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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!
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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.
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
District of Columbia:
Alaska:
Hourly Mean Wage: $22.63
Annual Mean Wage: $47,080
California:
Oregon:
Washington:
Hourly Mean Wage: $22.32
Annual Mean Wage: $46,430
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
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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.
Government:
Hospitals; state, local, and private:
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities):
Continuing care retirement communities, and assisted living facilities for the elderly:
Home healthcare services:
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:
Justine Tacmo is part of the Growth team at Dreambound. He assists the organization by updating critical information so students receive the most up-to-date information for their desired trade schools. Besides, he has a passion for writing and expresses it through poetry, covering themes of life, love, and mental health, which is also his advocacy.