion of the state competency exam. Refresher courses cost $600-$1,500 depending on the training institution and location throughout the Commonwealth. After successfully completing either reactivation method, you'll be reinstated on the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry and eligible to resume CNA employment throughout the state.

It's important to verify your registry status annually by checking the Massachusetts Nurse Aide Registry online portal at mass.gov/dph or calling (617) 753-8144. If you change employers—particularly common in Massachusetts's dynamic healthcare market with frequent job transitions between facilities—confirm that your new healthcare facility properly reports your employment to maintain your active certification status. If you're planning an extended leave from healthcare work—such as for education, family care, relocation, or personal reasons—try to work at least one 8-hour shift before your 24-month activity window expires to avoid allowing your certification to lapse. CNAs working in multiple states (particularly those working in both Massachusetts and neighboring states like Rhode Island or New Hampshire) should maintain separate active status in each state independently, as Massachusetts's registry operates separately from other state registries and reciprocity agreements don't automatically transfer renewal requirements across state lines.

Renewal Fee

Work Requirement

8 Hours/24 Months

CEU Requirement

None Required

Reactivation Cost

$200-$1,500

Career Opportunities

CNA Job Outlook & Salary in Massachusetts

Massachusetts's healthcare sector provides exceptional employment prospects for Certified Nursing Assistants, with robust job growth projected through 2030. The Commonwealth's concentration of world-class medical institutions, academic medical centers, research hospitals, and comprehensive healthcare networks creates unprecedented demand for qualified CNAs. The Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development projects 13-16% growth in CNA positions over the next decade, among the highest growth rates in New England. Major employment centers include Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Cambridge, Lowell, New Bedford, and Cape Cod, with opportunities throughout the Commonwealth from Berkshire County to the Islands.

CNAs in Massachusetts earn the highest wages in New England and among the top in the nation, reflecting the state's high cost of living, concentration of prestigious healthcare institutions, and competitive labor market. The Greater Boston area typically offers the highest pay at $19-24/hour, while Worcester, Springfield, and other regions range $17-21/hour. Hospital-based CNAs, particularly those at major institutions like Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, or Boston Children's Hospital, generally earn premium wages compared to long-term care facilities, and night shift differential pay often adds $4-6 extra per hour. Experienced CNAs working in specialized settings like intensive care, emergency departments, oncology, or rehabilitation facilities can earn $22-27/hour. Massachusetts healthcare employers typically provide exceptional benefits including comprehensive health insurance, dental and vision coverage, generous retirement plans with employer matching (often 6-10%), extensive paid time off (3-4 weeks annually), tuition reimbursement for nursing school advancement (LPN/RN programs), and flexible scheduling options. The combination of top-tier wages, excellent benefits, access to world-renowned healthcare institutions, and proximity to prestigious nursing education programs makes Massachusetts an extremely attractive destination for CNAs seeking both career success and exceptional advancement opportunities in one of the nation's most dynamic healthcare markets.

Average CNA Salary in Massachusetts

$38,000

per year

Hourly Wage

$18.27/hr

Nearby States