CNA Training in Nebraska
Nebraska requires at least 75 hours of state-approved nurse aide training, plus 1 hour of Nebraska abuse, neglect, and misappropriation training. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) approves courses and keeps the Nurse Aide Registry.
There are no state fees to get on the registry or to stay on it. Below you'll find each step, pay by area, ways to train free, and approved programs statewide.
Training
75+ Hours
Median Pay
$19.23/hr
Exam Cost
About $100
The 4 Steps to Certification in Nebraska
Pick a State-Approved Program
Nebraska DHHS approves every nurse aide course. You must be at least 16. Your options:
- Community colleges: including Southeast, Metro, Central, Northeast, Mid-Plains, and Western Nebraska.
- Nursing homes, veterans homes, and hospitals: many train people they hire, and nursing homes can't charge you for it.
- Private trainers: set their own prices and schedules.
Complete at Least 75 Hours
Nebraska uses the federal minimum, plus one state-specific hour.
Federal rules also require at least 16 hours of supervised hands-on training.
Pass the State Exams
A 50-question written or oral exam and a 6-skill skills exam. You need 70% to pass each.
| Written or oral exam | $50 |
| Skills exam | $50 |
| Getting on the registry | $0 |
Stay Active
Nebraska doesn't charge renewal fees. Your registry status depends on work.
- Work for pay as a nurse aide in an approved setting at least once every 24 months to stay Active on the registry.
- Check your status on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry. If it shows Lapsed, you'll need to retest before working in a nursing home.
- Print your own card from the registry. Nebraska doesn't mail license cards to nurse aides.
💰 How to Get CNA Training Free in Nebraska
Get hired first, or get paid back after.
Nursing Home Training
✨ Free When You're HiredGet Paid Back After You're Hired
✨ 12-Month RuleNebraska Department of Labor (WIOA)
✨ Grant-Funded, If You QualifyNebraska CNA Pay by Area
Nebraska CNAs earn about $1.09 an hour less than the national median. Pay is similar across the state, and rural areas pay slightly more than the cities.
| Area | Median Hourly | Median Annual | CNAs Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Nebraska (rural) | $19.64 | $40,860 | 1,000 |
| Northeast Nebraska (rural) | $19.55 | $40,660 | 1,920 |
| Omaha (NE-IA) | $19.24 | $40,020 | 7,740 |
| South Nebraska (rural) | $19.24 | $40,020 | 2,920 |
| Sioux City (IA-NE-SD) | $18.72 | $38,940 | 930 |
| Grand Island | $18.69 | $38,880 | 590 |
| Lincoln | $18.58 | $38,650 | 2,630 |
| Nebraska (statewide) | $19.23 | $40,000 | 16,450 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Nursing Assistants (31-1131). Medians exclude overtime and shift differentials. "Rural" rows are the BLS nonmetropolitan areas. The Omaha and Sioux City metros include workers in neighboring states.
What It Costs to Get Certified
Train through a nursing home that hires you and the main costs are covered.
Varies
Free through a nursing home that employs you. Colleges and private trainers set their own prices.
About $100
$50 written and $50 skills at the Nebraska Health Care Association. Other test sites set their own prices.
Varies
Set by the test site. You get 3 tries at each exam.
$0
No fee to get on the Nebraska Nurse Aide Registry or to stay on it.
Moving to Nebraska?
If you're a nurse aide in another state, you can transfer to the Nebraska registry for free.
Active CNA in Another State
Fill out the Interstate Endorsement form and complete 1 hour of Nebraska abuse, neglect, and misappropriation training, even if you had similar training before. Nebraska checks your registry record in every state where you trained or worked. Processing can take up to 30 days.
Lapsed or Never Tested
If you're no longer active on another state's registry, or you never passed the exams, expect to train and test in Nebraska.
Questions? Call
(402) 471-4322
Nebraska DHHS Office of Nursing Support
CNA Schools in Nebraska
State-approved nurse aide courses across Nebraska: community colleges, tribal colleges, private trainers, nursing homes, veterans homes, and hospitals. Search by name, city, or county, or filter by county.
