CA · Escondido · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Escondido, CA

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Escondido area earn a median of $22.41 per hour, about $46,600 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $21.78 and $23.56. That ranks 29th of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 145th of 341 once local prices are factored in. 7 open roles with published pay are listed for Escondido. The free report below lists employers near Escondido and what they pay.

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Escondido

PermanentPosted 2 days ago

Outpatient Care Tech

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$33.56/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR100600
Top 25% payNew this week
View role
PermanentPosted 10 days ago

CNA - Med Surg Tele

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$28.95/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req JR100431
View role
PermanentPosted 14 days ago

CNA- IMC

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$28.95/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req JR100545
View role
PermanentPosted 16 days ago

CNA NUS -Ortho Acute

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$32.54/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR100526
View role
PermanentPosted 29 days ago

CNA Float Pool

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$29.78/ hour
  • Full time
  • Req JR100416
View role
PermanentPosted 29 days ago

CNA- ICU

Palomar Health · Escondido, CA

$23.00–$28.95/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req JR100307
View role

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Named employers near Escondido, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Escondido, 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).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$18.95$39,420in line with U.S. median
Lower quartile$21.78$45,30015% above U.S. median
Median$22.41$46,60018% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$23.56$49,00024% above U.S. median
Top 10%$28.19$58,64048% above U.S. median

How Escondido 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 Escondido

  • 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 Escondido 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 Escondido

ItemFederal 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 Escondido

CMS lists 1 hospital in Escondido, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Palomar Health Downtown Campus
Escondido, CA
Acute careGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes

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

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
San Marcos, CA6 mi$22.41/hr96,620
Vista, CA10 mi$22.41/hr99,322
Temecula, CA25 mi$21.61/hr112,431
Murrieta, CA31 mi$21.61/hr112,539

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.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Escondido

Escondido city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Escondido, 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 Escondido 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 Escondido?

We list 7 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in Escondido. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Escondido.

Do I need a California license to work in Escondido 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 Escondido 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 Escondido?

The federal per diem benchmark in Escondido 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 Escondido?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Escondido and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Escondido.

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The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · CNA near Escondido, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your CNA pay reportEscondido, CA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Palomar HealthEscondido, CA · 10 postings$25.98/ hr$23–$34
  • 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

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

  1. Transporter/Patient Care AssistantPer diem
    $29.41–$33.04/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Folsom, CA · posted today
  2. Nursing AssistantPermanent
    $48k–$79k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Menlo Park, CA · posted today

+ 81 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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