MI · Grand Rapids · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Grand Rapids, MI

Pay for certified nursing assistants in the Grand Rapids area centers on $17.92 per hour, or about $37,270 a year. The lower quarter earns under $17.62 and the upper quarter over $20.26. That ranks 231st of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 244th of 341 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 4 hospitals in Grand Rapids. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Grand Rapids.

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Grand Rapids

5 more open roles from employers in Grand Rapids. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted today

CNA

Corewell Health · Grand Rapids, MI

Pay range with your report
  • Full time
  • Req R226491
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

CNA Rehab and Nursing

Corewell Health · Grand Rapids, MI

Pay range with your report
  • Full time
  • Req R225356
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 9 days ago

CNA Hospice

Corewell Health · Grand Rapids, MI

Pay range with your report
  • Part time
  • Req R222076
View role

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Grand Rapids, MI

The metro median is 4% below the Michigan statewide median of $18.70 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 5,420 nursing assistants employed in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood metro area, 9.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.07).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$17.37$36,1309% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$17.62$36,6507% below U.S. median
Median$17.92$37,2706% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$20.26$42,1407% above U.S. median
Top 10%$21.87$45,49015% above U.S. median

How Grand Rapids ranks

  • 231st of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 244th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 13th of 14 Michigan 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.

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

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What your pay buys in Grand Rapids

  • Overall prices in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood run 4% below the U.S. average (index 95.5, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 13% below the U.S. average (index 86.6).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $17.92 median hour buys what $18.76 buys at the national price level, 1% below 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 Grand Rapids paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$645
  • Per year: $32,256
  • Per month: $2,688

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Grand Rapids

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$119
Meals and incidentals per day$80
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,393
13-week assignment$18,109

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).

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Michigan

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Grand Rapids as they open.

PermanentPosted 7 days ago

Nursing Assistant

Veterans Health Administration · Ann Arbor, MI

$37k–$61k/ year
  • Full-time
  • Req 888203500
Top 25% payNew this week
View role

All Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Michigan

Hospitals in Grand Rapids

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Grand Rapids, 1 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Spectrum Health
Grand Rapids, MI
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Mercy Health Saint Mary's
Grand Rapids, MI
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Forest View Psychiatric Hospital
Grand Rapids, MI
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
Grand Rapids, MI
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

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

Primary care shortage areas in Kent County

HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Kent County (1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 18 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
Wyoming, MI6 mi$17.92/hr78,559
Kentwood, MI6 mi$17.92/hr54,768
Kalamazoo, MI48 mi$19.03/hr73,290
Battle Creek, MI51 mi$18.70/hr52,205
Lansing, MI58 mi$18.81/hr114,336
Elkhart, IN89 mi$17.99/hr53,690

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Michigan · Certified Nursing Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Michigan

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

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

Michigan state guide

Other healthcare roles in Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Grand Rapids, MI?

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood metro area have a median pay of $17.92 per hour, about $37,270 a year. The middle half earn between $17.62 and $20.26 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood ranks 244th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 231st of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% below the U.S. average.

Where do certified nursing assistants work in Grand Rapids?

CMS lists 4 hospitals in Grand Rapids, led by Spectrum Health. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Michigan license to work in Grand Rapids as a certified nursing assistant?

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

Is Grand Rapids in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Kent 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 Grand Rapids?

The federal per diem benchmark in Grand Rapids is $119 a night for lodging and $80 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,393 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 Grand Rapids?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Grand Rapids and across Michigan. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Grand Rapids.

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What do employers near Grand Rapids pay certified nursing assistants? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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

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    What they are offering now

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Pay report · CNA near Grand Rapids, MI
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your CNA pay reportGrand Rapids, MI · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Select MedicalWyandotte, MI · 2 postings$21.12/ hr$18–$24
  • Holland HospitalHolland, MI · 5 postings$20.26/ hr$17–$24
  • Bronson Nursing and Rehabilitation CenterMattawan, MI · 1 wage offer$16.54/ hr$17–$17

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$17Median$20.26High$24

9 CNA postings with published pay in Michigan, 8 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 9 CNA roles

  1. Nursing AssistantPermanent
    $37k–$61k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Ann Arbor, MI · posted 7 days ago
  2. Patient Care Assistant (Float Team) Part Time, DaysPermanent
    $16.88–$23.64/ hour
    Holland Hospital · Holland, MI · posted 7 days ago

+ 7 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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