VA · Chesapeake · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Chesapeake, VA

The median certified nursing assistant pay in the Chesapeake area is $17.98 per hour ($37,400 a year), with the typical range running from $16.31 to $21.46. 46 open roles with published pay are listed for Chesapeake and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Chesapeake. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Chesapeake.

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near Chesapeake

Roles in other cities of the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk area.

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

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Who is hiring certified nursing assistants near Chesapeake

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sentara Healthcare38$23.17
Fresenius Medical Care4$19.50
BrightSpring Health Services2$20.25
Select Medical2$22.19

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in Chesapeake, VA

The metro median is 4% below the Virginia statewide median of $18.65 per hour. Nationally the median is $19.01 per hour. BLS counts about 8,850 nursing assistants employed in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area, 11.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.30).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$13.99$29,10026% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$16.31$33,92014% below U.S. median
Median$17.98$37,4005% below U.S. median
Upper quartile$21.46$44,64013% above U.S. median
Top 10%$22.23$46,24017% above U.S. median

How Chesapeake ranks

  • 222nd of 380 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 271st of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 6th of 8 Virginia 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 Chesapeake

  • Overall prices in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk run 2% below the U.S. average (index 97.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: in line with the U.S. average (index 99.8).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $17.98 median hour buys what $18.36 buys at the national price level, 3% below 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 Chesapeake paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$647
  • Per year: $32,364
  • Per month: $2,697

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

Travel assignment per diem in Chesapeake

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

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 (this is the standard rate that applies here). 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 Chesapeake

CMS lists 1 hospital in Chesapeake, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Chesapeake General Hospital
Chesapeake, VA
Acute careGovernment and federal3 of 5Yes

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

Primary care shortage areas in Chesapeake city

HRSA lists 2 active primary care shortage designations that include Chesapeake city (2 facility). The highest-scoring one rates 12 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
Portsmouth, VA13 mi$17.98/hr96,482
Virginia Beach, VA17 mi$17.98/hr454,808
Richmond, VA87 mi$18.70/hr233,655
Greenville, NC96 mi$18.43/hr95,138
Rocky Mount, NC97 mi$17.11/hr54,541
Wake Forest, NC133 mi$18.67/hr56,764

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Virginia · Certified Nursing Assistant jobs nationwide

Certified Nursing Assistant salary in Virginia

License and tax basics in Virginia

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

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

Virginia state guide

Other healthcare roles in Chesapeake

Chesapeake city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Chesapeake, VA?

Certified Nursing Assistants in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk metro area have a median pay of $17.98 per hour, about $37,400 a year. The middle half earn between $16.31 and $21.46 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk ranks 271st of 341 metro areas for certified nursing assistant pay after adjusting for local prices, and 222nd of 380 before adjusting. Overall prices run 2% below the U.S. average.

Who is hiring certified nursing assistants in Chesapeake?

We list 46 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Chesapeake.

Do I need a Virginia license to work in Chesapeake as a certified nursing assistant?

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

Is Chesapeake in a shortage area?

HRSA lists 2 active primary care shortage designations that include Chesapeake city. 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 Chesapeake?

The federal per diem benchmark in Chesapeake is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 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 Chesapeake?

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

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

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    Pay for your role at other hospitals

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

Your CNA pay reportChesapeake, VA · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other hospitals

  • Sentara HealthcareNorfolk, VA · 52 postings$23.17/ hr$19–$29
  • Select MedicalNewport News, VA · 3 postings$22.19/ hr$20–$27
  • Riverside Health SystemPatriots Colony, VA · 9 postings$21.75/ hr$17–$28
  • Valley HealthWinchester, VA · 12 postings$21.38/ hr$19–$24

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

2What they are offering now

Low$17Median$21.38High$27

142 CNA postings with published pay in Virginia, 134 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 142 CNA roles

  1. Patient Care Technician (PCT) - Vascular UnitPermanent
    $18.93–$27.41/ hour
    Sentara Healthcare · Norfolk, VA · posted today
  2. Patient Care Technician – Cardiac / Medicine UnitPermanent
    $18.93–$27.41/ hour
    Sentara Healthcare · Virginia Beach, VA · posted today

+ 140 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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