Certified Nursing Assistant salary
The median certified nursing assistant pay is $22.88 per hour, or about $47,590 a year, based on 1,426 postings with published pay from 69 employers. Collected October 15, 2026.
- 1,426roles with published pay
- $22.88median pay per hour
- $18–$29typical published range
- 69employers hiring
Pay percentiles, per hour and per year
| Level | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $19.74 | $41,059 |
| 25th percentile | $20.75 | $43,160 |
| Median | $22.88 | $47,590 |
| 75th percentile | $25.18 | $52,374 |
| 90th percentile | $27.17 | $56,514 |
Certified Nursing Assistant salary by state, BLS data
Nationally the BLS median is $19.01 per hour, about $39,530 a year, across 1,388,430 workers. Pick a state for its metro areas, rankings and open roles.
| State | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $23.27 | $48,390 | 12,800 |
| Washington | $23.20 | $48,260 | 28,080 |
| New York | $22.79 | $47,390 | 85,310 |
| District of Columbia | $22.53 | $46,860 | 2,550 |
| California | $22.32 | $46,420 | 102,380 |
| New Hampshire | $22.14 | $46,050 | 7,190 |
| Alaska | $22.04 | $45,840 | 1,660 |
| Maine | $21.94 | $45,640 | 8,590 |
| Minnesota | $21.91 | $45,580 | 26,970 |
| Massachusetts | $21.83 | $45,410 | 38,280 |
| Nevada | $21.67 | $45,060 | 8,670 |
| New Jersey | $21.59 | $44,910 | 31,310 |
| Hawaii | $21.55 | $44,830 | 4,620 |
| Illinois | $21.52 | $44,750 | 64,660 |
| Connecticut | $21.40 | $44,500 | 21,390 |
| North Dakota | $21.25 | $44,190 | 6,920 |
| Rhode Island | $21.23 | $44,160 | 8,450 |
| Vermont | $20.97 | $43,610 | 3,140 |
| Wisconsin | $20.79 | $43,250 | 27,480 |
| Arizona | $20.19 | $41,980 | 17,350 |
| Pennsylvania | $19.77 | $41,110 | 65,410 |
| Maryland | $19.23 | $40,000 | 24,230 |
| Montana | $18.89 | $39,300 | 4,800 |
| Delaware | $18.87 | $39,240 | 5,660 |
| Michigan | $18.70 | $38,900 | 40,230 |
| Virginia | $18.65 | $38,790 | 42,760 |
| Iowa | $18.57 | $38,630 | 22,970 |
| Nebraska | $18.57 | $38,620 | 16,490 |
| Ohio | $18.54 | $38,570 | 62,360 |
| Utah | $18.51 | $38,500 | 12,350 |
| Wyoming | $18.44 | $38,360 | 2,680 |
| South Dakota | $18.30 | $38,070 | 6,520 |
| North Carolina | $18.11 | $37,670 | 61,280 |
| Idaho | $18.04 | $37,530 | 7,340 |
| Indiana | $17.95 | $37,330 | 31,240 |
| Kentucky | $17.95 | $37,330 | 22,910 |
| Missouri | $17.87 | $37,170 | 32,650 |
| New Mexico | $17.80 | $37,030 | 4,600 |
| Kansas | $17.75 | $36,910 | 23,950 |
| Florida | $17.72 | $36,850 | 91,280 |
| Tennessee | $17.67 | $36,750 | 23,030 |
| Georgia | $17.58 | $36,570 | 42,460 |
| South Carolina | $17.49 | $36,370 | 21,000 |
| Texas | $17.49 | $36,390 | 87,050 |
| West Virginia | $17.47 | $36,340 | 8,860 |
| Oklahoma | $16.85 | $35,040 | 19,860 |
| Alabama | $15.61 | $32,470 | 24,560 |
| Arkansas | $15.38 | $31,990 | 17,620 |
| Mississippi | $14.64 | $30,460 | 13,130 |
| Louisiana | $14.54 | $30,240 | 20,550 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Nursing Assistants.
