FREE CNA Training in New Jersey

"Free" CNA training in New Jersey comes in a few forms. Some programs are free outright. Others are free only if you qualify for a grant, agree to work for the employer that trains you, or get paid back after you're hired.

Below you'll see how each kind works, which programs are running now, and which nursing homes are approved to train their own CNAs. Every New Jersey program teaches the same 90-hour state course.

The 4 Kinds of Free CNA Training

Outright Free

You pay nothing, and you don't owe anyone a job afterward.

✓Who offers it: county and college programs paid for by local governments, like Rowan College of South Jersey in Gloucester County.
✓The catch: seats are limited, and some programs give county residents first pick.

Grant-Funded

A workforce grant pays the school for you.

✓Who offers it: One-Stop Career Centers through WIOA and other workforce agencies, at schools like Academy of Healthcare Excellence.
✓The catch: you usually have to be unemployed or on government assistance, and you must be approved before you enroll.

Free With a Work Commitment

An employer hires you first and trains you free, often paying you while you learn.

●Who offers it: nursing homes and apprenticeships, like Southern Ocean Center and other Genesis locations.
●The catch: you're expected to work there after you certify. Read the agreement for what happens if you leave early.

Reimbursed

You pay up front, and the employer pays you back.

●Who offers it: facilities like Wedgewood Gardens, which repay you through your paycheck.
●Good to know: by federal rule, a nursing home that hires you within 12 months of finishing training has to pay back your training and testing costs. Keep your receipts.

💰 Free and Paid-to-Train Programs in New Jersey

Each card shows which kind of free it is, so you know the deal before you call. Openings come and go, so contact them before you plan around a start date.

Academy of Healthcare Excellence (Vineland & Pleasantville)

✨ Grant-Funded, If You Qualify

ℹ️Tuition can be free through the Workforce Development Board and One-Stop Career Centers if you're unemployed or receive government assistance. PathStone and DVRS funding are also accepted.

⚡Get approved for funding before you enroll. Phone: (856) 213-6756

🌐aheschools.com

Genesis HealthCare

✨ Paid Training, Work Commitment

ℹ️Genesis hires you into a paid non-patient role, pays for your state-approved class, then moves you to nurse aide once you're certified. The whole program takes up to 4 months.

⚡Other New Jersey sites include Eatontown, Morristown, Newton, and North Cape May. Search "Paid Nurse Aide Training."

🌐genesishcc.com

One-Stop Career Centers (WIOA)

✨ Grant-Funded, If You Qualify

ℹ️Under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), your county One-Stop Career Center can pay for an approved CNA course if you're unemployed, laid off, or low-income.

⚡Apply before you enroll. Approved courses are listed on My Career NJ.

🌐mycareer.nj.gov

Rowan College at Burlington County

✨ Paid Apprenticeship, Work Commitment

ℹ️A grant-funded CNA apprenticeship where you earn a paycheck from an employer partner while you train. You leave with CNA, CPR, and U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship credentials.

⚡Requires age 18+, NJ residency, and a diploma or GED. Phone: (856) 222-9311

🌐rcbc.edu

Rowan College of South Jersey (Gloucester County)

✨ Outright Free

ℹ️A 90-hour CNA course run with Gloucester County. Day classes take 6 to 8 weeks and evening classes take 7 to 9. Graduates get first look at jobs at Shady Lane Nursing Home, which starts CNAs at $21/hr.

⚡Requires a diploma or GED. County residents are preferred.

🌐rcsj.edu/gchealth

Southern Ocean Center (Manahawkin)

✨ Paid Training, Work Commitment

ℹ️Free nurse aide training with no experience needed, paid at $17/hr. The program takes 1 to 4 months, and a full-time CNA job at the center is waiting when you finish. Class attendance is mandatory.

⚡Tuition help is available later if you go on to LPN or RN school.

📍1361 Route 72 W, Manahawkin, NJ 08050

Wedgewood Gardens Care Center (Freehold)

✨ Reimbursed, Plus Sign-On Bonus

ℹ️You pay for the CNA class up front, and Wedgewood pays you back through your paycheck. A sign-on bonus is included.

⚡You must commit to working at Wedgewood for at least one year.

📍3419 US Highway 9, Freehold, NJ 07728

How Free CNA Training Works in New Jersey

Pick a Free Route

"Free" in New Jersey usually comes from one of three places:

✓A nursing home hires you first and trains you on the job.
✓A county or college program pays your tuition.
✓A workforce grant from your local One-Stop Career Center pays a school for you.

Finish the 90 Hours

Every approved New Jersey class covers the same state minimum.

50 Hours

Classroom

40 Hours

Clinical, in a licensed long-term care facility

You'll also need fingerprints for a criminal background check. The state doesn't charge to process them.

Pass Both Tests

You take the skills test with D&S first, then the written or oral test with PSI.

