Key Points
- SUNY WCC CNA tuition is $1,977 plus textbook and workbook.
- Clinical partners include Bethel, Tarrytown, and Cabrini nursing homes.
- BLS projects about 203,300 nursing assistant openings yearly from 2025 to 2035.
What to Expect from SUNY Westchester's CNA Program
A practical guide to coursework, clinicals, actual costs, and comparing local CNA options.
Where do you train for a nursing assistant job when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 203,300 openings every year from 2025 to 2035? SUNY Westchester Community College (SUNY WCC) answers with a hands-on model: classroom instruction, practical skills training, and CNA clinical hours requirements met in nursing homes.
Tuition is $1,977, plus a textbook and workbook, and the catalog lists one Saturday section at its Ossining location. That is a small outlay next to a nursing degree, but the CNA vs ADN choice still has to be weighed against the schedule and the added costs.
Most of those openings come from retirements and turnover, not new positions, so the real question is which program gets you hired.
Program Structure and Length: Classroom Plus Clinicals
The question most applicants have is about CNA program length, and SUNY Westchester Community College (SUNY WCC) has not published an exact hour count or week count in the sources we reviewed, though its catalog does list a 2026 Saturday section. What the college does confirm is the shape of the training: a New York State-approved Certified Nursing Assistant program that pairs classroom instruction with clinical experience at a local nursing home. Use CNA training hours by state to set expectations, then confirm the specifics with the college before you register.
What New York Requires
New York's minimum for state-approved nursing-home nurse aide training is 100 hours. That breaks down as follows:
- Classroom and skills lab: at least 70 hours.
- Supervised clinical: at least 30 hours in a licensed nursing home or other residential health care facility.
- Pre-clinical core topics: at least 16 of the classroom hours, completed before you provide direct resident care.
The federal baseline is lower, at 75 total hours (59 classroom, 16 clinical), so New York asks for more. One caveat: some sources say New York adult nurse aide programs commonly run 120 hours. We could not confirm which figure applies to SUNY WCC's 2026 program, so ask the college for its exact total and split.
How the Training Is Delivered
Expect three layers, each building on the one before it.
- Lectures: Classroom sessions cover infection control, communication, and the daily-living care that makes up most of the job.
- Lab practice: You rehearse bathing, dressing, feeding, and safe patient movement on mannequins and classmates before working with residents.
- Nursing home clinicals: You apply those skills with real residents under supervision, which is where most students find out whether the work suits them.
Length and Scheduling
New York CNA programs generally run about 4 to 12 weeks, but that range describes the state as a whole, not SUNY WCC specifically. The college has confirmed a Saturday section of weekend CNA programs for 2026, but it has not confirmed additional day or evening sections. If you work or have childcare duties, that detail matters as much as tuition. Ask which days the classroom portion meets and whether clinical shifts fall on weekdays, since nursing home placements often follow facility hours rather than your preferences.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 203,300 openings for nursing assistants each year from 2025 to 2035. Most of those aren't from new positions but from workers retiring or leaving the field, so demand for trained CNAs stays steady year after year.
Campus Locations and Schedule: Where and When to Train
SUNY Westchester Community College runs several sites, and that can make it hard to tell where CNA classes actually meet. Here is what the current official listings show.
Where the CNA Program Meets
The CNA program is taught in person at SUNY Westchester Ossining, an extension center. Registration goes through that office at 914-606-7400 or [email protected].
The other locations are real SUNY WCC sites, but current CNA listings do not place the program at any of them:
- Valhalla: The 218-acre main campus. It is not listed as a CNA site.
- Yonkers: Housed at Cross County Center, with classes six days a week, days and evenings. It is not listed as a CNA site.
- Westchester EOC: No current official listing shows CNA classes here. One nonofficial page suggests the course may run at Valhalla or possibly the EOC, but that is not confirmation of a 2026 offering.
These centers are all part of one college, not separate schools. If a friend or a web page mentions a different campus, call Ossining to confirm before you plan a commute.
Dates and Deadlines
The catalog lists an Ossining summer CNA training program that meets Saturdays, May 30 through September 19, 2026, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. The Ossining listing also gives an application due date of May 16. The sources do not make clear whether that date belongs to the Saturday cohort, another 2026 section, or an earlier cycle, so ask the office directly. I found no later 2026 start date or separate deadline, so by late October you may be looking at the next cycle. Ask when it opens.
One more caution on price. The 2026 healthcare listing shows $1,977 plus a textbook and workbook. A separate catalog entry shows $2,291 with the same extras. Confirm which amount applies to your section when you register and review cna financial aid options.
