Oregon — The Beaver State
Rogue Community College certifies students in as little as 4-5 weeks through a hybrid model, and Linn-Benton Community College's tuition-free program removes cost as a barrier entirely. Oregon uniquely certifies two levels — CNA I and CNA II — giving you a clear path to more responsibility and pay without leaving the CNA role.
Oregon has strong hybrid options concentrated around Portland, Eugene, and the southern Rogue Valley. Rogue Community College's Nursing Assistant 1 program runs 4-5 weeks — 105 hours combining online coursework and on-campus lab training — and doesn't require a high school diploma or GED. Linn-Benton Community College charges zero tuition for its Nursing Assistant Level 1 program (though budget roughly $600 in required fees for background check, drug test, and supplies).
Oregon requires the federal minimum of 75 training hours, though most approved programs run 96-166 hours for more thorough preparation. The competency exam is the Oregon CNA Competency Evaluation (OR NACE), administered by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster): an 80-question knowledge test (90 minutes) plus a manual skills test. Oregon is unusually generous here — you get unlimited retake attempts within your one-year eligibility period, far more forgiving than most states' 2-3 attempt caps.
Use our verified school locator below to instantly find Oregon State Board of Nursing-approved programs starting near your zip code — from Portland and Eugene to Salem, Bend, and the Rogue Valley.
Oregon's State Board of Nursing (OSBN) recognizes two levels of Certified Nurse Assistant. CNA I is the entry credential everyone starts with — the standard scope of practice most other states simply call "CNA." CNA II requires additional education and experience, and unlocks expanded duties like mentoring peers, crisis intervention, cultural responsiveness training, adjusting oxygen flow rate, and newborn hearing screening — all still under LPN or RN supervision. There's no exam-only shortcut to CNA II; it requires demonstrated experience plus additional coursework beyond CNA I.
Speed comparison
Oregon's community college network runs from Portland down through the Willamette Valley to the Rogue Valley, giving you real speed and cost options depending on region. Here are Oregon's fastest CNA I programs ranked by speed.
| Program / School | Location | Speed | Cost | What Makes It Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue Community College | Table Rock Campus (Medford area) | ⚡ 4-5 weeks — hybrid | Contact for tuition | 105 hours: 37 online (self-paced first 3 weeks) + 28 in-person lab + clinical. No high school diploma/GED required. |
| Caregiver Training Institute | Statewide locations | 3-4 weeks — accelerated day classes | Contact for tuition | 11 weekday classes plus 40 hours of clinicals. Day, evening, and weekend formats available to fit different schedules. |
| Linn-Benton Community College | Albany (mid-Willamette Valley) | One term | Tuition-free (~$600 in required fees) | No tuition or application fees charged. Covers interpersonal skills, patient care, infection control, and legal/ethical issues. |
| Klamath Community College | Klamath Falls | HEA 100 — one term, 5 credits | Community college rates | Comprehensive curriculum aligned with OSBN requirements. Strong preparation for hospital, clinic, and sub-acute care settings. |
| Oregon Coast Community College | Coastal Oregon | Hybrid — flexible pacing | Contact for tuition | Innovative hybrid learning model designed for coastal and rural student access. |
| Legacy Health / OHSU Employer-Sponsored | Portland metro | Employer-sponsored — flexible | FREE — employer-sponsored | Major Portland health systems run in-house CNA training pipelines feeding directly into employment. |
Linn-Benton charges zero tuition and zero application fees for its Nursing Assistant Level 1 program — a rare, straightforwardly free option without a work-commitment string attached. You'll still need to budget roughly $600 for required background check, drug test, labs, uniforms, vitals equipment, CPR certification, and TB test — but the core education itself costs nothing.
Most states cap you at 2-3 attempts per exam section before requiring full retraining. Oregon allows unlimited test attempts to pass OR NACE, as long as you remain within your one-year eligibility period from your exam application date. If you don't pass within that year, you'll need to retake CNA training to become eligible again — but within the window, test anxiety or a rough first attempt won't cost you your certification pathway.
2026 salary data
Oregon is one of the top-paying states in the country for CNAs — new hires typically start at $18/hr in long-term care and $20+/hr in hospitals, with top earners reaching $45,000/year. Portland and Bend command the highest wages, reflecting both cost of living and competition for workers.
| City / Area | Avg Hourly | Avg Annual | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland metro | $18–$22/hr | ~$37,440–$45,760 | ~8,000 CNA jobs — largest concentration in the state. Legacy Health and OHSU run employer-sponsored pipelines. |
| Bend | $19–$23/hr | ~$39,520–$47,840 | Central Oregon's cost of living and worker competition push wages higher. |
| Eugene / Salem | $17–$21/hr | ~$35,360–$43,680 | Willamette Valley corridor with steady healthcare demand and multiple training options. |
| New hires (long-term care, statewide) | ~$18/hr | ~$37,440 | Typical starting wage for new CNA I graduates in nursing home settings. |
| Top 10% (statewide) | $22+/hr | ~$45,000–$48,420 | Nearly 20,000 active CNA licenses statewide. Multnomah County has the most licensees. |
Sources: BLS OES May 2024, TopNursing.org Oregon (2026), CNAOnlineCourse.com. Oregon's higher cost of living, especially in Portland, should be weighed against its above-average CNA pay. Actual pay varies by facility, shift, and experience.
Landing your first job
Financial aid & free options
Your next step
Oregon's Lane Licensed Practical Nursing Program and similar community college bridge programs let CNA credits and skills transfer directly, shortening your LPN timeline. Because Oregon is not an NLC compact state, an LPN license earned here requires separate licensure to practice in other states, including neighboring compact states like Washington.
75-166 hours depending on program. OR NACE exam via D&S Headmaster. Oregon CNA Registry via OSBN. As fast as 4-5 weeks. Unlimited retakes within 1-year eligibility.
Additional education and experience required. Expanded duties: mentoring, crisis intervention, oxygen flow adjustment, newborn hearing screening — under LPN/RN supervision.
Lane Licensed Practical Nursing Program and other community college bridges. Accelerated tracks as fast as 6 months. Top 10% of Oregon LPNs earn $63,000/year.
For moms in Oregon