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?

I am really interested in becoming a certified nursing assistant. I am in the military and we go out to sea continuously. I do not have too much time to actually attend a program until next year. Who offers online CNA classes?

How do I sign up for CNA training?

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