CNA Classes in Alaska
5 state-approved Certified Nurse Aide training programs across 1 city in Alaska. Alaska requires 140 hours minimum of training, with the competency exam administered by Credentia (NNAAP) — Alaska transitioned from in-state administration to Credentia direct in April 2023.
Training Hours
140 hours minimum
Federal minimum: 75h
Exam Vendor
Credentia (NNAAP) — Alaska transitioned from in-state administration to Credentia direct in April 2023
$60 total through Credentia ($30 written or oral knowledge exam + $30 clinical skills evaluation); a separate $275 in state fees is paid to the State of Alaska ($100 application + $100 certification + $75 fingerprint processing)
Time to Certify
12-20 weeks
Minimum Age
18
Cost: $1,500-$3,500 including training tuition
What makes Alaska different: Alaska almost doubles the federal training minimum, requiring 140 hours so CNAs can practice safely across vast geography that includes remote villages reachable only by plane or boat.
CNA Classes by City in Alaska
Becoming a CNA in Alaska
Alaska is one of the most demanding states in the country for nurse aide training because the Board of Nursing chose to nearly double the 75-hour federal floor. Candidates must complete a 140-hour program that splits 60 hours of classroom theory with 80 hours of supervised clinical work, a structure designed to prepare aides for the isolated rural settings where they may be the only direct-care worker on shift. The expanded clinical block also reflects the influence of tribal health employers, who recruit heavily from CNA cohorts and expect graduates to step quickly into village clinics and remote long-term care wings.
The Alaska Board of Nursing, housed within the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing in Anchorage, oversees every step of the process - from approving training providers and issuing the Authorization to Test letter to running the fingerprint-based criminal history check through the Department of Public Safety. The Board's regulations are written into 12 AAC 44.800-895, and applicants who follow Form 08-4069 carefully usually move from application to ATT within a week.
Pay in Alaska reflects the cost of practicing in a frontier state. The Bureau of Labor Statistics consistently lists Alaska among the top five paying states for CNAs, with hourly wages well above the national median and bonuses common in Bethel, Nome, Kotzebue, and other remote hub communities. Combined with the higher training bar, the result is a credential that travels well within Alaska and is recognized for endorsement by most other states.
How to Become a CNA in Alaska
- 1
Confirm eligibility and prerequisites
Verify you are at least 18 years old, can read and write English fluently, and are physically capable of lifting and transferring patients. Obtain a high school diploma, GED, or letter from a school confirming current enrollment, since most Alaska Board-approved programs require it for admission. Begin gathering identification documents you will need later for the fingerprint card and the Authorization to Test letter from the Board of Nursing.
- 2
Enroll in a Board-approved 140-hour training program
Alaska requires a minimum of 140 hours, broken into 60 hours of classroom theory and 80 hours of supervised clinical practice in a long-term care setting. Programs are offered through the University of Alaska Anchorage, Foundation Health Partners in Fairbanks, Alaska Career College, and various tribal health organizations. Programs typically run 4-12 weeks depending on full or part-time scheduling, and tuition ranges from about $800 to $2,500.
- 3
Complete the fingerprint and background check
Get an original FD-258 fingerprint card completed at a local law enforcement agency or other approved fingerprinting site. The card is submitted with your application to the Alaska Board of Nursing, which forwards it to the Department of Public Safety for a state and FBI criminal history review. Disqualifying offenses include patient abuse, neglect, theft, and certain drug-related convictions; you have 30 days to dispute adverse findings.
- 4
Submit the Application for Certification by Examination (Form 08-4069)
Mail the completed application along with the $50 application fee, $100 initial certification fee, fingerprint card, and the Verification of Training form signed by your program director to the Board of Nursing in Anchorage. The Board reviews submissions and issues an Authorization to Test letter (ATT) within 1-7 business days after verification of training is on file.
- 5
Schedule and pass the NNAAP exam
Once you receive the ATT, register through the official testing vendor's Alaska portal to schedule both the written knowledge test and the manual skills evaluation. Test sites are located in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Kenai, and Wasilla, with travel reimbursement sometimes available for rural candidates. You must pass both sections, and you have three attempts within 24 months of finishing training.
- 6
Get listed on the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry
After both exam parts are passed, the testing vendor reports your results to the Board of Nursing, which adds you to the Alaska Nurse Aide Registry. Your certificate and wallet card are mailed to the address on file, usually within two weeks. You can begin working as a CNA in Alaska as soon as your name appears on the public registry lookup.
- 7
Maintain certification and renew every two years
To stay active, you must complete a minimum of 12 hours of paid nursing-related work under the supervision of a licensed nurse within each two-year cycle and submit a renewal application before your expiration date. Continued competency requirements are administered by the Board of Nursing, and lapsed certificates may be reinstated within a limited window before retesting is required.
Accelerated CNA Programs (≤4 weeks)
1 fast-track option for students who want to start working quickly.
All CNA Programs in Alaska (5)
AVTEC Allied Health Department
Anchorage, AK
Certified Nurse Aide
- Duration:
- 8 weeks (230 hours)
- Cost:
- $1,840
Caregiver Training Academy
Anchorage, AK
Certified Nurse Aide
- Duration:
- 4 weeks (140 hours)
- Cost:
- $1,500
Frequently Asked Questions: CNA Training in Alaska
Why does Alaska require 140 training hours when the federal minimum is only 75?
+
The Alaska Board of Nursing wrote 12 AAC 44 to add extra classroom and clinical hours so that CNAs can practice in remote settings where help is hours away. The state's geography means many aides work in rural hub hospitals or tribal long-term care wings with limited supervision, so the curriculum includes additional content on emergency response, cultural competency for Alaska Native populations, and infection control in austere environments.
How long does it take to receive my Authorization to Test letter from the Board?
+
Once the Board of Nursing receives your completed Form 08-4069, the $50 application fee, the $100 certification fee, your fingerprint card, and the Verification of Training form, staff typically issue the ATT letter within one to seven business days. Incomplete packets are the biggest cause of delay, so most programs help students prepare the packet before they sit for their final clinical.
Can I take CNA training online in Alaska?
+
Fully online programs are not approved because state regulations require 80 hours of supervised in-person clinical practice. Hybrid programs that move the 60 classroom hours into a live online format are accepted by the Board as long as the approved program sponsor still delivers the clinical block at a licensed facility under a registered nurse instructor.
Does Alaska accept CNA certification from other states?
+
Yes. The Board offers a Certified Nurse Aide by Endorsement pathway using Form 08-4070. You must hold an active certification in another state in good standing, submit a fingerprint card with the $275 endorsement fee, and have either completed an equivalent training program or worked a minimum number of hours as a CNA in the issuing state within the last 24 months.
How often do I need to renew my Alaska CNA certificate?
+
Certificates renew every two years. You must complete at least 12 hours of paid nursing-related work supervised by a licensed nurse within the cycle and submit a renewal application before expiration. Lapsed certificates can sometimes be reinstated using Form 08-4365 within a limited window before retesting is required.
Where can CNAs find the highest paying jobs in Alaska?
+
Bureau of Labor Statistics wage tables consistently rank Alaska among the top five paying states for CNAs, with the strongest pay packages clustered around tribal health corporations such as Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation in Bethel, Norton Sound Health Corporation in Nome, and Maniilaq in Kotzebue. Anchorage hospital systems including Providence and Alaska Regional also pay competitive shift differentials for nights and weekends.