New Jersey — The Garden State
Newark ranks among the top-paying cities in the country for CNAs, with full-time wages reaching $40,000-$50,000/year. New Jersey has two related but separate credentials — CNA and CHHA — and knowing which one you need can save you real time and money.
New Jersey's NATCEP (Nurse Aide in Long-Term Care Facilities Training and Competency Evaluation Program) requires a minimum of 90 hours — 50 classroom hours plus 40 clinical hours — and several private schools and community colleges compress this into 4-week accelerated schedules. Programs run at long-term care facilities, private trade schools, high schools, and community colleges statewide, with many offering evening and weekend options for working adults.
New Jersey does something unusual with its exam order: you must pass the Skills Evaluation first, then the Written or Oral Exam — the reverse of most states. Both are scheduled through PSI Services, though your skills exam may be administered by Headmaster if your training provider is registered with them. A criminal background check can take up to 12 weeks, but New Jersey allows you to work in long-term care for up to 120 days while that process completes.
Use our verified school locator below to instantly find NJ Department of Health-approved programs starting near your zip code — from Newark and Jersey City to Trenton, Camden, and beyond.
New Jersey issues two related but separate credentials. CNA (Certified Nurse Aide in Long-Term Care) qualifies you to work in nursing homes and long-term care facilities — 90 hours minimum, PSI-administered exam. CHHA (Certified Homemaker/Home Health Aide) qualifies you for home care settings — a separate 60-hour hybrid program with 16 clinical hours, no state testing required for the license itself in some programs. If you're already a CNA, a fast CNA-to-CHHA bridge program exists — just 10 hours online plus 2 hours of clinical training, often around $175, with no additional state testing. Decide which setting you want to work in before choosing a program, since the two paths aren't identical.
Speed comparison
New Jersey's dense metro corridor — Newark, Jersey City, Trenton, Camden — supports a wide range of accelerated and hybrid options. Here are New Jersey's fastest CNA and CHHA programs ranked by speed.
| Program / School | Location | Speed | Cost | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities of Arch of Newark | Newark | 90-hour course — weekday | Contact for tuition | Combines lecture, skills, and lab instruction. Students automatically qualify for the state exam upon completion. |
| Brookdale Community College | Lincroft / Monmouth County | 90-hour, campus-based | $1,099 + textbooks | Small class sizes limited to 10 students. Two-week concentrated clinical block at Jersey Shore Medical Center. Grants 1 academic credit toward an AAS degree. |
| Angel Caregiver Academy (CHHA track) | Matawan & Brick, NJ | 4 weeks — hybrid | Contact for tuition | 60 hours online (15 hrs/week) plus 16 hours in-person clinical skills. Graduates considered for employment at Visiting Angels. |
| CNA-to-CHHA Bridge Program | Multiple providers statewide | ⚡ Fastest — 12 total hours | ~$175 | 10 hours online coursework + 2 hours clinical training. No additional state testing required for existing CNAs. |
| Samuel Morris Career Institute of New Jersey | Newark area | Contact for schedule | Contact for tuition | Prepares students for life as a CNA both inside and outside the classroom. Requires HS diploma/GED and a physical test. |
| Compassionate Care Institute of NJ | Statewide locations | Multiple program tracks | Contact for tuition | Offers CNA, HHA, PCT, and Medication Administration programs — a full stack for career progression in one place. |
If you're already a certified CNA and want to expand into home care work, the CNA-to-CHHA bridge program is genuinely fast: just 10 hours of online coursework and 2 hours of clinical training, typically around $175, with no additional state testing required. This is one of the quickest credential expansions available anywhere in the country and opens up home health agency work immediately.
Most states have you take the written exam before the skills test. New Jersey reverses this: you must pass the Skills Evaluation first, and only after passing can you schedule the Written or Oral Exam through PSI. Budget your study time accordingly — hands-on skill mastery needs to come first in your preparation, not last.
2026 salary data
New Jersey CNAs working full-time earn between $40,000-$50,000/year — above the national average, reflecting the state's cost of living and strong healthcare sector. Newark ranks among the top-paying cities in the country for nursing assistants, with the top 10% earning close to $57,000/year.
| City / Area | Avg Hourly | Avg Annual | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newark | $20–$24/hr | ~$41,600–$49,920 | One of the highest employment levels of nursing assistants of any metro city in the U.S. Ranks among the top-paying cities nationally. |
| Jersey City | $19–$23/hr | ~$39,520–$47,840 | Proximity to NYC pushes wages higher across the Hudson County corridor. |
| Camden | $18–$22/hr | ~$37,440–$45,760 | Ranks among the top metro areas nationally for CNA employment volume. |
| Trenton | $18–$21/hr | ~$37,440–$43,680 | State capital region with steady hospital and long-term care demand. |
| Statewide (full-time average) | ~$21/hr | ~$40,000–$50,000 | Nearly 32,000 CNA jobs statewide. Top 10% earn close to $57,000/year. |
Sources: BLS OES May 2024, TopNursing.org New Jersey (2026), CNAOnlineCourse.com. New Jersey's high cost of living should be weighed against its above-average CNA pay. Actual pay varies by facility, shift, and experience.
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New Jersey LPN programs are available through community colleges and vocational schools statewide. Because New Jersey is a full NLC compact state, an LPN license earned here carries multistate practice privileges across 43 jurisdictions — valuable given the state's proximity to New York and Pennsylvania.
CNA: 90 hours minimum (50 classroom + 40 clinical), PSI exam. CHHA: 60-76 hours, separate credential for home care settings. New Jersey Nurse Aide Registry. As fast as 4 weeks.
Community colleges and vocational schools statewide. ~12 months. New Jersey's NLC membership means multistate practice rights on graduation.
Rutgers School of Nursing, Seton Hall, and numerous ADN bridge programs statewide. New Jersey's compact license carries across 43 NLC jurisdictions, including neighboring NY and PA border markets.
For moms in New Jersey