NC · Cary · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Cary, NC

Pay for certified nursing assistants in the Cary area centers on $18.67 per hour, or about $38,840 a year. The lower quarter earns under $17.00 and the upper quarter over $20.75. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Cary. That ranks 163rd of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 224th of 341 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Cary.

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near Cary

Roles in other cities of the Raleigh-Cary area.

PermanentPosted 13 days ago

Hospice Aide CNA

Amedisys · Garner, NC

$19.00–$21.00/ hour
  • Hospice Full-Time
  • Req 57385
View role

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Cary

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

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

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Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Cary, NC

The metro median is 3% above the North Carolina statewide median of $18.11 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 6,460 nursing assistants employed in the Raleigh-Cary metro area, 8.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is about as concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.99).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$14.44$30,04024% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$17.00$35,36011% below U.S. median
Median$18.67$38,8402% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$20.75$43,1609% above U.S. median
Top 10%$23.48$48,84024% above U.S. median

How Cary ranks

  • 163rd of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 224th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 2nd of 13 North Carolina 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 Cary

  • Overall prices in Raleigh-Cary run 2% below the U.S. average (index 98.2, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 3% above the U.S. average (index 103.5).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $18.67 median hour buys what $19.02 buys at the national price level, in line with 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 Cary paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$672
  • Per year: $33,606
  • Per month: $2,801

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

Travel assignment per diem in Cary

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$131
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,435
13-week assignment$18,655

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 Cary

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

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Wakemed, Cary Hospital
Cary, NC
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes

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

Primary care shortage areas in Wake County

HRSA lists 6 active primary care shortage designations that include Wake County (2 population-group, 4 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
Apex, NC5 mi$18.67/hr75,977
Raleigh, NC11 mi$18.67/hr499,825
Durham, NC14 mi$18.61/hr301,870
Chapel Hill, NC16 mi$18.61/hr64,028
Burlington, NC41 mi$19.51/hr61,365
Fayetteville, NC49 mi$17.38/hr209,496

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in North Carolina · Certified Nursing Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in North Carolina

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

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

North Carolina state guide

Other healthcare roles in Cary

Cary city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Cary, NC?

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Raleigh-Cary metro area have a median pay of $18.67 per hour, about $38,840 a year. The middle half earn between $17.00 and $20.75 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Raleigh-Cary ranks 224th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 163rd of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring certified nursing assistants in Cary?

We list 2 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in the Raleigh-Cary area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Cary.

Do I need a North Carolina license to work in Cary as a certified nursing assistant?

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

Is Cary in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 6 active primary care shortage designations that include Wake 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 Cary?

The federal per diem benchmark in Cary is $131 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,435 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 Cary?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Cary and across North Carolina. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Cary.

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What do employers near Cary 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 Cary, NC
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your CNA pay reportCary, NC · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Advocate HealthHigh Point, NC · 9 postings$24.75/ hr$20–$31
  • Sentara HealthcareElizabeth City, NC · 2 postings$23.17/ hr$19–$27
  • AmedisysGarner, NC · 6 postings$20.00/ hr$14–$21
  • ECU HealthGreenville, NC · 30 postings$19.98/ hr$18–$23

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

2What they are offering now

Low$18Median$20.66High$26

48 CNA postings with published pay in North Carolina, 45 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 48 CNA roles

  1. Resource Nursing Assistant I - NightsPermanent
    $20.80–$31.20/ hour
    Advocate Health · Charlotte, NC · posted today
  2. Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) - Med/Surg, 7 NorthPermanent
    $19.80–$29.70/ hour
    Advocate Health · North Carolina · posted today

+ 46 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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