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The differences between student nurses and certified nursing assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a student nurse, becoming a certified nursing assistant takes usually requires 1-3 months. Additionally, a student nurse has an average salary of $37,281, which is higher than the $32,597 average annual salary of a certified nursing assistant.
The top three skills for a student nurse include patients, vital signs and direct patient care. The most important skills for a certified nursing assistant are patients, vital signs, and home health.
| Student Nurse | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $37,281 | $32,597 |
| Hourly rate | $17.92 | $15.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 578,210 | 225,834 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.12 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 3 |
A Student Nurse is responsible for treating and taking care of a patient's needs while upholding all the rules and medical regulations of a hospital or clinic. They work and function under the supervision of a Clinical Instructor while still gaining practical experience. Furthermore, among the duties of a Student Nurse revolves around following guidelines given by superiors, administering medication according to schedule, dressing patients, handing meals and changing beds, gathering and charting data, and coordinating with the instructor at all times.
A certified nursing assistant generally assists patients in their healthcare needs and medical procedures. They support patients in their daily activities by monitoring patients' temperature and food intake, ensuring the cleanliness of the patient's room, and keeping documentation of patients' conditions for reference of nurses and doctors. A certified nursing assistant should also communicate with patients' families and provide updates as often as needed. It is also important that a nursing assistant is patient and compassionate enough to attend to direct patient needs, which could get demanding or challenging at times.
Student nurses and certified nursing assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Nurse | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average salary | $37,281 | $32,597 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $52,000 | Between $24,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oxnard, CA | Portland, ME |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Boston Medical Center | Valley Presbyterian Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a student nurse and a certified nursing assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Nurse | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | High School Diploma, 29% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | - |
Here are the differences between student nurses' and certified nursing assistants' demographics:
| Student Nurse | Certified Nursing Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.5% Female, 84.5% | Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 11.3% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.8% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 7% |