Skills test	$27
Written retake	$57
Oral retake	$68
Time to pass	2 years

Ask who pays: a free program should cover your first skills test. Once you take that first skills test, you have one year to pass both parts. Fail three times and you retrain.

Keep Your Certificate

New Jersey CNA certificates last two years.

●Work at least 7 paid hours as a nurse aide in the 24 months before it expires.
●Renew in person at PSI for $36, with a form your employer signs.
●Miss the date and your certificate expires immediately.

What "Free" Should Cover

Before you sign up, ask which of these the program pays for. If you get trained free at a nursing home, ask how long you have to work there afterward.

Tuition

At a free program, the 90-hour class itself should cost you nothing.

Skills Test

$27

Paid to D&S. Nursing homes that hire you can't make you pay it.

Fingerprints

No fee

The state doesn't charge to process your fingerprint appointment form.

Extras

Ask

Scrubs, a physical, TB test, and CPR are often extra. Ask if the program covers them.

New Jersey Nursing Homes That Train Their Own CNAs

The New Jersey Department of Health approves these facilities to run nurse aide classes on site. The state list doesn't say what they charge. By federal rule, nursing homes that take Medicare or Medicaid can't charge their own employees or people they've offered a job, so call and ask to be hired as a trainee.

Program	City	County	Phone
Nursing Home / RehabAristaCare at Norwood40 Norwood Ave, Plainfield, NJ 07060	Plainfield	Somerset	(800) 880-1560
Nursing Home / RehabAtrium Post Acute Care of Matawan38 Freneau Ave, Matawan, NJ 07747	Matawan	Monmouth	Call school
Nursing Home / RehabAutumn Lake at Southgate449 S Pennsville-Auburn Rd, Carneys Point, NJ 08069	Carneys Point	Salem	(856) 299-8900
Nursing Home / RehabBarn Hill Care Center249 High St, Newton, NJ 07860Genesis HealthCare	Newton	Sussex	(973) 862-5266
Nursing Home / RehabBartley Healthcare175 Bartley Rd, Jackson, NJ 08527	Jackson	Ocean	(732) 370-4700
HospitalBergen New Bridge Medical Center230 E Ridgewood Ave, Building 5, Paramus, NJ 07652Ext. 4594	Paramus	Bergen	(201) 967-4000
Nursing Home / RehabBishop McCarthy Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare1045 Chestnut Ave, Vineland, NJ 08360	Vineland	Cumberland	(856) 692-2850
Nursing Home / RehabCareOne at Cupola100 W Ridgewood Ave, Paramus, NJ 07652	Paramus	Bergen	(201) 862-3300
Nursing Home / RehabCareOne at East Brunswick595 Cranbury Rd, East Brunswick, NJ 08816	East Brunswick	Middlesex	(856) 914-0444
Nursing Home / RehabCareOne at Evesham870 E Route 70, Marlton, NJ 08058	Marlton	Burlington	(856) 396-0005
Nursing Home / RehabCareOne at Oradell600 Kinderkamack Rd, Oradell, NJ 07649	Oradell	Bergen	(201) 967-0002
Nursing Home / RehabCareOne at Valley300 Old Hook Rd, Westwood, NJ 07675	Westwood	Bergen	(856) 914-0444
Nursing Home / RehabCareOne at Wall2621 Route 138, Wall Township, NJ 07719	Wall Township	Monmouth	(732) 556-1060
Nursing Home / RehabChristian Health Care Center301 Sicomac Ave, Wyckoff, NJ 07481	Wyckoff	Bergen	(201) 848-5200
Nursing Home / RehabComplete Care at Green Acres1515 Hulse Rd, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742	Point Pleasant	Ocean	(732) 286-2323
Nursing Home / RehabComplete Care at Kresson View2601 Evesham Rd, Voorhees, NJ 08043	Voorhees	Camden	(856) 308-2641
Nursing Home / RehabCranbury Center292 Applegarth Rd, Monroe Township, NJ 08831	Monroe Township	Middlesex	(609) 860-2500
Nursing Home / RehabHomestead Rehabilitation129 Morris Turnpike, Newton, NJ 07860	Newton	Sussex	(973) 948-5400
Nursing Home / RehabHouse of the Good Shepherd798 Willow Grove St, Hackettstown, NJ 07840	Hackettstown	Warren	(908) 681-5720
Nursing Home / RehabJersey Shore Center3 Industrial Way East, Eatontown, NJ 07724Genesis HealthCare	Eatontown	Monmouth	(732) 677-8823
HospitalLawrence Rehabilitation Hospital2381 Lawrence Rd, Lawrence Township, NJ 08648	Lawrence Township	Mercer	(609) 896-9500
Nursing Home / RehabLeisure Chateau962 River Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701	Lakewood	Ocean	(732) 370-8600
Nursing Home / RehabLopatcong Care Center390 Red School Ln, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865	Phillipsburg	Warren	(908) 859-0200
Nursing Home / RehabMadison CareOne625 Route 34, Matawan, NJ 07747	Matawan	Monmouth	(732) 677-8823
Nursing Home / RehabManorCare West Deptford550 Jessup Rd, West Deptford, NJ 08066	West Deptford	Gloucester	(856) 848-9551
Nursing Home / RehabMaple Glen Center12-15 Saddle River Rd, Fair Lawn, NJ 07410	Fair Lawn	Bergen	(201) 797-9522
Nursing Home / RehabMerry Heart Health Care Center200 Route 10 West, Succasunna, NJ 07876	Succasunna	Morris	(973) 584-4000
Nursing Home / RehabMilford Manor69 Maple Rd, West Milford, NJ 07480	West Milford	Passaic	(973) 697-5640
Nursing Home / RehabMorris Hills Center77 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ 07960Genesis HealthCare	Morristown	Morris	(973) 540-9800
Nursing Home / RehabNorth Cape Center700 Town Bank Rd, North Cape May, NJ 08204Genesis HealthCare	North Cape May	Cape May	(609) 898-8899
Nursing Home / RehabParker at Monroe395 Schoolhouse Rd, Monroe Township, NJ 08831	Monroe Township	Middlesex	(732) 418-8634
Nursing Home / RehabPhillipsburg Center843 Wilbur Ave, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865	Phillipsburg	Warren	(908) 454-2627
Nursing Home / RehabPhoenix Center for Rehabilitation and Pediatrics1433 Ringwood Ave, Haskell, NJ 07420	Haskell	Passaic	(973) 839-2119
Nursing Home / RehabSeacrest Rehabilitation1002 Center St, Little Egg Harbor, NJ 08087	Little Egg Harbor	Ocean	(609) 296-9292
Nursing Home / RehabSouthern Ocean Center1361 Route 72 West, Manahawkin, NJ 08050Genesis HealthCare	Manahawkin	Ocean	(732) 677-8823
Nursing Home / RehabSpringpoint Academy at Winchester Gardens333 Elmwood Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040	Maplewood	Essex	(973) 378-5090
Nursing Home / RehabSt. Mary's Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare210 St. Mary's Dr, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003	Cherry Hill	Camden	(856) 874-5368
Nursing Home / RehabThe Harborage7600 River Rd, North Bergen, NJ 07047	North Bergen	Hudson	(800) 880-1560
Nursing Home / RehabThe Jewish Home for Rehabilitation & Nursing1151 W Main St, Freehold Township, NJ 07728	Freehold Township	Monmouth	(732) 202-1000
Nursing Home / RehabUnited Methodist Communities at Bristol Glen200 Bristol Glen Dr, Newton, NJ 07860	Newton	Sussex	(973) 300-5788
Nursing Home / RehabUnited Methodist Communities at The Shores2201 Bay Ave, Ocean City, NJ 08226	Ocean City	Cape May	(609) 391-6340

