TN · Chattanooga · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Chattanooga, TN

Pay for certified nursing assistants in the Chattanooga area centers on $17.33 per hour, or about $36,050 a year. The lower quarter earns under $16.02 and the upper quarter over $18.64. That ranks 284th of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 230th of 341 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga. The free report below lists employers near Chattanooga and what they pay.

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Chattanooga

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

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Chattanooga, TN

The metro median is 2% below the Tennessee statewide median of $17.67 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 1,930 nursing assistants employed in the Chattanooga metro area, 7.2 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.80).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$14.25$29,64025% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$16.02$33,32016% below U.S. median
Median$17.33$36,0509% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$18.64$38,7702% below U.S. median
Top 10%$20.57$42,7908% above U.S. median

How Chattanooga ranks

  • 284th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 230th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 8th of 10 Tennessee 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.

Get the Chattanooga Certified Nursing Assistant pay report

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

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Chattanooga

  • Overall prices in Chattanooga run 9% below the U.S. average (index 91.5, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 23% below the U.S. average (index 76.5).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $17.33 median hour buys what $18.95 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 Chattanooga paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$624
  • Per year: $31,194
  • Per month: $2,599
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

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

Travel assignment per diem in Chattanooga

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$117
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,337
13-week assignment$17,381

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 Tennessee

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

PermanentPosted 14 days ago

CNA Hospice Aide

Amedisys · Sweetwater, TN

$16.50–$17.00/ hour
  • Hospice Full-Time
  • Req 57259
View role

All Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Tennessee

Hospitals in Chattanooga

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

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Memorial Healthcare System, Inc
Chattanooga, TN
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5No
Erlanger Medical Center
Chattanooga, TN
Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Parkridge Medical Center
Chattanooga, TN
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Erlanger Behavioral Hospital, Llc
Chattanooga, TN
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute
Chattanooga, TN
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 Hamilton County

HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Hamilton County (1 population-group, 3 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 17 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
Cleveland, TN23 mi$17.11/hr50,232
Huntsville, AL85 mi$15.56/hr230,402
Murfreesboro, TN86 mi$18.64/hr168,387
Marietta, GA87 mi$18.39/hr63,122
Roswell, GA87 mi$18.39/hr92,227
Alpharetta, GA88 mi$18.39/hr67,275

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Tennessee · Certified Nursing Assistant jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Tennessee

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

Tennessee does not tax wage income at the state level, so take-home pay is higher than the same gross pay in a state that does.

Tennessee state guide

Other healthcare roles in Chattanooga

Chattanooga city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Chattanooga, TN?

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Chattanooga metro area have a median pay of $17.33 per hour, about $36,050 a year. The middle half earn between $16.02 and $18.64 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Chattanooga ranks 230th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 284th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% below the U.S. average.

Where do certified nursing assistants work in Chattanooga?

CMS lists 5 hospitals in Chattanooga, led by Memorial Healthcare System, Inc. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Chattanooga as a certified nursing assistant?

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

Is Chattanooga in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 4 active primary care shortage designations that include Hamilton 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 Chattanooga?

The federal per diem benchmark in Chattanooga is $117 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,337 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 Chattanooga?

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

Free for every candidate

What do employers near Chattanooga 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.

Get your free pay report

180+ Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Tennessee, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

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

Your CNA pay reportChattanooga, TN · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Acadia HealthcareMurfreesboro, TN · 2 postings$21.09/ hr$18–$24
  • West Tennessee HealthcareJackson, TN · 1 wage offer$15.00/ hr$15–$15
  • National Healthcare CorporationKnoxville, TN · 1 wage offer$14.53/ hr$15–$15
  • National Healthcare CorporationTullahoma, TN · 1 wage offer$14.53/ hr$15–$15

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

2What they are offering now

Low$17Median$21.09High$28

5 CNA postings with published pay in Tennessee, 5 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 5 CNA roles

  1. Certified Nursing Assistant- (Multiple Shifts Available!)Permanent
    $18.00–$24.19/ hour
    Acadia Healthcare · Murfreesboro, TN · posted 2 days ago
  2. Physical Rehab Certified Nursing Assistant (Multiple Shifts Available!)Permanent
    $18.00–$24.19/ hour
    Acadia Healthcare · Murfreesboro, TN · posted 2 days ago

+ 3 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay