PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Clinical Support (CNA) - 0.8 - Days - Medical Surgical Oncology-4B @ MV
El Camino Health · Mountain View, CA
$36.64–$46.34/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Palo Alto, CA
The median certified nursing assistant pay in the Palo Alto area is $27.03 per hour ($56,220 a year), with the typical range running from $24.47 to $31.71. 2 open roles with published pay are listed for Palo Alto and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Palo Alto. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Palo Alto.
- $27.03median pay per hour, San Jose
- $24–$32typical range per hour
- 4,910employed in the metro area
- 2open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near Palo Alto
Roles in other cities of the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area.
PermanentPosted 3 days ago
Clinical Support (CNA) - 0.8 - Days - Med Surg 1 @ LG
El Camino Health · Los Gatos, CA
$36.64–$46.34/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
For youUpdated weekly
190+ more Certified Nursing Assistant roles for you in Palo Alto, CA
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Named employers near Palo Alto, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportCertified Nursing Assistant pay in Palo Alto, CA
The metro median is 21% above the California statewide median of $22.32 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 4,910 nursing assistants employed in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area, 4.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.48).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $22.81 | $47,440 | 20% above U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $24.47 | $50,900 | 29% above U.S. median |
| Median | $27.03 | $56,220 | 42% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $31.71 | $65,960 | 67% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $35.97 | $74,820 | 89% above U.S. median |
How Palo Alto ranks
- 1st of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 3rd of 341 after adjusting for local prices
- 1st 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 Palo Alto
- Overall prices in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara run 10% above the U.S. average (index 110.4, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 112% above the U.S. average (index 211.9).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $27.03 median hour buys what $24.48 buys at the national price level, 29% 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 Palo Alto paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$973
- Per year: $48,654
- Per month: $4,054
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Palo Alto
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $192 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $92 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,988 |
| 13-week assignment | $25,844 |
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 Palo Alto
CMS lists 2 hospitals in Palo Alto, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palo Alto Va Medical Center Palo Alto, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Lucile Salter Packard Children's Hsp At Stanford Palo Alto, CA | Children's | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Primary care shortage areas in Santa Clara County
HRSA lists 13 active primary care shortage designations that include Santa Clara County (13 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View, CA | 4 mi | $27.03/hr | 87,316 |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 6 mi | $27.03/hr | 156,792 |
| Redwood City, CA | 9 mi | $25.96/hr | 82,982 |
| Fremont, CA | 13 mi | $25.96/hr | 228,192 |
| San Mateo, CA | 15 mi | $25.96/hr | 103,006 |
| Union City, CA | 16 mi | $25.96/hr | 66,196 |
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 Palo Alto
Palo Alto city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do certified nursing assistants make in Palo Alto, CA?
Certified Nursing Assistants in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area have a median pay of $27.03 per hour, about $56,220 a year. The middle half earn between $24.47 and $31.71 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Palo Alto a good place for certified nursing assistants once cost of living is counted?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara ranks 3rd of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 1st of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring certified nursing assistants in Palo Alto?
We list 2 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Palo Alto.
Do I need a California license to work in Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto in a shortage area?
HRSA lists 13 active primary care shortage designations that include Santa Clara 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 Palo Alto?
The federal per diem benchmark in Palo Alto is $192 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,988 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 Palo Alto?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Palo Alto and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Palo Alto.
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What do employers near Palo Alto 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.
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610+ Certified Nursing Assistant roles in California, sent free by email
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your CNA pay reportPalo Alto, 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.