Day, Evening, and Weekend Options
SUNY WCC's extension centers generally offer days, evenings, and weekends, and their courses may start a week after main-campus classes. That is a general statement about the centers, though, not a promise about CNA. The only CNA format documented for 2026 is the Saturday cohort. Official results do not confirm a weekday or evening CNA section.
If you work during the week, the Saturday format may suit you. Plan on a full day, seven hours each weekend for about four months, and ask whether clinical sessions follow a different schedule.
Admission Requirements and Application Steps
The path into SUNY Westchester Community College's CNA program moves from application and interview to a set of clear, clinical-readiness steps. Here is what to prepare.
- Start with the education prerequisiteThe program lists a high school diploma or HSE/GED as the education prerequisite. If you completed home school or an alternative credential, check with the program before applying to confirm whether your documentation is accepted.
- Meet the reading benchmarkCNA admission materials list a TABE Reading score of 8.0 as the minimum. Contact the program to confirm testing dates, retakes, and whether additional TABE sections are required for your pathway.
- Complete the application and interviewApply or register by phone at 914-606-7400 or by email at [email protected]. An interview is required, and the published application deadline is May 16.
- Gather health and immunization recordsAccepted students submit immunization documentation for TB, MMR, Hepatitis B, and Varicella, along with a completed physical exam report before clinical work begins.
- Complete a background check and drug screenThe program requires a background check and a negative drug test before clinical placement. The background check standard is no felony or misdemeanor convictions, and fees are separate from tuition.
Clinical Placement Partners: Why They Matter
Clinical placement has quietly become the deciding factor for many CNA students weighing otherwise similar programs. SUNY Westchester Community College builds that factor into its CNA training by pairing classroom instruction with hands-on rotations in nursing homes, where students practice the skills employers actually expect on a first shift.
Named Clinical Partners
SUNY WCC names Bethel Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Tarrytown Rehabilitation and Nursing Center as current clinical partners. Cabrini Nursing Home remains a clinical partner as well, although students have not completed clinical rotations there in the past year, according to Mark Stollar, the college's director of strategic marketing and communications1. This matters because a program's partner list tells you where you may be training, commuting, and potentially making a first impression for a job.
What to Expect During Rotations
Clinical time at SUNY WCC is not observation only. Students apply their classroom training in a real nursing home setting, making the experience a working CNA clinical rotation. Typical CNA duties during these rotations include:
- Bathing, dressing, and feeding residents
- Helping patients move safely, including transfers and repositioning
- Practicing infection control procedures
- Communicating with residents and the care team
These are the core skills from the classroom put into practice with real patients, under supervision. For many students, this is the part of the program that builds confidence and confirms the career fit.
Employer Connections and Hiring Opportunities
The clinical partners are only one piece. SUNY WCC also brings employer partner HR professionals into classes to discuss open roles, hiring processes, and what they look for in new CNAs. The college hosts job fairs and shares employer hiring-event information. That does not guarantee a job, but it shortens the distance between finishing the program and getting an interview. For students comparing programs, ask whether a school names its partners, explains what students do in clinicals, and has a visible pipeline to local employers. Those details reveal how CNA programs prepare students for jobs and how seriously the program treats the transition from student to employed CNA.
Cost Breakdown and Financial Aid Options
The published tuition for the SUNY Westchester Community College CNA program is $1,977, and students are also expected to purchase a textbook and workbook. Additional costs such as uniforms, the certification exam, a background check, a drug test, and a physical exam are not itemized in the public source, so budget for them separately. Financial aid may reduce out-of-pocket costs through SUNY WCC Foundation scholarships, which often cover tuition and fees, or the tuition-free SUNY Westchester Educational Opportunity Center pathway for qualified applicants; employer-sponsored training or reimbursement can also help, but availability varies by employer.
| Cost Item | Estimated Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $1,977 |
| Textbook and workbook | N/A |
| Uniforms | N/A |
| Certification exam | N/A |
| Background check | N/A |
| Drug test | N/A |
| Physical exam | N/A |
Related Articles
What Makes a Community-College CNA Program Strong
CNA training has multiplied in recent years across hospitals, private academies, and community colleges, which makes knowing what separates the best CNA programs from mediocre ones more useful than ever. Price and length tell you only part of the story. The stronger signals are the quality of clinical placements, the real-world experience of the instructors, and whether the school actively connects graduates to employers.
A Framework for Judging Any Program
When you compare options, weigh these four factors:
- Clinical partners: Look for established nursing homes or health systems that take students year after year. Reliable sites mean you train in real patient settings, not just through CNA simulation training.