Highest-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $27.03 | $56,220 | 4,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $25.96 | $53,990 | 10,750 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $24.37 | $50,690 | 14,910 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $23.33 | $48,520 | 7,600 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $23.22 | $48,300 | 380 |
| Salem, OR | $23.21 | $48,280 | 1,330 |
| Napa, CA | $23.11 | $48,070 | 380 |
| Bellingham, WA | $23.01 | $47,860 | 720 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $22.99 | $47,810 | 77,360 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $22.88 | $47,580 | 1,290 |
Certified Nursing Assistant pay by state
| State | Postings | Median / hour | Median / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 133 | $28.52 | $59,322 |
| Hawaii | 6 | $28 | $58,240 |
| California | 83 | $27.17 | $56,514 |
| Oregon | 9 | $27.06 | $56,285 |
| Maine | 38 | $27.02 | $56,202 |
| New Hampshire | 3 | $26 | $54,080 |
| Minnesota | 168 | $24.55 | $51,064 |
| Iowa | 4 | $23.77 | $49,452 |
| Arkansas | 3 | $23.76 | $49,421 |
| Arizona | 14 | $23.50 | $48,880 |
| New York | 27 | $23.50 | $48,880 |
| Colorado | 36 | $23.14 | $48,131 |
| Massachusetts | 245 | $22.94 | $47,715 |
| South Dakota | 56 | $22.88 | $47,590 |
| New Jersey | 37 | $22.63 | $47,070 |
| North Dakota | 8 | $22.04 | $45,843 |
| Georgia | 8 | $21.94 | $45,625 |
| Delaware | 4 | $21.85 | $45,448 |
| Connecticut | 10 | $21.83 | $45,406 |
| Wisconsin | 36 | $21.60 | $44,928 |
Certified Nursing Assistant wage offers in federal filings
What employers reported they would pay, alongside what they publish.
| State | Wage offers | Typical range / hr | Median / hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 7 | $18–$21 | $19 |
| California | 29 | $17–$19 | $17.79 |
| New Jersey | 13 | $17–$18 | $17.74 |
| North Dakota | 5 | $16–$20 | $17 |
| Illinois | 13 | $16–$18 | $16.67 |
| Georgia | 12 | $15–$15 | $15.22 |
| South Carolina | 10 | $15–$15 | $15 |
| Tennessee | 12 | $14–$15 | $14.53 |
Employer-reported wage offers in PERM and LCA filings with the U.S. Department of Labor, decided July 2025 – June 2026: 134 distinct offers, median $16.75 per hour. They are not job postings. The table lists states with at least 5 offers.
Who pays what
| Employer | Postings | Median / hour | Median / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino Health | 2 | $41.49 | $86,299 |
| Emanate Health | 6 | $28.75 | $59,800 |
| MultiCare | 105 | $28.55 | $59,384 |
| San Antonio Regional Hospital | 2 | $27.81 | $57,845 |
| Garnet Health | 2 | $27.48 | $57,158 |
| Sharp HealthCare | 15 | $27.17 | $56,514 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 9 | $27.17 | $56,514 |
| Saint Charles Health System | 6 | $27.06 | $56,285 |
| MaineGeneral Health | 26 | $27.02 | $56,202 |
| Enloe Medical Center | 2 | $26.32 | $54,746 |
What moves your pay
- Experience and credentials: certifications and years in the specialty usually move you up the published range.
- Shift: nights, weekends and holidays often add a differential on top of the base range.
- Setting: academic centers, trauma hospitals and large systems often publish higher ranges than community sites.
- Location: pay follows local cost of living and demand, so compare cities, not only states.
Method
Figures are the midpoints of pay ranges that employers published in 1,426 postings from 69 employers, collected October 15, 2026. They are not survey estimates and do not include overtime or bonuses.
Common questions
How much does a certified nursing assistant make?
The median certified nursing assistant pay across 1,426 postings with published pay is $22.88 per hour, about $47,590 a year. Half of the postings fall between $21 and $25 per hour.
Which states pay certified nursing assistants the most?
Among states with at least 3 postings, the highest medians are Washington ($28.52/hr), Hawaii ($28/hr), California ($27.17/hr).
What do certified nursing assistants get paid at other hospitals in Massachusetts?
- Veterans Health AdministrationBedford, MA$27.80/hr
- AmedisysWoburn, MA$25.50/hr
- Boston Medical CenterBoston, MA$25.18/hr
See all employers by name, how pay is moving and the roles that pay more.
Get the free pay reportFree for candidates · email onlyWhat do other employers pay certified nursing assistants near you?
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- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
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The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
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Your CNA pay reportMassachusetts · pay published by hospitals, collected October 15, 2026
1Pay for your role at other hospitals
- Veterans Health AdministrationBedford, MA · 3 postings$27.80/ hr$20–$34
- AmedisysWoburn, MA · 2 postings$25.50/ hr$25–$26
- Boston Medical CenterBoston, MA · 41 postings$25.18/ hr$17–$28
- Mass General BrighamBoston, MA · 62 postings$23.58/ hr$19–$33
Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.
2What they are offering now
245 CNA postings with published pay in Massachusetts, 201 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 245 CNA roles
- Med/Surg Certified Nursing Assistant BWFHPermanent$22.44–$33.34/ hour
- Nursing Assistant (Inpatient Community Living Center - Long Term Care)Permanent$44k–$72k/ year
+ 243 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.