MA · Boston · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Boston, MA

The median certified nursing assistant pay in the Boston area is $22.17 per hour ($46,110 a year), with the typical range running from $20.14 to $23.48. 51 open roles with published pay are listed for Boston. The CMS hospital directory lists 12 hospitals in Boston. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Boston.

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Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Boston

PermanentPosted 7 days ago

Patient Care Assistant I

Mass General Brigham · Boston, MA

$20.58–$26.58/ hour
  • Part time
  • Req RQ4065999
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Boston

6 more open roles from employers in Boston. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted 4 days ago

Patient Care Assistant I

Mass General Brigham · Boston, MA

Pay range with your report
  • Full time
  • Req RQ4081117
New this week
View role
Per diemPosted 6 days ago

Patient Care Assistant

Shriners Hospitals for Children · Boston, MA

Pay range with your report
  • Per diem
  • Req JR100570
New this week
View role

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

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Who is hiring certified nursing assistants near Boston

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Mass General Brigham26$23.58
Boston Medical Center23$25.18
Fresenius Medical Care2$24.75

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Boston, MA

The metro median is 2% above the Massachusetts statewide median of $21.83 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 25,870 nursing assistants employed in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area, 9.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.06).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$18.79$39,0801% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$20.14$41,8906% above U.S. median
Median$22.17$46,11017% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$23.48$48,84024% above U.S. median
Top 10%$27.66$57,53046% above U.S. median

How Boston ranks

  • 40th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 100th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st of 5 Massachusetts 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 Boston

  • Overall prices in Boston-Cambridge-Newton run 8% above the U.S. average (index 108.3, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 48% above the U.S. average (index 148.4).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $22.17 median hour buys what $20.48 buys at the national price level, 8% 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 Boston paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$798
  • Per year: $39,906
  • Per month: $3,326

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Boston

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$273
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,555
13-week assignment$33,215

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 Boston

CMS lists 12 hospitals in Boston, 3 of the 6 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Brigham And Women's Hospital
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
New England Baptist Hospital
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofit5 of 5No
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Boston Medical Center
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, MA		Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
Carney Hospital
Boston, MA		Acute careFor-profitNot ratedYes
Massachusetts Eye And Ear Infirmary -
Boston, MA		Acute careNonprofitNot ratedYes
The Shriners' Hospital For Children - Boston
Boston, MA		Children'sFor-profitNot ratedNo

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Primary care shortage areas in Suffolk County

HRSA lists 17 active primary care shortage designations that include Suffolk County (1 population-group, 16 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 19 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
Everett, MA5 mi$22.17/hr51,825
Quincy, MA5 mi$22.17/hr103,434

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Massachusetts · Certified Nursing Assistant jobs nationwide

Certified Nursing Assistant salary in Massachusetts

License and tax basics in Massachusetts

State-approved CNA training and active state registry listing. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Massachusetts requires for your role with the Massachusetts licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

Massachusetts taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

Massachusetts state guide

Other healthcare roles in Boston

Boston city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Boston, MA?

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metro area have a median pay of $22.17 per hour, about $46,110 a year. The middle half earn between $20.14 and $23.48 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Boston a good place for certified nursing assistants once cost of living is counted?

Boston-Cambridge-Newton ranks 100th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 40th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 8% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring certified nursing assistants in Boston?

We list 51 open roles with published pay from 3 employers in Boston. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Boston.

Do I need a Massachusetts license to work in Boston as a certified nursing assistant?

State-approved CNA training and active state registry listing. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Massachusetts requires for your role with the Massachusetts licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

Is Boston in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 17 active primary care shortage designations that include Suffolk 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 Boston?

The federal per diem benchmark in Boston is $273 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,555 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 Boston?

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

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What do employers near Boston 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.

  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

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

Your CNA pay reportBoston, MA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Boston Medical CenterBoston, MA · 41 postings$25.18/ hr$17–$28
  • Mass General BrighamBoston, MA · 62 postings$23.58/ hr$19–$33
  • Fresenius Medical CareBoston, MA · 5 postings$23.50/ hr$20–$30
  • Veterans Health AdministrationBedford, MA · 3 postings$27.80/ hr$20–$34

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$17Median$22.94High$27

245 CNA postings with published pay in Massachusetts, 201 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 245 CNA roles

  1. Med/Surg Certified Nursing Assistant BWFHPermanent
    $22.44–$33.34/ hour
    Mass General Brigham · Jamaica Plain, MA · posted today
  2. Nursing Assistant (Inpatient Community Living Center - Long Term Care)Permanent
    $44k–$72k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Bedford, MA · posted today

+ 243 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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