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Best states for a licensed nursing assistant
Quoted expert
Dr. Linda Roney
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Licensed nursing assistant opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for licensed nursing assistants, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for licensed nursing assistants.Our research found that Indiana is the best state for licensed nursing assistants, while Hawaii and California are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Indiana has a median salary of $43,140 and Hawaii has the highest median salary among all 50 states for licensed nursing assistants.
To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for licensed nursing assistants. Indiana is the best state for licensed nursing assistants, where the median salary is $43,140.Indiana is the best state, and Waipahu is the city with the highest pay for licensed nursing assistants.
10 best states for licensed nursing assistants in 2025
1. Indiana
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 3,666 Average annual salary: $43,140 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.472. Florida
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 7,564 Average annual salary: $43,825 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $61,000 Location Quotient: 1.283. Michigan
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 3,607 Average annual salary: $42,786 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 1.234. Pennsylvania
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 5,059 Average annual salary: $43,034 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.155. Washington
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 3,434 Average annual salary: $43,700 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.246. Tennessee
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 2,308 Average annual salary: $42,710 Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location Quotient: 1.047. Massachusetts
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 4,388 Average annual salary: $43,437 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.268. Hawaii
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 188 Average annual salary: $65,530 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 0.599. Kansas
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 1,411 Average annual salary: $40,283 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.2310. Ohio
Total licensed nursing assistant jobs: 4,049 Average annual salary: $41,468 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
Licensed nursing assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a licensed nursing assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a licensed nursing assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | $43,140 | $31,000 | 6,666,818 | 3,666 |
| 2 | Florida | $43,825 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 7,564 |
| 3 | Michigan | $42,786 | $31,000 | 9,962,311 | 3,607 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $43,034 | $31,000 | 12,805,537 | 5,059 |
| 5 | Washington | $43,700 | $32,000 | 7,405,743 | 3,434 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $42,710 | $30,000 | 6,715,984 | 2,308 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $43,437 | $34,000 | 6,859,819 | 4,388 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $65,530 | $56,000 | 1,427,538 | 188 |
| 9 | Kansas | $40,283 | $29,000 | 2,913,123 | 1,411 |
| 10 | Ohio | $41,468 | $29,000 | 11,658,609 | 4,049 |
| 11 | Texas | $42,700 | $29,000 | 28,304,596 | 6,958 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $39,692 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 2,493 |
| 13 | Maryland | $43,258 | $30,000 | 6,052,177 | 2,540 |
| 14 | Iowa | $39,121 | $28,000 | 3,145,711 | 1,672 |
| 15 | Nevada | $43,489 | $30,000 | 2,998,039 | 421 |
| 16 | Delaware | $42,115 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 448 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $39,405 | $28,000 | 10,273,419 | 4,211 |
| 18 | Illinois | $42,344 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,836 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $37,585 | $26,000 | 1,815,857 | 896 |
| 20 | California | $46,738 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,482 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $42,559 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 2,632 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $38,745 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 3,266 |
| 23 | Oregon | $41,994 | $30,000 | 4,142,776 | 1,204 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $38,942 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 493 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $38,843 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 1,073 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $38,105 | $27,000 | 5,024,369 | 1,714 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $37,052 | $26,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,598 |
| 28 | Colorado | $39,679 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 2,103 |
| 29 | Alabama | $38,054 | $27,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,345 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $38,444 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 1,373 |
| 31 | Missouri | $36,926 | $26,000 | 6,113,532 | 2,426 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $38,147 | $27,000 | 579,315 | 122 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $34,542 | $27,000 | 1,342,795 | 856 |
| 34 | Maine | $33,734 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 967 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $36,426 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 345 |
| 36 | Idaho | $36,086 | $26,000 | 1,716,943 | 615 |
| 37 | Alaska | $38,422 | $31,000 | 739,795 | 205 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $35,116 | $24,000 | 4,684,333 | 1,354 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $36,831 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 617 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $40,629 | $28,000 | 693,972 | 155 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $34,884 | $25,000 | 1,920,076 | 882 |
| 42 | Georgia | $35,264 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 3,959 |
| 43 | Virginia | $37,755 | $26,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,829 |
| 44 | Vermont | $33,849 | $27,000 | 623,657 | 280 |
| 45 | Montana | $34,059 | $25,000 | 1,050,493 | 459 |
| 46 | New York | $35,573 | $26,000 | 19,849,399 | 4,064 |
| 47 | Arizona | $34,163 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 2,154 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $33,307 | $23,000 | 3,004,279 | 861 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $33,770 | $23,000 | 2,984,100 | 666 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $32,826 | $25,000 | 755,393 | 291 |
| 51 | Utah | $34,846 | $24,000 | 3,101,833 | 666 |
Highest paying states for licensed nursing assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Licensed Nursing Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | $43,140 |
| 2 | Florida | $43,825 |
| 3 | Michigan | $42,786 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $43,034 |
| 5 | Washington | $43,700 |
| 6 | Tennessee | $42,710 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $43,437 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $65,530 |
| 9 | Kansas | $40,283 |
| 10 | Ohio | $41,468 |
| 11 | Texas | $42,700 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $39,692 |
| 13 | Maryland | $43,258 |
| 14 | Iowa | $39,121 |
| 15 | Nevada | $43,489 |
| 16 | Delaware | $42,115 |
| 17 | North Carolina | $39,405 |
| 18 | Illinois | $42,344 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $37,585 |
| 20 | California | $46,738 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $42,559 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $38,745 |
| 23 | Oregon | $41,994 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $38,942 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $38,843 |
| 26 | South Carolina | $38,105 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $37,052 |
| 28 | Colorado | $39,679 |
| 29 | Alabama | $38,054 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $38,444 |
| 31 | Missouri | $36,926 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $38,147 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $34,542 |
| 34 | Maine | $33,734 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $36,426 |
| 36 | Idaho | $36,086 |
| 37 | Alaska | $38,422 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $35,116 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $36,831 |
| 40 | District of Columbia | $40,629 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $34,884 |
| 42 | Georgia | $35,264 |
| 43 | Virginia | $37,755 |
| 44 | Vermont | $33,849 |
| 45 | Montana | $34,059 |
| 46 | New York | $35,573 |
| 47 | Arizona | $34,163 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $33,307 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $33,770 |
| 50 | North Dakota | $32,826 |
| 51 | Utah | $34,846 |
Expert opinions on the best states for licensed nursing assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for licensed nursing assistants to find work opportunities?
Dr. Linda Roney
Associate Professor, Fairfield University
There is a significant need for nurses across the country, in most settings.
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Updated January 8, 2025