Kentucky — The Bluegrass State
Nazareth Home in Louisville offers a free, accelerated 2-week CNA program with full-time employment offered on completion. Kentucky officially calls this credential SRNA — State Registered Nurse Aide. Over 20,000 CNA/SRNA jobs statewide with an 11% projected growth rate.
Kentucky offers some of the fastest — and most affordable — CNA training in the country. Nazareth Home in Louisville runs a fully free, 2-week accelerated program Monday through Friday, with full-time employment offered to graduates on completion. The Kentucky Health Care Training Institute runs a 75-hour program over 10 days for $735, and University of Kentucky's accelerated online track combines 59 hours of online instruction with 16 hours of hands-on clinical practice in about a month.
Kentucky requires a minimum of 75 training hours — the federal minimum. In Kentucky, the credential is officially called a State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA), not CNA — every form, portal, and job listing in the state uses this term, though the day-to-day role is identical. The competency exam is the Kentucky Nurse Aide Test (KNAT), administered by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) — not Pearson VUE or Prometric, which most other states use. Exam cost is just $75.
Use our verified school locator below to instantly find Kentucky Medicaid-approved SRNA programs starting near your zip code — from Louisville and Lexington to smaller communities statewide.
In Kentucky, the official title is State Registered Nurse Aide (SRNA) — you'll see this term on every application, registry listing, and job posting in the state. The role and scope of practice are identical to a CNA in any other state. If you're searching for job listings or training programs, search "SRNA" alongside "CNA" to catch every result relevant to Kentucky.
Speed comparison
Kentucky's 75-hour minimum and multiple employer-sponsored tracks give you real options on speed and cost. From Nazareth Home's free 2-week program to KCTCS technical college options, here are Kentucky's fastest tracks ranked by speed.
| Program / School | Location | Speed | Cost | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nazareth Home | Louisville | ⚡ 2 weeks (fastest in KY) | FREE + guaranteed employment | Monday–Friday classroom and clinical training. Wage increases as you progress from orientation to certification. Ideal for those committed to long-term/rehab care. |
| Kentucky Health Care Training Institute | Louisville | 10 days | $735 | 75-hour structured course. Includes tuition, workbook/textbook package, liability insurance, and background checks. |
| University of Kentucky (accelerated online) | Lexington metro area | ~4 weeks | Contact for tuition | 59 hours online instruction + 16 hours supervised clinical practice. Part of the College of Nursing's Workforce Development initiative. No age requirement below 16. |
| Healthcare Essentials Training Institute | Statewide (online-first) | Self-paced fast-track | Contact for tuition | 75-hour program: 59 hours online (self-paced) + 16 hours hands-on clinical. Ideal for students who need to keep working while training. |
| Masonic Homes Kentucky ("Learn As You Earn") | Louisville area | Employer-sponsored — flexible | FREE + paid during training | Trainees are employed and paid while completing certification. Direct pathway to full-time SRNA employment at Masonic Homes. |
| West Kentucky Community and Technical College | Paducah / Western Kentucky | One semester (NAA 100) | College tuition rates | 97% completion rate. Includes CPR certification and comprehensive background checks. Financial aid eligible through KCTCS. |
Nazareth Home's 2-week accelerated program is the fastest legitimate path to SRNA certification in Kentucky — and it's completely free, with full-time employment offered on completion at a competitive wage structure that increases through orientation. If you're near Louisville and ready to work in long-term care or rehabilitation settings, this is the strongest speed-plus-cost combination in the state.
The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship, administered through KCTCS, can cover SRNA training completely free for eligible Kentucky residents at any of the state's technical college campuses. Combined with the Nursing Incentive Scholarship Fund (NISF) for supplemental aid, most Kentucky residents have a genuine no-cost path into this career — no need to rely solely on employer-sponsored programs.
2026 salary data
Kentucky CNAs/SRNAs earn an average of $35,980–$36,520/year ($17.56/hr) statewide. Louisville and Lexington offer slightly better compensation due to higher healthcare demand and cost of living. Top earners in the state reach $37,000/year.
| City / Area | Avg Hourly | Avg Annual | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $17–$19/hr | ~$35,360–$39,520 | Nazareth Home, Norton Healthcare, Baptist Health — Kentucky's largest CNA job market. |
| Lexington | $16–$18/hr | ~$33,280–$37,440 | University of Kentucky HealthCare hub. UK's accelerated online program feeds directly into local hiring. |
| Bowling Green / Owensboro | $15–$17/hr | ~$31,200–$35,360 | Growing regional healthcare markets with steady CNA/SRNA demand. |
| Statewide average | $16–$18/hr | ~$35,980 | 1,217+ active job postings statewide. 16,000+ additional nurses needed by 2024 per state workforce data. |
| Top 10% (statewide) | $18+/hr | ~$37,000 | Hospital positions and specialty units pay above the long-term-care average. |
Sources: TopNursing.org Kentucky (2026), CNAClasses101.com, Salary.com and BLS data. Kentucky's low cost of living improves real purchasing power across all salary levels. Actual pay varies by facility, shift, and experience.
Landing your first job
Financial aid & free options
Your next step
Kentucky LPN programs are widely available through KCTCS technical colleges statewide, and the Nursing Incentive Scholarship Fund can help offset costs. Because Kentucky is a full NLC compact state, an LPN license earned here carries multistate practice privileges across 43 jurisdictions.
75 hours minimum. KNAT exam via KCTCS at ky.tmutest.com, $75. Kentucky Nurse Aide Registry (KNAR). As fast as 2 weeks at Nazareth Home.
KCTCS technical colleges statewide, plus regional community colleges. NISF and Work Ready Kentucky can help offset costs. Kentucky's NLC membership means multistate practice rights on graduation.
University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and numerous KCTCS ADN bridge programs. Kentucky's NLC compact license carries across 43 jurisdictions nationwide.
For moms in Kentucky