According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for nursing assistants was $28,530 as of May 2018 (most recent data available). However, the specific salary for a CNA will vary slightly based on the following factors:
Type of Employer
Certified nursing assistants may work in a variety of job settings providing basic patient care such as feeding, dressing, and bathing patients, helping with activities of daily life, and taking vital signs. They may find jobs in government organizations such as the Department of Veteran Affairs and local departments of health, hospitals, nursing care facilities, home health organizations, and retirement and assisted living communities for the elderly. According to BLS data, nursing assistants working for government organizations make slightly more ($3,750) than average annually nationwide and than those who work for other types of healthcare organizations such as hospitals; state, local, and private, and $5,270 more than the median annual pay as an industry.
The median annual wages for nursing assistants in the top industries in which they worked were:
- Government organizations: $33,800
- Hospitals: $30,050
- Nursing care facilities: $27,840
- Home healthcare services: $27,290
- Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly: $27,200.
Geographic Location
In general, jobs in larger cities and more populated areas tend to offer higher salaries than in smaller towns and rural areas to compensate for higher costs of living. However, in some cases, if there is a high demand for nurses in a more remote area, salaries will increase to attract new employees. Currently, the states with the highest-paid nursing assistants are Alaska ($39,830 annual mean salary) and New York ($37,010 annual mean salary).
CNA Salary Table
| Location | Total Employment | Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 1,450,960 | $28,540 |
| Alabama | 22,590 | $23,290 |
| Alaska | 1,820 | $38,500 |
| Arizona | 14,750 | $30,540 |
| Arkansas | 18,060 | $24,610 |
| California | 99,440 | $33,070 |
| Colorado | 21,070 | $32,000 |
| Connecticut | 22,150 | $32,620 |
| Delaware | 4,850 | $30,020 |
| District of Columbia | 3,500 | $31,190 |
| Florida | 89,860 | $26,020 |
| Georgia | 36,780 | $24,680 |
| Hawaii | 4,800 | $34,870 |
| Idaho | 7,300 | $26,770 |
| Illinois | 61,140 | $27,860 |
| Indiana | 30,220 | $26,830 |
| Iowa | 20,890 | $28,520 |
| Kansas | 22,290 | $25,670 |
| Kentucky | 24,060 | $26,080 |
| Louisiana | 20,690 | $22,070 |
| Maine | 9,580 | $28,350 |
| Maryland | 27,980 | $30,230 |
| Massachusetts | 39,100 | $32,310 |
| Michigan | 49,760 | $29,710 |
| Minnesota | 31,640 | $33,350 |
| Mississippi | 13,850 | $22,480 |
| Missouri | 38,560 | $24,350 |
| Montana | 5,760 | $28,820 |
| Nebraska | 14,580 | $28,280 |
| Nevada | 6,660 | $34,060 |
| New Hampshire | 7,980 | $31,280 |
| New Jersey | 56,500 | $29,470 |
| New Mexico | 6,200 | $27,890 |
| New York | 91,400 | $36,610 |
| North Carolina | 63,010 | $25,260 |
| North Dakota | 7,080 | $33,980 |
| Ohio | 65,860 | $27,040 |
| Oklahoma | 17,120 | $24,530 |
| Oregon | 12,880 | $32,350 |
| Pennsylvania | 76,260 | $30,080 |
| Rhode Island | 10,200 | $30,000 |
| South Carolina | 20,950 | $24,190 |
| South Dakota | 6,010 | $26,300 |
| Tennessee | 28,340 | $25,680 |
| Texas | 87,750 | $25,760 |
| Utah | 10,680 | $27,650 |
| Vermont | 3,040 | $29,910 |
| Virginia | 39,320 | $27,270 |
| Washington | 32,690 | $31,220 |
| West Virginia | 8,330 | $25,180 |
| Wisconsin | 32,310 | $29,240 |
| Wyoming | 3,310 | $29,970 |
| Guam | 330 | $28,110 |
| Puerto Rico | 360 | $19,200 |
| Virgin Islands | 180 | $29,280 |
Table data are taken from 2018 BLS (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes311014.htm)
Prior Experience
While many CNA positions do not require prior professional experience beyond the required training hours set by the state nursing board, a nursing assistant may make a higher starting salary if he or she has some previous healthcare experience, for example as a candy striper or volunteer at a local hospital.
