TN · Nashville · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Nashville, TN

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Nashville area earn a median of $18.64 per hour, about $38,780 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $17.33 and $21.65. That ranks 169th of 380 U.S. metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay, and 198th of 341 once local prices are factored in. 3 open roles with published pay are listed for Nashville and its metro area. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Nashville.

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near Nashville

Roles in other cities of the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin area.

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Nashville

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

PermanentPosted today

Patient Care Tech

Ascension Health · Nashville, TN

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  • Full Time
  • Req 11143
New this week
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Named employers near Nashville, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring certified nursing assistants near Nashville

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Acadia Healthcare2$21.09
Veterans Health Administration1$26.01

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Nashville, TN

The metro median is 5% above the Tennessee statewide median of $17.67 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 6,630 nursing assistants employed in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin metro area, 6.0 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.67).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$15.70$32,66017% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$17.33$36,0509% below U.S. median
Median$18.64$38,7802% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$21.65$45,03014% above U.S. median
Top 10%$23.57$49,03024% above U.S. median

How Nashville ranks

  • 169th of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 198th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 1st 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.

What your pay buys in Nashville

  • Overall prices in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin run 4% below the U.S. average (index 96.3, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 5% above the U.S. average (index 104.6).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $18.64 median hour buys what $19.35 buys at the national price level, 2% 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 Nashville paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$671
  • Per year: $33,552
  • Per month: $2,796
  • Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.

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

Travel assignment per diem in Nashville

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$222
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,156
13-week assignment$28,028

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 Nashville

CMS lists 10 hospitals in Nashville, 5 of the 7 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, TN
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Metro Nashville General Hospital
Nashville, TN
Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Tristar Centennial Medical Center
Nashville, TN
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Tristar Southern Hills Medical Center
Nashville, TN
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Va Middle Tennessee Healthcare System
Nashville, TN
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital
Nashville, TN
Acute careNonprofit3 of 5Yes
Tristar Skyline Medical Center
Nashville, TN
Acute careNonprofit2 of 5Yes
Saint Thomas Hospital For Spinal Surgery
Nashville, TN
Acute careNonprofitNot ratedNo
Ascension Saint Thomas Behavioral Health Hospital
Nashville, TN
PsychiatricFor-profitNot ratedNo
Middle Tn Mental Health Institute
Nashville, 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 Davidson County

HRSA lists 9 active primary care shortage designations that include Davidson County (3 population-group, 6 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 21 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
Hendersonville, TN14 mi$18.64/hr63,947
Franklin, TN18 mi$18.64/hr89,142
Clarksville, TN41 mi$17.59/hr185,690
Bowling Green, KY59 mi$17.96/hr79,076
Madison, AL101 mi$15.56/hr64,029
Huntsville, AL102 mi$15.56/hr230,402

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 Nashville

Nashville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

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

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin metro area have a median pay of $18.64 per hour, about $38,780 a year. The middle half earn between $17.33 and $21.65 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin ranks 198th of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 169th of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 4% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring certified nursing assistants in Nashville?

We list 3 open roles with published pay from 2 employers in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Nashville.

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

HRSA lists 9 active primary care shortage designations that include Davidson 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 Nashville?

The federal per diem benchmark in Nashville is $222 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,156 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 Nashville?

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

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What do employers near Nashville 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

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

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

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

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • National Healthcare CorporationNashville, 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 CorporationKnoxville, 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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