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Best states for a certified nursing assistant
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for certified nursing assistants? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for certified nursing assistant jobs.We wanted to look at the best states for certified nursing assistants -- where there are plenty of certified nursing assistant jobs to go around and certified nursing assistants get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for certified nursing assistants.Maine is the best state, and Waipahu is the city with the highest pay for certified nursing assistants.
10 best states for certified nursing assistants in 2025
1. Maine
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 902 Average annual salary: $38,575 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
2. New Hampshire
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 864 Average annual salary: $37,696 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
3. Pennsylvania
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 7,673 Average annual salary: $33,411 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 1.62
4. Vermont
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 268 Average annual salary: $40,762 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 0.86
5. Rhode Island
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 476 Average annual salary: $35,490 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
6. Massachusetts
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 3,725 Average annual salary: $36,900 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location Quotient: 1
7. Washington
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 3,221 Average annual salary: $36,232 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
8. New Jersey
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 3,790 Average annual salary: $35,230 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
9. Oregon
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 1,822 Average annual salary: $35,586 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
10. Alaska
Total certified nursing assistant jobs: 246 Average annual salary: $42,735 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location Quotient: 0.73
Certified nursing assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a certified nursing assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a certified nursing assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $38,575 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 902 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $37,696 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 864 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $33,411 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 7,673 |
| 4 | Vermont | $40,762 | $30,000 | 623,657 | 268 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $35,490 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 476 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $36,900 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 3,725 |
| 7 | Washington | $36,232 | $27,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,221 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $35,230 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 3,790 |
| 9 | Oregon | $35,586 | $26,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,822 |
| 10 | Alaska | $42,735 | $35,000 | 739,795 | 246 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $34,189 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,663 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $45,187 | $37,000 | 1,427,538 | 207 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $32,207 | $24,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,514 |
| 14 | Michigan | $31,632 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 3,797 |
| 15 | New York | $35,584 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 5,878 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $32,324 | $24,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,143 |
| 17 | Indiana | $30,924 | $23,000 | 6,666,818 | 3,666 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $32,143 | $24,000 | 755,393 | 341 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $31,749 | $23,000 | 2,088,070 | 839 |
| 20 | Ohio | $30,710 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 4,765 |
| 21 | Nevada | $33,337 | $24,000 | 2,998,039 | 538 |
| 22 | Montana | $31,162 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 551 |
| 23 | Delaware | $33,587 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 375 |
| 24 | Arizona | $31,418 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,299 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $31,858 | $23,000 | 579,315 | 124 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $29,142 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 720 |
| 27 | Illinois | $31,442 | $23,000 | 12,802,023 | 4,596 |
| 28 | Iowa | $29,614 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,464 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $29,208 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,638 |
| 30 | California | $34,156 | $25,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,222 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $29,933 | $22,000 | 869,666 | 394 |
| 32 | Idaho | $30,836 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 575 |
| 33 | Maryland | $31,174 | $23,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,266 |
| 34 | Missouri | $29,187 | $21,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,466 |
| 35 | Kansas | $29,224 | $21,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,181 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $27,747 | $20,000 | 6,715,984 | 2,713 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $29,669 | $22,000 | 1,920,076 | 791 |
| 38 | Utah | $30,522 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 799 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $27,842 | $20,000 | 10,273,419 | 4,407 |
| 40 | Virginia | $30,998 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,863 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $31,562 | $23,000 | 693,972 | 201 |
| 42 | Florida | $27,476 | $20,000 | 20,984,400 | 7,356 |
| 43 | Colorado | $30,603 | $22,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,006 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $28,851 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,177 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $25,978 | $19,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,823 |
| 46 | Texas | $27,265 | $19,000 | 28,304,596 | 7,677 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,943 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,231 |
| 48 | Georgia | $26,394 | $19,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,999 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $26,863 | $19,000 | 3,004,279 | 871 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $25,719 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,202 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $25,164 | $18,000 | 2,984,100 | 669 |
Highest paying states for certified nursing assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Certified Nursing Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $38,575 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $37,696 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $33,411 |
| 4 | Vermont | $40,762 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $35,490 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $36,900 |
| 7 | Washington | $36,232 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $35,230 |
| 9 | Oregon | $35,586 |
| 10 | Alaska | $42,735 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $34,189 |
| 12 | Hawaii | $45,187 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $32,207 |
| 14 | Michigan | $31,632 |
| 15 | New York | $35,584 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $32,324 |
| 17 | Indiana | $30,924 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $32,143 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $31,749 |
| 20 | Ohio | $30,710 |
| 21 | Nevada | $33,337 |
| 22 | Montana | $31,162 |
| 23 | Delaware | $33,587 |
| 24 | Arizona | $31,418 |
| 25 | Wyoming | $31,858 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $29,142 |
| 27 | Illinois | $31,442 |
| 28 | Iowa | $29,614 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $29,208 |
| 30 | California | $34,156 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $29,933 |
| 32 | Idaho | $30,836 |
| 33 | Maryland | $31,174 |
| 34 | Missouri | $29,187 |
| 35 | Kansas | $29,224 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $27,747 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $29,669 |
| 38 | Utah | $30,522 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $27,842 |
| 40 | Virginia | $30,998 |
| 41 | District of Columbia | $31,562 |
| 42 | Florida | $27,476 |
| 43 | Colorado | $30,603 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $28,851 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $25,978 |
| 46 | Texas | $27,265 |
| 47 | Alabama | $27,943 |
| 48 | Georgia | $26,394 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $26,863 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $25,719 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $25,164 |
Certified nursing assistant best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025