Compare CNA schools near Round Lake Beach by cost, schedule, and outcomes to find the right fit.
Round Lake Beach has no IDPH-approved CNA training site within its own zip code, which means every resident pursuing certification commutes to Waukegan, Grayslake, or Gurnee for classroom and clinical hours. That gap matters in a village where healthcare hiring keeps climbing but local training capacity hasn't caught up.
Cost and schedule format end up mattering as much as location. Some programs run four weeks full time, others stretch across evenings for eight to ten weeks, and a handful offer hybrid coursework to cut down on drive time.
The program you pick shapes both your out-of-pocket cost and how fast you're eligible to test and start earning.
Around Round Lake Beach, CNA hiring now spans supportive living, hospital rehab, home care, and memory care rather than a single nursing home pipeline.
Most posted roles sit within a 20 to 30 minute commute. Oak Hill Supportive Living in Round Lake Beach hires afternoon and evening CNAs, with posted CNA salary around $19 to $21 per hour. Prairieview posts full-time PM and overnight CNA openings across assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care,1 and Victory Lakes in nearby Round Lake is an active 2026 employer. These campuses lean heavily on CNAs for daily care, mobility support, and dementia care.
For hospital floor and rehab experience, Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and Vista Health's Waukegan hospital campus on Washington Street, formerly Provena St. Therese, are within commuting range.2 Lake Behavioral Hospital adds a behavioral health setting for CNAs who prefer a different pace. Waukegan Health and Rehab represents the skilled nursing side, with wages around $20 to $22 per hour.3 Skilled nursing and senior living campuses in Gurnee and Grayslake also post recurring CNA openings, but exact facility rankings are not published.
Home health agencies create another layer of demand. Right at Home Northern Lake County posts immediate part-time and full-time caregiver and CNA roles for Round Lake area clients,4 while Crescent Home Healthcare in Vernon Hills serves Waukegan, Gurnee, and Grayslake with state-approved CNA requirements.5 Lake County Workforce Development, based at 1 North Genesee Street in Waukegan, runs grant-funded workforce training, some up to $10,000, and the Hire Lake County job fair on June 23, 2026 at the Round Lake Beach Civic Center connects job seekers directly with local employers.6
The Chicago metro healthcare sector and Lake County's growing senior population keep CNA openings recurring rather than one-time. For Round Lake Beach students in CNA classes in Illinois, that means certification is less about finding a single employer and more about choosing which setting fits best.
Illinois permits only hybrid online CNA training: lecture and theory work can be done from home, but skills practice and clinical rotations must happen in person. No school in the state can offer a fully remote CNA course because the Illinois Department of Public Health requires hands-on demonstration of care skills before anyone sits for CNA certification.
IDPH sets a minimum of 120 total training hours for approved programs, and 40 of those hours must be clinical work performed at an approved care facility, in person, under supervision. Programs may move up to 60 classroom hours online, but that online portion must generally be synchronous and proctored, not self-paced video. So even the most flexible hybrid schedule still anchors you to a physical classroom, lab, and clinical site.
A few programs have built out this hybrid model for students across the state. Illinois Central College runs a hybrid track combining online assignments with in-person labs and clinical placement. AVID CNA School in Streamwood advertises a hybrid format through distance learning paired with hands-on sessions. IVCC delivers its lecture content online through a course platform while keeping labs and clinicals face to face. State Career College also lists hybrid healthcare programming, though CNA-specific details are less spelled out than its other health tracks.
None of the widely known hybrid providers currently list a clinical site in Round Lake Beach itself, so your homework is confirming exactly where the in-person clinical hours happen and how far that location is from home. A hybrid schedule only saves you time if the lab and clinical site is a reasonable drive, not an hour each way. Some private career schools also run accelerated hybrid formats that compress the same 120 hours into a shorter calendar, which can be worth asking about if speed matters more than a traditional semester pace.
Median pay for nursing assistants varies by geography. The table below shows the latest available U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for the Chicago metro, Illinois, and the nation. Entry-level CNAs often start below the median, and evening, overnight, or weekend shift differentials can add to base pay.
| Location | Median Annual Wage | Total Employment |
|---|---|---|
| United States (May 2025) | $42,260 | 1,400,000 |
| Illinois (2025) | $38,983 | 68,640 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro (May 2024) | $37,275 | 1,850 |
In Illinois, CNA certification follows four linked steps. Training commonly totals 120 hours, often 80 classroom and 40 supervised clinical, but confirm the current IDPH-approved program breakdown before enrolling. Use the Health Care Worker Registry to verify program approval and your active status.
