Average Certified Nursing Assistant Salary

No, CNAs do not get paid well. The national median annual salary for certified nursing assistants (CNA) is $30,830 a year or $14.82 per hour. Comparatively, the median annual salary for a registered nurse is $71,730 per year.

However, there is some variability in how much a CNA has the potential to make, which can range from $17,951 to $31,314 per year. Differences in pay rate for a CNA are related to factors such as type of CNA, location, and the number of years of experience.

For certified nursing assistants, the type of position and location have an influence on earning potential. For example, a CNA working in a government setting (e.g., VA hospital) earns the highest pay rate with a national average of $37,240, while home health care services have the lowest pay rate at $29,210.

Also, the state that you work in makes a difference. A CNA working in Alaska ($18.24 per hour) and New York ($16.87 per hour) earn the highest, while a CNA working in North Carolina, has the lowest average pay ($10.23 per hour).

The number of years of experience also has a small impact on earning potential. For example, an early career CNA with 1-4 years of experience earns an average of $12 an hour. A mid-career CNA with 5-9 years of experience earns $14 an hour. An experienced CNA with 10-19 years of experience earns an average of $15 based per hour.

CNAs make $14.82 per hour, on average. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for certified nursing assistants (CNAs) is $14.82 per hour. However, there is some variability in how much a CNA has the potential to make, which can range from $14 to $18 an hour.

Differences in pay rate for a CNA are related to factors such as type of CNA education, the position, the location, and the number of years of experience.

There are two types of certified nursing assistants - CNA 1 and CNA 2. B oth CNA 1 and CNA2 require state-level certification, but only CNA 2 can work in a hospital setting. The earning potential is different between the two levels of CNAs.

A CNA 1 salary usually ranges between $10 and $15 per hour, while a CNA 2 salary ranges from $15 to $20 per hour.

Type of certified nursing assistant and hourly wage.

• ICU, Operating Room, Telemetry, Emergency Room, and Medicine and Surgery earn $20.50 an hour.

• Nursing care or rehabilitation facilities earn around $13.20 an hour

• Nursing homes earn an average of $12.84 an hour

• Government (e.g., VA hospital) earns around $18.97 an hour

• Home health care specialist earns around $14.98 an hour

Differences in State Hourly Wage for CNAs.

• Alaska averages $20.00 an hour

• New York averages $19.53. an hour

• California averages $18.80 an hour

• Hawaii averages $18.58 an hour

• Massachusetts averages $17.84 an hour

• New Jersey averages $14.64 an hour

• Connecticut averages $14.31 an hour

• Washington averages $14.06 an hour

• Wisconsin averages $14.02 an hour

• Tennessee averages $13.95 an hour

• Rhode Island averages $13.94 an hour

• Minnesota averages $13.90 an hour

• Ohio averages $13.85 an hour

• North Dakota averages $13.71 an hour

• Nevada averages $13.62 an hour

• Utah averages $13.57 an hour

• New Hampshire averages $13.48 an hour

• Louisiana averages $13.48 an hour

• Maryland averages $13.39 an hour

• New Mexico averages $13.34 an hour

• South Dakota averages $13.31 an hour

• Nebraska averages $13.16 an hour

• Iowa averages $13.15 an hour

• Oregon averages $13.13 an hour

• Virginia averages 12.99 an hour

• Kansas averages $12.98 an hour

• Kentucky averages $12.95 an hour

• Vermont averages $12.68 an hour

• South Carolina averages $12.62 an hour

• Colorado averages $12.60 an hour

• Wyoming averages $12.53 an hour

• Delaware averages $12.52 an hour

• Oklahoma averages $12.23 an hour

• Mississippi averages $12.17 an hour

• West Virginia averages $12.14 an hour

• Pennsylvania averages $12.09 an hour

• Idaho averages $11.92 an hour

• Montana averages $11.92 an hour

• Maine averages $11.86 an hour

• Arkansas averages $11.85 an hour

• Michigan averages $11.82 an hour

• Arizona averages $11.80 an hour

• Illinois averages $11.78 an hour

• Indiana averages $11.72 an hour

• Missouri averages $11.54 an hour

• Texas averages $11.51 an hour

• Georgia averages $11.38 an hour

• Alabama averages $11.12 an hour

• North Carolina averages $10.75 an hour

• Florida averages $10.73 an hour

Number of years experience and CNA hourly wage.

• Early-career CNA (i.e., 1-4 years of experience) earns an average of $12 an hour.

• A mid-career CNA (i.e., 5-9 years of experience) earns $14 an hour.

• An experienced CNA (i.e.,10-19 years of experience) earns $15 an hour

• Senior-level CNA (20 plus years) earns $16 an hour

The highest-paid CNA is an ICU nursing assistant, which earns an average of $20.50 an hour.

After ICU, the following are the top highest paid CNA positions.

• Operating Room, Telemetry, Emergency Room, and Medicine and Surgery earn $20.00 an hour

• Nursing care or rehabilitation facilities earn around $13.20 an hour

• Nursing homes earn an average of $12.84 an hour

• Government (e.g., VA hospital) earns around $18.97 an hour

• Home health care specialist earns around $14.98 an hour

The highest paying state for CNA is Alaska which averages $42,500 per year ($20.43 per hour). Alaska pays more for CNAs because the cost of living there is higher than in the continental United States because it's harder to transport goods.

Following Alaska, the next four highest paying states for CNA include;

• New York averages $40,620 per year ($19.53 an hour)

• California averages $39,280 per year ($18.80 an hour)

• Hawaii $38,650 per year ($18.58 an hour)

• Massachusetts averages $37,160 per year ($17.84 an hour)

• Louisiana average $24,300 per year ($11.68 an hour)

• Mississippi averages $24,400 per year ($11.73 an hour)

• Alabama averages $25,600 per year ($12.31 an hour)

• Arkansas averages $26,550 per year ($12.76 an hour)

• Oklahoma averages $27,220 per year ($13.09 an hour)

The starting salary for a nursing assistant is $12 an hour ($23,400 a year). However, there is some variability in how much an entry-level nursing assistant has the potential to earn, which can range from $17,951 to $30,314 per year.

Differences in pay rate for nursing assistants are related to factors such as nursing assistant (e.g., ICU, hospital, home-care) and where the job is located. However, more specialized positions such as ICU nursing assistant typically require prior experience working as a nursing assistant.

The states that pay the highest for entry-level nursing assistant positions include; Alaska, New York, California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, which average around $16 to $19 to start. One reason difference in pay per state reflects differences in the cost of living.