- Instructor experience: Teachers who have worked in critical care and long-term care bring judgment you cannot get from a textbook.
- Career support: Job fairs, hiring events, and direct employer contact turn a certificate into a job offer.
- Transparent cost: A clear tuition figure plus a short list of required materials, with no surprise fees.
How SUNY WCC Measures Up
Against that framework, SUNY Westchester Community College holds up well. Its clinical rotations run in nursing home settings through partners including Bethel Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Tarrytown Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, giving students hands-on practice with activities of daily living, infection control, and patient communication.
The instructors draw on professional backgrounds in both critical care and long-term care, so classroom lessons stay anchored in actual bedside situations.
The program's employer connection is one of its clearest strengths. HR professionals from partner employers visit classes to walk through open positions and the hiring process, and the college hosts job fairs while sharing information about employer hiring events. That direct line between students and hiring managers is exactly the kind of career support a strong program should offer, and it is worth asking about at any school you consider.
Checklist for Comparing Local CNA Programs
Use this checklist to compare community college CNA programs side by side. Look beyond tuition to clinical placement quality, instructor background, and employer connections. The SUNY Westchester Community College approach shows how these factors can fit together.
| Factor | What to Look For | WCC Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Total cost | Clear tuition plus any required books or materials. | Program tuition is $1,977, and students must also buy a textbook and workbook. |
| Clinical hours | Supervised rotations in real nursing home environments. | Students complete clinical hours in nursing home settings through partners including Bethel Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Tarrytown Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. |
| Location and schedule | Accessible in-person sections that work for commuting learners. | In-person sections are offered at the Ossining location. |
| Instructor qualifications | Faculty with direct critical care or long-term care experience. | Instructors bring professional experience from critical care and long-term care settings into the classroom. |
| Employer connections | Exposure to hiring processes through employer visits and job fairs. | Employer partner HR professionals visit classes to discuss job openings and hiring, and the college shares hiring-event information. |
| Curriculum coverage | Training on daily care, safety, infection control, and communication. | Coursework includes bathing, dressing, feeding, safe movement, infection control, and communication skills. |
Salary Insight: Median Pay for CNAs in New York
Nursing assistants in New York earn a median annual wage of $48,590, based on the latest federal wage data available in 2026.
New York CNA Certification Process After WCC
Finishing a state-approved nurse aide program is only the first half of the CNA certification process in New York. New York requires a NYSED- or NYSDOH-approved program totaling at least 100 hours (70 in classroom and lab, 30 in supervised clinical work), and your training generally needs to fall within 24 months of the date you apply. Once you have completed it, these steps follow.
Steps After Graduation
- Register for the exam: Complete the registry application and sign up for the Prometric Nurse Aide Competency Examination.
- Take the clinical skills test: You perform randomly selected skills in front of an evaluator, and hand hygiene is mandatory.
- Take the written exam: It has 60 multiple-choice questions. An oral version is available, and candidates who need accommodations submit the appropriate paperwork.
- Clear screening: Disqualifying findings, such as abuse, neglect, or certain criminal records, can block registry placement, so ask your program how cna background check disqualifying offenses are handled.
Passing both parts is not the finish line by itself. After that, Prometric issues your CNA certificate and enters you in the New York State Nurse Aide Registry, and you must be listed there to work. Unofficial estimates put processing at roughly 2 to 4 weeks, but no guaranteed timeline is published, so plan for some waiting.
Fees and Passing Rules
The Prometric fee is $115 for the clinical plus written exam, and $135 if you choose the oral option with reading comprehension. Pay by certified check or money order only, since personal checks and cash are not accepted.
You have 24 months after training to pass both components, with three attempts at each. Retests cost $68 for clinical skills, $57 for the written exam, and $67 for the oral exam. Fail a component three times and you must retrain.
Renewal Every Two Years
Certification is generally renewed every 24 months, and how to renew cna certification requires employer verification of at least 7 hours of paid nurse aide work in a healthcare facility during that period. The $40 recertification fee is paid by your employer. Aides with registry restrictions are not eligible to renew. If you go 24 consecutive months without paid nurse aide work, expect to retest, and some aides may have to retrain. Confirm current rules with Prometric before you let a gap develop.
New York State Nurse Aide Registry at a Glance
Career Outlook for CNAs in New York
The demand for nursing assistants stays steady nationwide, with 3% projected growth and about 203,300 average openings each year from 2025 to 2035. SUNY Westchester Community College keeps the path practical: a $1,977 program plus books, delivered through three in-person sections in Ossining.
