Coming Soon! Free CNA Training in Jacksonville
Our third campus in Florida is coming soon! To help you begin your career as a certified nursing assistant (CNA), Premier Nursing Academy is planning to provide free CNA training for interested candidates in the greater Jacksonville metro area. We are excited to connect CNA trainees with area employer partners for guaranteed employment after graduation. We will bring the same program quality and student success that we’ve built at our existing campuses in Pinellas Park and Bradenton.
Please check back as we update with more details about our upcoming campus launch.
About Our CNA Program
Premier Nursing Academy’s CNA instruction is offered in multiple schedule formats to accommodate students with different needs. Our CNA program provides a combination of classroom and on-site clinical education. This ensures that our graduates are ready to set for the certified nursing assistant exam and career success.
After graduates have completed our Florida Board of Nursing-approved course of instruction, they have the skills and are provisionally able to work for their matched employer even before passing the Nurse Aide Exam.
- Morning, afternoon, and evening class schedules available
- 6 week training program
All sessions run Monday – Thursday - Morning sessions run 7:30a – 12:30p
Afternoon sessions run 12:30p – 5:30p
Evening sessions run 5:30p – 10:30p - 120 instructional hours
80 hours of classroom-based didactic learning
40 hours of hands-on clinical-based instruction, mostly conducted on-site with one of our employer partners
What is a CNA?
As entry-level healthcare workers, CNAs work under licensed nurses to provide basic patient care. Certified nursing assistants monitor patients’ wellbeing and perform tasks that may include assisting patients with daily needs, repositioning and lifting patients, and measuring vital signs.
While some CNAs choose to stay in the field for many years, others use their training and experience to explore various CNA career paths.
CNA Training and Licensing Requirements in Jacksonville
The Florida Board of Nursing sets the CNA requirements in Florida, which include the option of passing an exam without going through training. However, since many employers prefer to hire fully trained CNAs, enrolling in free CNA programs is a helpful step toward a certified nursing assistant career.
To become a CNA in Jacksonville, you must meet one of the below requirements:
- Complete a state-approved training program and achieve a passing score on the nursing assistant competency exam; OR
- Have a high school diploma (or be at least 18 years old) and pass the examination; OR
- Complete the Enterprise Florida Jobs and Education Partnership Grant curriculum and achieve a minimum score on the exam.
CNA candidates who are unable to pass the nursing assistant competency examination in three attempts must complete an approved training program before retaking the test.
Where Do CNAs Work in Jacksonville?
As the largest city in the continental United States and the most populous city in Florida, Jacksonville has abundant opportunities to work as a CNA.
A variety of healthcare settings may hire CNAs, including 19 hospitals in Jacksonville, most of which are high performing or nationally ranked. More than 70 assisted living and nursing home facilities in the area also provide care for patients who often require nursing assistant services.
Named the 6th best place to live in Florida and the 13th best place in the U.S. to retire by U.S. News and World Report, Jacksonville is a great place to pursue your CNA career. The city boasts a lower cost of housing than the national median, making it more affordable for CNAs than many other large cities.
Job Growth and Career Outlook for CNAs Near Jacksonville
Due to an aging population and an increased number of patients needing nursing care, demand in the field often exceeds the number of available staff—leading to a CNA shortage.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of CNAs nationwide is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations. Florida projects even higher growth in CNA jobs over the next several years.
- Florida CNA job growth 2018-2028: 11%
- National CNA job growth 2019-2029: 8%
Data from O*Net, 2021
How Much Do CNAs Make in Jacksonville?
CNAs in Florida earned from $21,530 to $37,830 per year in 2020, with a median annual salary of $28,070. Jacksonville CNAs earned slightly less, but other nearby areas reported higher earnings.
| Location | Median CNA Salary |
| Jacksonville | $27,350 |
| St. Augustine | $29,036 |
| Palatka | $26,478 |
| Orange Park | $24,460 |
Jacksonville salary data is from O*Net (2020). The others are from
PayScale.com (2021).
Your nursing assistant salary isn’t just based on your location, amount of CNA training, and years of experience, but also on your specialization or industry. For example, the median annual pay for nursing assistants in government jobs—which might reflect CNA pay in military medical facilities or VA hospitals, for instance—was $37,240 in 2020 in the U.S., compared to $29,210 in home healthcare services.