Published cost data near Round Lake Beach is concentrated in a few public and county programs. The table below shows the most recent tuition, total estimated cost, and financial aid notes for programs where figures are available. Because several private schools do not publish a single all-in price, you may need to contact those programs directly.
| Program Name | Tuition | Estimated Total Cost | Financial Aid Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Lake County Nurse Assisting Certificate | $1,246 | $1,246 | 2026-2027 in-district tuition and comprehensive fees before grants, loans, or scholarships. Additional fees and materials may apply. |
| Lake County Office of Education Certified Nursing Assistant Program | $1,500 | $1,500 | Program fee includes classroom instruction, textbooks, blood pressure cuff, stethoscope, fingerprinting, drug screening, state certification exam, and ID badge and lanyard. No separate financial aid or sponsorship options listed. |
| College of Lake County Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Undergraduate Certificate (in-district) | $178.00 per credit hour | $12,694 | Average net price is $7,607 per year after grants and scholarships, compared with a sticker cost of attendance of about $12,694. Many students receive grant and scholarship aid. |
| College of Lake County Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Undergraduate Certificate (out-of-state) | $538.33 per credit hour | Contact program | Average net price is $7,607 per year after grants and scholarships, compared with a sticker cost of attendance of about $12,694. Out-of-state total cost may be higher. |
Round Lake Beach students have a clear local option in College of Lake County, where in-district tuition and targeted training grants make the nurse assisting certificate especially affordable. The programs below include nearby and regional alternatives for students willing to commute, with details on scheduling, clinical hours, and affordability. Compare the options to find the best fit for your schedule and budget.
Grayslake, IL · ~$8,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Lake County residents seeking local training
College of Lake County is the most direct choice for Round Lake Beach students because the village lies within District 532, giving residents in-district tuition and access to the Grayslake campus just a short drive away. The nurse assisting certificate is offered with day, evening, weekend, blended, and virtual-live scheduling at all CLC campuses, and the program estimates around $1,225 in total cost. CLC also participates in local workforce grants that may cover full tuition and living expenses for eligible Round Lake area residents, making it the strongest local value.
Palos Hills, IL · $4,000 – $10,000/yr
Best for: Students open to Palos Hills clinicals
Moraine Valley Community College offers a comprehensive Basic Nurse Assistant Training program with 64 classroom hours, 40 lab hours, and 40 clinical hours covering all 21 IDPH-required patient care skills. While located in Palos Hills, far southwest of Round Lake Beach, its $1,350 in-district tuition is competitive and the program runs in morning, afternoon, and evening cohorts. Federal data show median earnings around $43,892 for former students ten years after entry.
Palatine, IL · $12,000/yr
Best for: Northwest suburban students seeking apprenticeships
William Rainey Harper College in Palatine offers a six-credit Certified Nursing Assistant certificate with hands-on training in a state-of-the-art nursing lab and clinical experience. Round Lake Beach residents are out-of-district, meaning higher per-credit tuition, but the program's ACEN accreditation and dual-credit options for high school students add value. Federal data show median earnings around $48,071 for former students ten years after entry.
Des Plaines, IL · ~$5,000/yr (est.)
Oakton College in Des Plaines offers an eight-credit Basic Nurse Assistant Training program that can be completed in one semester, with hybrid or face-to-face formats and career placement support. Round Lake Beach students would pay out-of-district rates, but Oakton reports 99% of graduates leave without debt and median earnings around $47,852 ten years after entry. The college's small student-faculty ratio of 14:1 supports personalized attention.
Elgin, IL · ~$6,000/yr (est.)
Elgin Community College provides a seven-credit Basic Nurse Assistant Training program with $1,061 in-district tuition plus about $450 in additional costs for background checks and medical forms. The program is approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health and includes theory plus clinical instruction. Federal data show median earnings around $45,516 for former students ten years after entry.
Oglesby, IL · $2,000/yr
Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby offers an eight-week CNA program with online theory and mandatory in-person lab and clinical components. The 6.5-credit-hour program includes 20 lab hours and 40 clinical hours, with day and evening options and a state exam available on campus. Federal data show median earnings around $40,810 ten years after entry.
Dixon, IL · $8,000/yr
Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon offers a state-approved Nurse Assistant program of 8-16 weeks with classroom and clinical learning. In-district cost is $1,392, and the program is ACEN accredited. Federal data show median earnings around $40,458 ten years after entry.
Malta, IL · ~$5,000/yr (est.)
Kishwaukee College in Malta offers an eight-week Basic Nurse Assisting program with hands-on lab practice and real patient clinical experience. The program is approved by the Illinois Department of Public Health and prepares students for the Illinois Nurse Aide Competency Exam. Federal data show median earnings around $39,657 ten years after entry.
Olney, IL · ~$10,000/yr (est.)
Olney Central College in Olney offers a Basic Nurse Assistant Training program with 16-week spring/fall or 8-week summer formats, including clinical hours at local hospitals. The program reports a 96.6% first-time pass rate on the state exam in 2024. Federal data show median earnings around $37,533 ten years after entry.
Decatur, IL · $4,000/yr
Richland Community College in Decatur offers a Nurse Assistant Basic Certificate that can be completed in one year or less with hands-on clinical experience. The campus-based program prepares students for hospital, long-term care, and home health roles. Federal data show median earnings around $38,793 ten years after entry.
A Chicago-specific median is not published; the metro average is a useful comparison.
