TN · Knoxville · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Knoxville, TN

Pay for certified nursing assistants in the Knoxville area centers on $17.75 per hour, or about $36,920 a year. The lower quarter earns under $15.69 and the upper quarter over $18.14. That ranks 246th of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 215th of 341 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 6 hospitals in Knoxville. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Knoxville.

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Knoxville

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

PermanentPosted today

Patient Care Technician 1

Fresenius Medical Care · Knoxville, TN

Pay range with your report
  • Full time
  • Req R0262404
New this week
View role
PermanentPosted 3 days ago

CNA

Covenant Health · Knoxville, TN

Pay range with your report
  • FULL_TIME
  • Req 76617
New this week
View role

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Knoxville, TN

The metro median is in line with the Tennessee statewide median of $17.67 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 3,100 nursing assistants employed in the Knoxville metro area, 7.4 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.82).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$14.49$30,14024% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$15.69$32,64017% below U.S. median
Median$17.75$36,9207% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$18.14$37,7305% below U.S. median
Top 10%$19.90$41,3905% above U.S. median

How Knoxville ranks

  • 246th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 215th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 3rd 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.

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

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What your pay buys in Knoxville

  • Overall prices in Knoxville run 7% below the U.S. average (index 92.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 17% below the U.S. average (index 82.8).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $17.75 median hour buys what $19.17 buys at the national price level, 1% 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 Knoxville paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$639
  • Per year: $31,950
  • Per month: $2,662
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

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

Travel assignment per diem in Knoxville

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$119
Meals and incidentals per day$74
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,351
13-week assignment$17,563

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 Knoxville 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 Knoxville

CMS lists 6 hospitals in Knoxville, 1 of the 3 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
University Health System, Inc
Knoxville, TN
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center
Knoxville, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Parkwest Medical Center
Knoxville, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
East Tennessee Childrens Hospital
Knoxville, TN
Children'sNonprofitNot ratedYes
East Tennessee Behavioral Health
Knoxville, TN
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Knoxville Center For Behavioral Medicine
Knoxville, TN
PsychiatricNonprofitNot ratedNo

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

Primary care shortage areas in Knox County

HRSA lists 2 active primary care shortage designations that include Knox County (1 population-group, 1 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
Cleveland, TN75 mi$17.11/hr50,232
Asheville, NC83 mi$18.63/hr94,992
Kingsport, TN87 mi$17.61/hr57,109
Johnson City, TN91 mi$17.85/hr73,635
Chattanooga, TN96 mi$17.33/hr191,496
Greenville, SC119 mi$17.67/hr74,371

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 Knoxville

Knoxville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

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

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Knoxville metro area have a median pay of $17.75 per hour, about $36,920 a year. The middle half earn between $15.69 and $18.14 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Knoxville ranks 215th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 246th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 7% below the U.S. average.

Where do certified nursing assistants work in Knoxville?

CMS lists 6 hospitals in Knoxville, led by University Health System, Inc. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Tennessee license to work in Knoxville 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 Knoxville in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 2 active primary care shortage designations that include Knox 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 Knoxville?

The federal per diem benchmark in Knoxville is $119 a night for lodging and $74 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,351 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 Knoxville?

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

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

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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    What they are offering now

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

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

1Pay for your role at other employers

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

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