PermanentPosted today
Acute Inpatient Patient Care Technician - PCT CCHT - Dialysis
Fresenius Medical Care · San Diego, CA
$25.00–$30.00/ hour
New this week
Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in El Cajon, CA
Pay for certified nursing assistants in the El Cajon area centers on $22.41 per hour, or about $46,600 a year. The lower quarter earns under $21.78 and the upper quarter over $23.56. The CMS hospital directory lists 18 hospitals in the El Cajon metro area. That ranks 29th of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 145th of 341 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near El Cajon.
- $22.41median pay per hour, San Diego
- $22–$24typical range per hour
- 9,790employed in the metro area
- 34open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near El Cajon
Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.
PermanentPosted yesterday
CNA - SNF-East Wing - Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center - Nights - Part Time 0.6 FTE
Sharp HealthCare · Chula Vista, CA
$25.96–$29.89/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
For youUpdated weekly
140+ more Certified Nursing Assistant roles for you in El Cajon, CA
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
- Free
- No card
- Email only, no calls
PermanentPosted yesterday
CNA - SNF-East Wing - Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center - Evening Shift - Part Time 0.6 FTE
Sharp HealthCare · Chula Vista, CA
$25.96–$29.89/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
CNA - SNF-East Wing - Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center - Nights - Part Time 0.6 FTE
Sharp HealthCare · Chula Vista, CA
$25.96–$29.89/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Nursing Assistant-3N Medical Neuroscience-Sharp Memorial Hospital-Day Shift-Full-Time
Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Nursing Assistant-1 West Oncology-Sharp Memorial Hospital-Night Shift-Full-Time
Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted yesterday
Nursing Assistant-1 West Oncology-Sharp Memorial Hospital-Night Shift- Full-Time
Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Outpatient Care Tech
Palomar Health · Escondido, CA
$23.00–$33.56/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Nursing Assistant - 5E PCU Heart Failure - Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center - Days - Full Time
Sharp HealthCare · Chula Vista, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Nursing Assistant - 5E PCU Heart Failure - Sharp Chula Vista - Medical Center - Nights - Full Time
Sharp HealthCare · Chula Vista, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Nursing Assistant - Telemetry 5E - Sharp Grossmont - Days - Full Time
Sharp HealthCare · La Mesa, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
PermanentPosted 3 days ago
Nursing Assistant - 4W Med/Surg/Tele - Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center - Evening Shift - Full Time 0.9 FTE
Sharp HealthCare · Chula Vista, CA
$25.81–$28.53/ hour
New this week
Get the El Cajon Certified Nursing Assistant pay report
Named employers near El Cajon, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring certified nursing assistants near El Cajon
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Sharp HealthCare | 15 | $27.17 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 9 | $27.17 |
| Palomar Health | 7 | $25.98 |
| Fresenius Medical Care | 1 | $27.50 |
| BrightSpring Health Services | 1 | $24.50 |
| Rady Children's Hospital | 1 | $25.94 |
Certified Nursing Assistant pay in El Cajon, CA
The metro median is in line with the California statewide median of $22.32 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 9,790 nursing assistants employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 6.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.71).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $18.95 | $39,420 | in line with U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $21.78 | $45,300 | 15% above U.S. median |
| Median | $22.41 | $46,600 | 18% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $23.56 | $49,000 | 24% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $28.19 | $58,640 | 48% above U.S. median |
How El Cajon ranks
- 29th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 145th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
- 8th of 24 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in El Cajon
- Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $22.41 median hour buys what $20.03 buys at the national price level, 5% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your El Cajon paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$807
- Per year: $40,338
- Per month: $3,362
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in El Cajon
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $205 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $2,037 |
| 13-week assignment | $26,481 |
Travel certified nursing assistant assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area
CMS lists 18 hospitals in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area, 10 of the 13 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Va San Diego Healthcare System San Diego, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Grossmont Hospital La Mesa, CA | Acute care | Government and federal | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos San Marcos, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas Encinitas, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Chula Vista, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Coronado Hospital And Hlthcr Ctr Coronado, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in San Diego County
HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County (4 population-group, 21 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 20 on a 0 to 25 scale, where a higher score means a greater shortage.
Shortage areas are where demand for nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and other clinicians is greatest. Federal loan repayment programs such as the NHSC and Nurse Corps cover some clinicians who work at eligible shortage-area sites. Eligibility is set by each program and by the site, so ask your recruiter before you plan around it.
Source: HRSA Health Professional Shortage Areas data warehouse, designated areas only. A designation can cover part of a county.
Certified Nursing Assistant pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santee, CA | 4 mi | $22.41/hr | 59,104 |
| La Mesa, CA | 4 mi | $22.41/hr | 60,767 |
| Temecula, CA | 49 mi | $21.61/hr | 112,431 |
Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in California · Certified Nursing Assistant jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
State-approved CNA training and active state registry listing. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in El Cajon
El Cajon city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do certified nursing assistants make in El Cajon, CA?
Certified Nursing Assistants in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $22.41 per hour, about $46,600 a year. The middle half earn between $21.78 and $23.56 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is El Cajon a good place for certified nursing assistants once cost of living is counted?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 145th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 29th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring certified nursing assistants in El Cajon?
We list 34 open roles with published pay from 6 employers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near El Cajon.
Do I need a California license to work in El Cajon as a certified nursing assistant?
State-approved CNA training and active state registry listing. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
Is El Cajon in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 25 active primary care shortage designations that include San Diego County. Shortage areas often have more openings, and some loan repayment programs cover clinicians who work at eligible sites.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in El Cajon?
The federal per diem benchmark in El Cajon is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place certified nursing assistants in El Cajon?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in El Cajon and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near El Cajon.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near El Cajon pay certified nursing assistants? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
610+ Certified Nursing Assistant roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your CNA pay reportEl Cajon, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- El Camino HealthMountain View, CA · 2 postings$41.49/ hr$37–$46
- Emanate HealthCovina, CA · 6 postings$28.75/ hr$21–$34
- Fresenius Medical CareSan Francisco, CA · 4 postings$28.00/ hr$25–$35
- CommonSpirit HealthGLENDALE, CA · 8 postings$27.89/ hr$25–$33
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
Low$23Median$27.17High$32
83 CNA postings with published pay in California, 79 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 83 CNA roles
- Transporter/Patient Care AssistantPer diem$29.41–$33.04/ hour
- Nursing AssistantPermanent$48k–$79k/ year
+ 81 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.