Are you thinking about becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)? If so, you might be wondering how much money CNAs make. The answer depends on several factors: experience, education, and geographic location. Did you know that Alaska is the highest-paying state for CNA jobs?

If you're considering a career as a CNA, the prospects look good! Over the next decade, there will be an average of 209,400 job openings per year. With employment growing by around 4% throughout 2022-2032, now is the perfect time to start your CNA journey!

How Much Do CNAs Earn?

Where you work, how much experience you have, and your certifications all play a role in determining your compensation as a CNA.

According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), CNAs earn a median hourly rate of $18.36 and a median annual wage of $38,200 as of May 2023. The lowest 10% earned around $30,020, while the highest 10% earned more than $48,780.

CNA Salary by State

Working as a CNA can be financially rewarding, but the salary for this role varies widely depending on factors like geographical location and experience level. A person's skillset also plays an integral part in determining how much they could earn.‍

Below is the list of all the states and their respective salaries as of May 2023:

Alabama:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $15.04

• Annual Mean Wage: $31,280

Alaska:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,080

Arizona:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.69

• Annual Mean Wage: $34,610

Arkansas:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $15.41

• Annual Mean Wage: $32,050

California:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,070

Colorado:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.95

• Annual Mean Wage: $43,580

Connecticut:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.70

• Annual Mean Wage: $43,050

Delaware:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.57

• Annual Mean Wage: $38,620

District of Columbia:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $23.01

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,860

Florida:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.67

• Annual Mean Wage: $36,750

Georgia:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $16.77

• Annual Mean Wage: $34,890

Hawaii:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,990

Idaho:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.92

• Annual Mean Wage: $37,270

Illinois:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.85

• Annual Mean Wage: $41,300

Indiana:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.10

• Annual Mean Wage: $37,660

Iowa:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.45

• Annual Mean Wage: $38,380

Kansas:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.32

• Annual Mean Wage: $36,020

Kentucky:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.30

• Annual Mean Wage: $35,980

Louisiana:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $14.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $30,420

Maine:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.65

• Annual Mean Wage: $42,960

Maryland:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.60

• Annual Mean Wage: $40,770

Massachusetts:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.51

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,750

Michigan:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.72

• Annual Mean Wage: $38,930

Minnesota:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.65

• Annual Mean Wage: $42,960

Mississippi:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $14.26

• Annual Mean Wage: $29,660

Missouri:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.48

• Annual Mean Wage: $36,350

Montana:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.61

• Annual Mean Wage: $40,800

Nebraska:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.49

• Annual Mean Wage: $38,470

Nevada:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.87

• Annual Mean Wage: $43,420

New Hampshire:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.68

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,090

New Jersey:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.65

• Annual Mean Wage: $42,960

New Mexico:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.80

• Annual Mean Wage: $37,030

New York:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.13

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,020

North Carolina:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $16.99

• Annual Mean Wage: $35,340

North Dakota:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.72

• Annual Mean Wage: $41,020

Ohio:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.54

• Annual Mean Wage: $38,570

Oklahoma:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $15.91

• Annual Mean Wage: $33,090

Oregon:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.58

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,970

Pennsylvania:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.12

• Annual Mean Wage: $39,780

Rhode Island:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $20.86

• Annual Mean Wage: $43,390

South Carolina:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $16.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $34,590

South Dakota:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.48

• Annual Mean Wage: $36,360

Tennessee:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $16.75

• Annual Mean Wage: $34,850

Texas:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $17.01

• Annual Mean Wage: $35,370

Utah:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.09

• Annual Mean Wage: $37,630

Vermont:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.98

• Annual Mean Wage: $41,560

Virginia:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.00

• Annual Mean Wage: $37,440

Washington:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.32

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,430

West Virginia:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $16.99

• Annual Mean Wage: $35,340

Wisconsin:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.52

• Annual Mean Wage: $40,600

Wyoming:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $18.75

• Annual Mean Wage: $39,010

Guam:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $15.92

• Annual Mean Wage: $33,100

Puerto Rico:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $13.47

• Annual Mean Wage: $28,020

Virgin Islands:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $19.36

• Annual Mean Wage: $40,270

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Top-paying States for Nursing Assistants

District of Columbia:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $23.01
• Annual Mean Wage: $47,860

Alaska:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,080

California:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.63
• Annual Mean Wage: $47,070

Oregon:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.58
• Annual Mean Wage: $46,970

Washington:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.32

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,430

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Top 40 Paying Metropolitan Areas for Nursing Assistants

San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $27.18

• Annual Mean Wage: $56,530

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $26.72

• Annual Mean Wage: $55,580

Salem, OR:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $23.63

• Annual Mean Wage: $49,140

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $23.23

• Annual Mean Wage: $48,320

Salinas, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.96

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,750

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.83

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,480

Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.82

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,460

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.81

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,450

Napa, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.70

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,210

Portsmouth, NH-ME:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.70

• Annual Mean Wage: $47,210

Madera, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.47

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,740

Santa Rosa, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.40

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,590

Vallejo-Fairfield, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.21

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,200

Boulder, CO:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.19

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,160

San Diego-Carlsbad, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.16

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,100

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.11

• Annual Mean Wage: $46,000

Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $22.06

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,880

Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.86

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,470

Bend-Redmond, OR:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.81

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,370

Anchorage, AK:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.74

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,220

Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.73

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,200

Urban Honolulu, HI:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.70

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,140

Kennewick-Richland, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.69

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,120

Grants Pass, OR:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.65

• Annual Mean Wage: $45,040

Eugene, OR:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.58

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,890

Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.55

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,830

Bellingham, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.51

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,730

Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.50

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,710

Manchester, NH:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.48

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,670

Bremerton-Silverdale, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.46

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,640

Albany, OR:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.44

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,590

Wenatchee, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.42

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,560

Carson City, NV:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.41

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,530

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.35

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,410

Olympia-Tumwater, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.34

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,380

Longview, WA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.29

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,290

Modesto, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.27

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,240

Stockton-Lodi, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.27

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,240

Yuba City, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.27

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,240

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA:

• Hourly Mean Wage: $21.26

• Annual Mean Wage: $44,230

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

California has a mean salary of $22.63 per hour, which is higher than the national average. But the pay varies per metropolitan area in the state. They contributed the highest proportion of US metros in the Top 40 paying metropolitan areas for CNAs. Working in California as a CNA can earn you more than in any other state, but there are other factors to consider, such as the cost of living.

Top-Paying Work Settings Where CNAs Work

Government:

• Annual Median Wage: $43,410

Hospitals; state, local, and private:

• Annual Median Wage: $38,920

Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities):

• Annual Median Wage: $37,780

Continuing care retirement communities, and assisted living facilities for the elderly:

• Annual Median Wage: $37,230

Home healthcare services:

• Annual Median Wage: $35,350

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The two most common work settings for CNAs are nursing care facilities and hospitals. Skilled nursing facilities rank the highest levels for employment and the highest concentrations of Nursing Assistants in the healthcare industry. Assisted living facilities and retirement communities for the elderly are next in line for the number of CNAs.

Despite the fact that Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) have the highest concentration of CNAs, government jobs pay the most compared to other work settings listed above.

Now that you know what salary range you can expect to work as a CNA, you feel ready for this career. Dreambound is your one-stop shop for finding a CNA school near you.

Consider Dreambound as a valuable resource if you're thinking about getting started in this field. We've written many guides to help you:

• Become a CNA in 3 easy steps
• CNA classes near me
• Become a CNA in High School
• STNA in Ohio
• CNA in Texas
• CNA in California
• CNA in Pennsylvania