No programs match. Try a nearby city or pick "All regions."

Before you call: Ask for the staff development or HR office and say you want to be hired as a nurse aide trainee. Ask when the next class starts, whether you are paid while you train, and how long you must work there after you certify. Several phone numbers go to a company-wide recruiter, so mention the location you want.

Source: New Jersey Department of Health, nursing home approved nurse aide training classes, list dated August 31, 2026. Private schools on that list are not included here. Know of a closed program or a wrong number? Report a correction.

Free CNA Training in New Jersey: FAQ

Can a nursing home really train me for free?

Yes. Federal rules bar nursing homes that take Medicare or Medicaid from charging their employees, or people they've offered a job, for nurse aide training or testing. If you pay for training yourself and a nursing home hires you within 12 months, it has to pay you back for those costs.

Do I have to work there after a free class?

Usually. Most facilities train people they plan to hire, and many ask you to stay a set amount of time. Get the terms in writing before you start.

Can WIOA pay for CNA training in New Jersey?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) funds training for people who are unemployed, laid off, or low-income. Contact your county One-Stop Career Center before you enroll, and pick a CNA course listed on My Career NJ (mycareer.nj.gov).

How long does free CNA training take in New Jersey?

The class is 90 hours, which most programs finish in 4 to 9 weeks. Testing and certification add a few more weeks.

Are online CNA classes accepted in New Jersey?

Only as part of a state-approved program. You still need 40 hours of hands-on clinical training in a licensed long-term care facility.

I'm already a CNA in another state. Do I need to retrain?

Not if you qualify for reciprocity. You need an active certificate in good standing, recent work or required continuing education, and a New Jersey background check. The PSI application fee is $36.

Is CHHA training the same as CNA?

No. A Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA) works in patients' homes, and a CNA works in facilities like nursing homes. Many New Jersey schools offer both, sometimes as a combined course.

Sources

Last verified: October 2026. Free programs open and close often, so confirm with the program before you apply. See something out of date? Report a correction.