CNA classes in Portland

10 CNA programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

7 schools offer these nursing assistant programs with classes in the Portland-South Portland area, and every one is approved for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Nursing assistants give basic care and help patients with everyday tasks. To work as one, you usually finish a state-approved program and pass your state's competency exam, which puts you on the state registry.¹ In Portland, 1 of the 10 programs take students without a high school diploma.

See the 10 programs

All 32 CNA programs in Maine, including online programs

How much do CNA classes cost in Portland?

$500 to $1,099

is what most programs cost if you pay yourself

All 9 programs with a price: $400 to $1,250

Finished the program: Not reported
Working 6 months later: Not reported
Earned a year, estimated: Not reported
Length: Not reported for most programs

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). How these figures are made

Are there free CNA classes in Portland?

Yes, if you qualify. Workforce funding can pay for any program on this page.²³
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁴
Or pay yourself. Most nursing assistant programs in Portland cost $500 to $1,099.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 10 CNA programs in Portland approved for funding

10 programs

Nursing assistant (CNA)In personPrerequisite courses
Certified Nurses Assistant
Gray-New Gloucester Adult & Community Education, Gray
Prerequisite courses
Gray-New Gloucester Adult & Community Education, Gray · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · Prerequisite courses
Earned a year, estimated$42,500
Price if you pay yourself$400
More details about Certified Nurses Assistant at Gray-New Gloucester Adult & Community Education
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
88%
Earned in a quarter
$10,627
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
22
a year, estimated
$42,500
price
$400
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Nursing Assistant - CNA
Scarborough Adult Learning Center, Scarborough
High school diploma or equivalent
Scarborough Adult Learning Center, Scarborough · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,200
Program website, Certified Nursing Assistant - CNA at Scarborough Adult Learning Center
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant - CNA at Scarborough Adult Learning Center
Finished
76%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
17
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,200
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
York Adult and Community Education, York
High school diploma or equivalent
York Adult and Community Education, York · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,250
Program website, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at York Adult and Community Education
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at York Adult and Community Education
Finished
75%
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
16
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,250
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Multilingual CNA
Portland Adult Education, Portland
High school diploma or equivalent
Portland Adult Education, Portland · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$32,500
Price if you pay yourself$875
School website, Multilingual CNA at Portland Adult Education
More details about Multilingual CNA at Portland Adult Education
Finished
86%
Working at 6 months
75%
Earned in a quarter
$8,114
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
11
a year, estimated
$32,500
price
$875
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personNo diploma needed
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford
No diploma needed
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$500
School website, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$76
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$500
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Fall 2022
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford
High school diploma or equivalent
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$500
Program website, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Fall 2022 at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Fall 2022 at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$76
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$500
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Summer 2022
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford
High school diploma or equivalent
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$500
Program website, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Summer 2022 at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Summer 2022 at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$76
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$500
Medication aideIn personEducation and courses
Certified Nursing Assistant MED
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford
Education and courses
Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education, Biddeford · Medication aide · In person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,057
School website, Certified Nursing Assistant MED at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant MED at Biddeford Adult and Comm. Education
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
$142
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,057
Medication aideIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Nursing Assistant Medication (CNA-M)
Merrymeeting Adult Education, Topsham
High school diploma or equivalent
Merrymeeting Adult Education, Topsham · Medication aide · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$1,099
Program website, Certified Nursing Assistant Medication (CNA-M) at Merrymeeting Adult Education
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant Medication (CNA-M) at Merrymeeting Adult Education
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
12 weeks, 3 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$1,099
Nursing assistant (CNA)In personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Certified Nursing Assistant
Westbrook Adult Education, Westbrook
High school diploma or equivalent
Westbrook Adult Education, Westbrook · Nursing assistant (CNA) · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
More details about Certified Nursing Assistant at Westbrook Adult Education
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
Not reported
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
Not reported

How to pay for CNA classes in Portland

Workforce funding can pay for CNA classes in Portland

Every program on this page is approved for public workforce funding, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.²People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.³

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).⁴

Financial aid and grants for CNA classes

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁵⁶

GI Bill for CNA classes

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁷

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Where the Portland nursing assistant program numbers come from

Which Portland nursing assistant programs are on this list?

These are the nursing assistant programs with classes in the Portland-South Portland area that are approved for public workforce funding (the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). The list covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Online programs are left out here; they are on the Maine page. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what the area offers.

How Portland nursing assistant program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some nursing assistant programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

Sources for the facts about CNA classes in Portland

Show the 7 sourcesHide the sources

CNA classes in Portland

How much do CNA classes cost in Portland?

Are there free CNA classes in Portland?

All 10 CNA programs in Portland approved for funding

Certified Nurses Assistant

Certified Nursing Assistant - CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Multilingual CNA