Highest-Paying Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs [2023]

Research Summary. Using a combination of public government and company data as well as data gathered from thousands of job postings, the Zippia data team has created average salary estimates for jobs across the US. Using that data set, the team has identified the types of certified nursing assistants that are the highest paid based on their average annual salaries.

Here is a summary of our findings for the highest-paying types of certified nursing assistants:

• Registered Nursing Assistant is the highest-paid type of certified nursing assistant with an average salary of $50,644 and an average hourly rate of $24.35.

• The second highest-paying type of certified nursing assistant is licensed nursing assistant, with an average salary of $41,395.

• The average certified nursing assistant salary is $32,597 per year, and the average hourly pay is $15.67.

Table Of Contents: Background | Table | Methodology | FAQs

Background

Choosing a career path can be difficult, and while pay shouldn’t be the only thing you consider in your decision, it is a significant factor. So if you’d like to work as a certified nursing assistant, it helps to have an idea of what the highest-paid types of certified nursing assistants are so that you can plan your career progression.

Here are the top salaries for different types of certified nursing assistants:

1. Registered Nursing Assistant

   Average Salary: $50,644

   The main role of a certified nurse assistant is to provide basic care to patients and help them with daily activities they might have trouble doing on their own, such as bathing and getting dressed. Their responsibilities include taking vital signs, providing food to patients and helping them eat, and lifting and moving patients who cannot move by themselves. Cleaning patients and maintaining a clean and sanitized environment is also important in this role.

2. Licensed Nursing Assistant

   Average Salary: $41,395

   A licensed or certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a healthcare professional who is responsible for providing basic health care to patients in medical settings. Under the supervision of a registered nurse, licensed nursing assistants help in repositioning bedridden patients as well as take vital signs of patients such as temperature and blood pressure. They can work with medical technology such as billing, health information, and medical recording charting software. Depending on their level of training and state regulations, licensed nursing staff can also administer medication to patients.

3. Assistant

   Average Salary: $37,363

   An assistant intern is responsible for facilitating administrative and clerical tasks as assigned by the management. Assistant interns’ duties include keeping records of meetings, receiving calls and handling customer inquiries, assisting on writing reports and data entry processing, cooperating and providing support for business events, and adhering to company policies and regulatory procedures. Successful assistant interns must have excellent time-management, multi-tasking, and communication skills. They must be a team player and fast-learner to handle various tasks in the corporate industry.

4. Certified Medical Assistant/Certified Nurse Assistant

   Average Salary: $36,382

   A certified medical assistant (CMA) or certified nurse assistant (CNA) is a healthcare professional who performs clinical and administrative duties in clinics or medical facilities. Certified medical assistants provide excellent customer service to patients arriving and departing from the medical facility and administer injections or medications to their patients. In administrative duties, certified medical assistants are tasked to help clients submit insurance claims and encode medical records to the computer system. They also can work with specialized physicians such as ophthalmologists and podiatrists.

5. State Registered Nursing Assistant

   Average Salary: $35,193

Below is a full table of the average pay for various certified nursing assistant that pay the most followed by a more detailed explanation of our methodology.

Highest-Paying Types Of Certified Nursing Assistants

Methodology

Zippia uses publicly published information from government sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Foreign Labor Certification Data Center (FLC), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to create its salary estimates.

Our data science team also checks job postings and company-published resources for additional up-to-date salary information for certified nursing assistants.

Once they’ve gathered the data, the team calculates a weighted average for each job title they’re estimating a salary for. For more details on our salary estimates, you can read the detailed methodology.

Highest-Paying Types Of Certified Nursing Assistant Jobs FAQs

1. What is the highest-paid certified nursing assistant job?

   The highest-paid certified nursing assistant job is a registered nursing assistant. Registered Nursing Assistants earn an average salary of $50,644, which is $ 24.35 hourly.

   The main role of a certified nurse assistant is to provide basic care to patients and help them with daily activities they might have trouble doing on their own, such as bathing and getting dressed. Their responsibilities include taking vital signs, providing food to patients and helping them eat, and lifting and moving patients who cannot move by themselves. Cleaning patients and maintaining a clean and sanitized environment is also important in this role.

2. What is a good salary for a certified nursing assistant?

   A good salary for a certified nursing assistant is $32,597 or more. The average certified nursing assistant salary is $32,597, so those making at least $32,597 are earning above-average paychecks.

   Keep in mind, however, that the average certified nursing assistant salary does fluctuate based on location, as companies will adjust their pay scales based on the cost of living in that area. Research what the average salary is in your area for someone of your expertise and experience level to get a more accurate view on how well you’re being paid.

   In addition, if you’re just starting your career as a certified nursing assistant, the average entry level salary is $0, so don’t base your opinion of your salary on the $32,597 average, as this includes all certified nursing assistants of all skill and experience levels.

3. Do Certified Nursing Assistant jobs pay well?

   No, certified nursing assistant jobs don’t pay well. As in any industry, some certified nursing assistant jobs pay better than others, but the average certified nursing assistant salary of $32,597 is times the average national salary of about $44,225 per year.

   In addition to this, many certified nursing assistant jobs have high earning potential, with the top 10% of certified nursing assistants earning $0 a year on average.

   Certified Nursing Assistants’ salaries will fluctuate based on their experience level, industry, and location, so pay attention to these factors when you’re looking for a job as a certified nursing assistant. Do your research on the going rate for a certified nursing assistant in your area with your expertise, and don’t be afraid to negotiate your salary based on that information.

4. Where do certified nursing assistants get paid the most?

   Certified Nursing Assistants get paid the most in Maine. In Maine, certified nursing assistants earn an average annual salary of $38,575 and an average hourly wage of $18.55.

   Following ME, the states with the highest-paid certified nursing assistants are New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, with average annual salaries of $37,696, $33,411, and $40,762 respectively.

   The cities with the highest-paid certified nursing assistant salaries are:

   1. Portland, ME – $38,636

   2. Boston, MA – $36,947

   3. Seattle, WA – $36,534

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.