Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Best states for a nurses' aide
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Do you want to become a nurses' aide at HCR ManorCare, and you wonder what that means or entails? We have the full list of best states for nurses' aides that you can check out, before you begin your journey. Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of nurses' aides in America is $39,000.
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 nurses' aides.We found that the South is best for nurses' aides, and the Northeast is the worst. Urban Honolulu, HI is the best city in the country for nurses' aide jobs, where as Maine is the best state in the country.
10 best states for nurses' aides in 2025
1. Maine
Total nurses' aide jobs: 137 Average annual salary: $34,222 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.67
2. Michigan
Total nurses' aide jobs: 902 Average annual salary: $32,124 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.88
3. Pennsylvania
Total nurses' aide jobs: 864 Average annual salary: $33,564 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 1.2
4. Connecticut
Total nurses' aide jobs: 209 Average annual salary: $36,326 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
5. Montana
Total nurses' aide jobs: 144 Average annual salary: $31,767 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Location Quotient: 2.02
6. Massachusetts
Total nurses' aide jobs: 686 Average annual salary: $34,830 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.21
7. Vermont
Total nurses' aide jobs: 42 Average annual salary: $36,539 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location Quotient: 0.89
8. New Hampshire
Total nurses' aide jobs: 77 Average annual salary: $36,686 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location Quotient: 0.71
9. Hawaii
Total nurses' aide jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $37,632 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
10. New York
Total nurses' aide jobs: 1,200 Average annual salary: $33,037 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Location Quotient: 1.51
Nurses' aide jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a nurses' aide
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a nurses' aide
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $34,222 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 137 |
| 2 | Michigan | $32,124 | $24,000 | 9,962,311 | 902 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $33,564 | $25,000 | 12,805,537 | 864 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $36,326 | $28,000 | 3,588,184 | 209 |
| 5 | Montana | $31,767 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 144 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $34,830 | $27,000 | 6,859,819 | 686 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,539 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 42 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $36,686 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 77 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $37,632 | $32,000 | 1,427,538 | 53 |
| 10 | New York | $33,037 | $25,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,200 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $30,694 | $23,000 | 5,795,483 | 423 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $31,214 | $23,000 | 5,576,606 | 538 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $32,499 | $24,000 | 869,666 | 56 |
| 14 | Illinois | $31,034 | $23,000 | 12,802,023 | 844 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $30,097 | $22,000 | 755,393 | 60 |
| 16 | Ohio | $30,371 | $22,000 | 11,658,609 | 641 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $32,179 | $25,000 | 1,059,639 | 63 |
| 18 | Oregon | $31,974 | $23,000 | 4,142,776 | 223 |
| 19 | Indiana | $28,346 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 882 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $31,023 | $23,000 | 9,005,644 | 717 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $29,340 | $21,000 | 4,454,189 | 297 |
| 22 | Washington | $32,075 | $23,000 | 7,405,743 | 317 |
| 23 | Delaware | $31,241 | $23,000 | 961,939 | 58 |
| 24 | Nevada | $31,055 | $22,000 | 2,998,039 | 69 |
| 25 | Florida | $30,141 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 714 |
| 26 | Kansas | $27,537 | $20,000 | 2,913,123 | 304 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $27,091 | $20,000 | 1,815,857 | 116 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $29,412 | $21,000 | 579,315 | 26 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $27,226 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 181 |
| 30 | Maryland | $29,277 | $22,000 | 6,052,177 | 363 |
| 31 | Texas | $27,847 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,131 |
| 32 | Utah | $28,837 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 110 |
| 33 | Idaho | $28,359 | $20,000 | 1,716,943 | 82 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $28,282 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 202 |
| 35 | Arizona | $28,641 | $21,000 | 7,016,270 | 226 |
| 36 | Iowa | $24,714 | $18,000 | 3,145,711 | 310 |
| 37 | Alaska | $26,490 | $19,000 | 739,795 | 64 |
| 38 | California | $29,861 | $21,000 | 39,536,653 | 909 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $27,235 | $19,000 | 2,088,070 | 108 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $25,730 | $18,000 | 10,273,419 | 619 |
| 41 | Colorado | $28,004 | $20,000 | 5,607,154 | 255 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $25,465 | $18,000 | 6,715,984 | 354 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $29,355 | $22,000 | 693,972 | 42 |
| 44 | Alabama | $25,785 | $18,000 | 4,874,747 | 193 |
| 45 | Virginia | $26,997 | $20,000 | 8,470,020 | 371 |
| 46 | Georgia | $23,940 | $17,000 | 10,429,379 | 628 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $23,870 | $17,000 | 3,930,864 | 168 |
| 48 | Missouri | $23,754 | $17,000 | 6,113,532 | 354 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $23,059 | $16,000 | 2,984,100 | 130 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $23,239 | $17,000 | 3,004,279 | 102 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $23,347 | $16,000 | 4,684,333 | 96 |
Highest paying states for nurses' aides
| Rank | State | Avg. Nurses' Aide Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $34,222 |
| 2 | Michigan | $32,124 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $33,564 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $36,326 |
| 5 | Montana | $31,767 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $34,830 |
| 7 | Vermont | $36,539 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $36,686 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $37,632 |
| 10 | New York | $33,037 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $30,694 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $31,214 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $32,499 |
| 14 | Illinois | $31,034 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $30,097 |
| 16 | Ohio | $30,371 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $32,179 |
| 18 | Oregon | $31,974 |
| 19 | Indiana | $28,346 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $31,023 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $29,340 |
| 22 | Washington | $32,075 |
| 23 | Delaware | $31,241 |
| 24 | Nevada | $31,055 |
| 25 | Florida | $30,141 |
| 26 | Kansas | $27,537 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $27,091 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $29,412 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $27,226 |
| 30 | Maryland | $29,277 |
| 31 | Texas | $27,847 |
| 32 | Utah | $28,837 |
| 33 | Idaho | $28,359 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $28,282 |
| 35 | Arizona | $28,641 |
| 36 | Iowa | $24,714 |
| 37 | Alaska | $26,490 |
| 38 | California | $29,861 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $27,235 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $25,730 |
| 41 | Colorado | $28,004 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $25,465 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $29,355 |
| 44 | Alabama | $25,785 |
| 45 | Virginia | $26,997 |
| 46 | Georgia | $23,940 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $23,870 |
| 48 | Missouri | $23,754 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $23,059 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $23,239 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $23,347 |
Nurses' aide best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare support questions.
Search for nurses' aide jobs
Updated January 8, 2025