NC · Raleigh · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Raleigh, NC

Pay for certified nursing assistants in the Raleigh 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 4 hospitals in Raleigh. That ranks 163rd of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 224th of 341 once local prices are factored in. The free report below lists employers near Raleigh and what they pay.

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near Raleigh

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
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More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Raleigh

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

PermanentPosted today

CNA Enhaced Living

PruittHealth · Raleigh, NC

Pay range with your report
  • ['FULL_TIME']
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted today

Patient Care Technician, OR

WakeMed Health and Hospitals · Raleigh, NC

Pay range with your report
  • Full Time Clinical Nursing Support WakeM
  • Req 32625
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 13 days ago

CNA/Phlebotomist

PruittHealth · Raleigh, NC

Pay range with your report
  • ['FULL_TIME']
View role

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

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Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Raleigh, 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh

  • 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh

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 Raleigh

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

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Rex Hospital
Raleigh, NC
Acute careGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Wakemed, Raleigh Campus
Raleigh, NC
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Holly Hill Mental Health Services
Raleigh, NC
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Triangle Springs
Raleigh, NC
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo

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
Cary, NC11 mi$18.67/hr182,659
Wake Forest, NC12 mi$18.67/hr56,764
Durham, NC18 mi$18.61/hr301,870
Chapel Hill, NC23 mi$18.61/hr64,028
Rocky Mount, NC48 mi$17.11/hr54,541
Burlington, NC49 mi$19.51/hr61,365

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 Raleigh

Raleigh city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

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

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 Raleigh.

Do I need a North Carolina license to work in Raleigh 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 Raleigh 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 Raleigh?

The federal per diem benchmark in Raleigh 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 Raleigh?

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

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What do employers near Raleigh 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.

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

Your CNA pay reportRaleigh, 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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