Certified Nursing Assistant Wages by State
The hourly national average wage for nurse aides is $12.22 while the hourly median wage is $11.73. The average annual compensation for nursing assistants is $25,420 while the average median compensation is $24,400. The top ten percent make over $16.50 an hour or $35,170 per year while the lowest ten percent of earners make $18,060 yearly or $8.68 per hour. The annual CNA compensation has been calculated by multiplying the mean hourly wage by 2,080 hours or directly from the reported survey data. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 1,466,700 employed nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants.
As with other professions, wages for certified nursing assistants vary depending on your level of experience and responsibility as well as the employer size and location. For example, the 1,325,200 nursing assistants working in private hospitals, nursing homes and other private settings have a mean hourly wage of $12.10 while those working for local, state, or the federal government have a mean hourly wage of $13.41. The best paid nursing assistants are those working for the federal government. They have a mean hourly wage of $17.23 which is around $35,850 per year. The best CNA wages are paid by the federal government followed by state and local governments while private employers usually offer lower wages. Additional benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and paid leave might be offered to certified nursing assistants working full-time however many jobs in this profession are part-time and not all employers offer benefits.
| State or Territory | Average Wage | Median Wage | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Annual | Hourly | Annual | |
| Alabama | $10.37 | $21,570 | $10.11 | $21,030 |
| Alaska | $16.68 | $34,700 | $16.59 | $34,520 |
| Arizona | $13.00 | $27,040 | $12.85 | $26,740 |
| Arkansas | $10.04 | $20,890 | $10.05 | $20,900 |
| California | $13.94 | $28,990 | $13.27 | $27,610 |
| Colorado | $13.16 | $27,370 | $12.95 | $26,940 |
| Connecticut | $14.91 | $31,010 | $14.50 | $30,160 |
| Delaware | $13.18 | $27,410 | $13.11 | $27,260 |
| District of Columbia | $14.03 | $29,170 | $13.47 | $28,010 |
| Florida | $11.48 | $23,880 | $11.19 | $23,280 |
| Georgia | $10.36 | $21,550 | $9.94 | $20,680 |
| Guam | $10.92 | $22,720 | $10.61 | $22,070 |
| Hawaii | $14.47 | $30,090 | $14.32 | $29,790 |
| Idaho | $11.09 | $23,070 | $10.89 | $22,650 |
| Illinois | $11.91 | $24,770 | $11.32 | $23,550 |
| Indiana | $11.27 | $23,430 | $10.96 | $22,800 |
| Iowa | $11.70 | $24,330 | $11.27 | $23,450 |
| Kansas | $11.07 | $23,030 | $10.82 | $22,500 |
| Kentucky | $11.02 | $22,920 | $10.77 | $22,410 |
| Louisiana | $9.92 | $20,630 | $9.48 | $19,720 |
| Maine | $11.70 | $24,350 | $11.29 | $23,480 |
| Maryland | $13.66 | $28,410 | $13.03 | $27,110 |
| Massachusetts | $14.16 | $29,450 | $13.69 | $28,480 |
| Michigan | $12.11 | $25,190 | $12.10 | $25,170 |
| Minnesota | $12.92 | $26,880 | $12.62 | $26,240 |
| Mississippi | $9.56 | $19,890 | $9.14 | $19,010 |
| Missouri | $10.60 | $22,050 | $10.34 | $21,510 |
| Montana | $11.58 | $24,080 | $11.23 | $23,350 |
| Nebraska | $11.53 | $23,980 | $11.17 | $23,230 |
| Nevada | $15.20 | $31,610 | $14.83 | $30,850 |
| New Hampshire | $13.97 | $29,050 | $13.69 | $28,480 |
| New Jersey | $13.00 | $27,050 | $12.70 | $26,420 |
| New Mexico | $12.08 | $25,140 | $11.46 | $23,830 |
| New York | $15.30 | $31,830 | $15.62 | $32,490 |
| North Carolina | $10.88 | $22,620 | $10.64 | $22,130 |
| North Dakota | $12.58 | $26,160 | $12.50 | $26,000 |
| Ohio | $11.59 | $24,110 | $11.23 | $23,360 |
| Oklahoma | $10.22 | $21,270 | $10.00 | $20,790 |
| Oregon | $12.73 | $26,470 | $12.34 | $25,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.08 | $27,200 | $12.81 | $26,650 |
| Puerto Rico | $9.40 | $19,550 | $8.71 | $18,110 |
| Rhode Island | $13.61 | $28,310 | $13.25 | $27,560 |
| South Carolina | $10.45 | $21,730 | $10.25 | $21,330 |
| South Dakota | $11.09 | $23,060 | $10.79 | $22,440 |
| Tennessee | $10.72 | $22,290 | $10.52 | $21,890 |
| Texas | $10.82 | $22,510 | $10.44 | $21,720 |
| Utah | $10.87 | $22,610 | $10.73 | $22,320 |
| Vermont | $12.33 | $25,650 | $11.82 | $24,590 |
| Virgin Islands | $12.91 | $26,850 | $12.92 | $26,880 |
| Virginia | $11.50 | $23,930 | $11.17 | $23,240 |
| Washington | $13.50 | $28,080 | $13.02 | $27,090 |
| West Virginia | $10.38 | $21,590 | $9.99 | $20,780 |
| Wisconsin | $12.25 | $25,490 | $11.92 | $24,800 |
| Wyoming | $13.25 | $27,570 | $13.08 | $27,210 |
Questions, Comments, Suggestions
Ashley P. on July 15, 2014 at 11:32 AM
What is the typical salary of a certified nursing assistant in California?
Edna S. on September 12, 2014 at 09:15 AM
I have been working for one year as a CNA at a skilled nursing facility in San Francisco, California. I make a little over $29,000 at my current CNA job.
Can I enroll in a CNA class without a high school diploma or GED?
How long do nursing assistant classes take to complete?
After becoming a CNA how much more training does it take to become an RN?