| Program | City | County | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advance Intervention ServicesOmaha, NE | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 319-1264 |
| Arbor Care Centers Neligh1100 N T St, Neligh, NE 68756 | Neligh | Antelope | (402) 887-5428 |
| Arbor Care Centers Tekamah823 M St, Tekamah, NE 68061 | Tekamah | Burt | (402) 374-1414 |
| Art of Homecare Training CenterOmaha, NE | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 598-2651 |
| Brookstone of David City260 S 10th St, David City, NE 68632 | David City | Butler | (402) 367-3144 |
| Bryan College of Health Sciences1535 S 52nd St, Lincoln, NE 68506 | Lincoln | Lancaster | (402) 481-3805 |
| Central Community College4500 63rd St, Columbus, NE 68601 | Columbus | Platte | (402) 562-1451 |
| Central Community College550 S Technical Blvd, Hastings, NE 68901 | Hastings | Adams | (402) 461-2441 |
| Central Community College1501 Plum Creek Pkwy, Lexington, NE 68850 | Lexington | Dawson | (308) 324-5936 |
| Central Nebraska Veterans Home4510 E 56th St, Kearney, NE 68847 | Kearney | Buffalo | (308) 865-6000 |
| CHI Health Immanuel6901 N 72nd St, Omaha, NE 68122 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 572-2121 |
| Clarkson College101 S 42nd St, Omaha, NE 68131Also (402) 552-6148. | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 552-3396 |
| CNA Learning Hub630 N Cotner Blvd, Lincoln, NE 68505 | Lincoln | Lancaster | (402) 318-5583 |
| Crestview Care Center420 Gordon Ave, Chadron, NE 69337 | Chadron | Dawes | (308) 432-3355 |
| Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home12505 Harrison Tull Dr, Bellevue, NE 68123 | Bellevue | Sarpy | (402) 595-2180 |
| Florence Home7915 N 30th St, Omaha, NE 68112 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 827-6056 |
| Fulton Homes Education Center15410 Weir St, Omaha, NE 68137 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 672-0620 |
| Genoa Medical Facilities Long Term Care706 Ewing Ave, Genoa, NE 68640 | Genoa | Nance | (402) 993-2283 |
| Gordon Countryside Care500 E 10th St, Gordon, NE 69343 | Gordon | Sheridan | (308) 282-0806 |
| Heritage Crossings501 N 13th St, Geneva, NE 68361 | Geneva | Fillmore | (402) 759-3194 |
| Kimball County Manor810 E 7th St, Kimball, NE 69145 | Kimball | Kimball | (308) 235-4693 |
| Life First LearningGering, NE | Gering | Scotts Bluff | (308) 279-0946 |
| Little Priest Tribal College601 E College Dr, Winnebago, NE 68071 | Winnebago | Thurston | (402) 878-2380 |
| Metro Community CollegeOmaha, NE | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 502-1207 |
| Mid-Plains Community College1205 E 3rd St, McCook, NE 69001 | McCook | Red Willow | (308) 345-8164 |
| Mid-Plains Community College601 W State Farm Rd, North Platte, NE 69101 | North Platte | Lincoln | (308) 345-8164 |
| Nebraska Health Care Association1200 Libra Dr, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512 | Lincoln | Lancaster | (402) 435-3551 |
| Nebraska Indian Community College1111 US Highway 75, Macy, NE 68039 | Macy | Thurston | (844) 440-6422 |
| Nebraska Methodist College720 N 87th St, Omaha, NE 68114 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 354-7000 |
| Norfolk Veterans Home600 E Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701 | Norfolk | Madison | (402) 370-3330 |
| Northeast Nebraska Community College801 E Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701 | Norfolk | Madison | (402) 844-7335 |
| Oglala Sioux Lakota Nursing Home7835 NE-87, Rushville, NE 69360 | Rushville | Sheridan | (308) 862-4020 |
| Press Medical Training5190 Sprague Plz, Suite 215, Omaha, NE 68104 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 813-7830 |
| Promise Health Care Training Center3610 Dodge St, Suite B10, Omaha, NE 68131 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 968-4786 |
| Quality Career Pathways5437 N 103rd St, Omaha, NE 68134 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 609-9583 |
| Quality Living6404 N 70th Plaza, Omaha, NE 68104 | Omaha | Douglas | (402) 573-3700 |
| Sanford HealthKearney, NE | Kearney | Buffalo | (712) 898-1176 |
| Sidney Regional Medical Center Extended CareSidney, NE | Sidney | Cheyenne | (308) 254-5825 |
| Southeast Community College8800 O St, Lincoln, NE 68520 | Lincoln | Lancaster | (402) 437-2700 |
| Wakefield Health306 Ash St, Wakefield, NE 68784 | Wakefield | Dixon | (402) 287-2244 |
| Western Nebraska Community College1601 E 27th St, Scottsbluff, NE 69361 | Scottsbluff | Scotts Bluff | (308) 635-6705 |
| York General Hearthstone2600 N Lincoln Ave, York, NE 68467 | York | York | (402) 362-4333 |
No programs match. Try a nearby city or pick "All counties."
Source: Nebraska DHHS, All Training Entities Approved to Teach Nebraska's 75-Hour Nurse Aide Course (revised July 21, 2026). High school and school district programs are not included. The state list gives only city and phone; street addresses come from Google business listings where a clear match was found. Know of a closed program or a wrong number? Report a correction.
Nebraska CNA Questions, Answered
Who oversees CNAs in Nebraska?
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services approves nurse aide courses and keeps the Nurse Aide Registry. Nebraska calls CNAs "nurse aides."
How long is CNA training in Nebraska?
At least 75 hours, plus 1 hour of Nebraska abuse, neglect, and misappropriation training.
How much does the CNA exam cost in Nebraska?
It depends on the test site. The Nebraska Health Care Association charges $50 for the written exam and $50 for the skills exam.
How many times can I take the exams?
You get 3 tries at each exam. After 3 failed tries, you must retake the 75-hour course.
Is there a fee to get on the Nebraska registry?
No. Nebraska doesn't charge nurse aides any application, registry, or renewal fees.
How do I stay active on the Nebraska registry?
Work for pay as a nurse aide in an approved setting at least once every 24 months. There's no renewal application.
Sources
- Nebraska DHHS: Nurse Aide
- Nebraska DHHS: Approved Nurse Aide Courses (revised July 21, 2026)
- Nebraska Health Care Association: Nurse Aide State Testing
- Nebraska Medicaid Provider Bulletin 07-07: Nurse Aide Training Reimbursement
- 42 CFR 483.152: Nurse aide training requirements
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025
Last verified: October 2026. Exam fees vary by test site, so confirm when you register. See something out of date? Report a correction.