CNA vs Medical istant?

I'm 49 and starting over. Options are narrowed down to two: Certified Nursing istant or Medical istant. CNA= 4 weeks of training for $750. MA= 4 semesters for approximately $1200. Cost is not one of my considerations, but what I can get out of each certification is. I plan to live in Spokane, WA after school, where the hospitals there are advertising for both positions openly. I'd love to go to nursing or surg tech school, but have no college under my belt to transfer over, and can't afford 3 or 4 years of full time school. Opinions? Thank you!