VA · Suffolk · Updated October 15, 2026

Certified Nursing Assistant jobs in Suffolk, VA

The median certified nursing assistant pay in the Suffolk 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 Suffolk and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Suffolk. The free report below lists employers near Suffolk and what they pay.

Open Certified Nursing Assistant roles near Suffolk

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

More open Certified Nursing Assistant roles in Suffolk

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

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

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Who is hiring certified nursing assistants near Suffolk

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 Suffolk, 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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk

  • 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 Suffolk 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 Suffolk

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 Suffolk

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Suffolk, 1 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of certified nursing assistants.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Sentara Obici Hospital
Suffolk, VA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Bon Secours Harbour View Medical Center
Suffolk, VA
Acute careNonprofitNot ratedYes

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

Certified Nursing Assistant pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Chesapeake, VA18 mi$17.98/hr254,997
Portsmouth, VA19 mi$17.98/hr96,482
Richmond, VA74 mi$18.70/hr233,655
Rocky Mount, NC82 mi$17.11/hr54,541
Greenville, NC87 mi$18.43/hr95,138
Wake Forest, NC116 mi$18.67/hr56,764

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

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 Suffolk

Suffolk city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

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

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 Suffolk.

Do I need a Virginia license to work in Suffolk 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.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Suffolk?

The federal per diem benchmark in Suffolk 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 Suffolk?

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

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What do employers near Suffolk 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

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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 Suffolk, VA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your CNA pay reportSuffolk, 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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