Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) salary: $21.00/hr$840/wk$43,680/yr median.
Pay range $19.00$760$39,520–$22.50/hr$900/wk$46,800/yr across the middle 50% of active Direct Care Nursing Support postings nationwide.
741 unique employers · 995 cities · 51 states. Pay moved +2.4% over the last 30 days.
How Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pay is distributed.
10% of postings pay under $16.50/hr$660/wk$34,320/yr. The top 10% pay above $24.50/hr$980/wk$50,960/yr.
How Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pay has moved month over month.
Median pay moved from $21.00 in May 2026 to $21.00 in Oct 2026 (+0.0%). Bars show monthly posting volume; the line tracks the posting-weighted median.
| Month | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2026 | $21.00$840$43,680 | $19.50$780$40,560–$22.50$900$46,800 | 33 |
| Jun 2026 | $21.00$840$43,680 | $19.00$760$39,520–$23.00$920$47,840 | 47 |
| Jul 2026 | $20.50$820$42,640 | $18.50$740$38,480–$22.00$880$45,760 | 81 |
| Aug 2026 | $20.50$820$42,640 | $18.50$740$38,480–$22.50$900$46,800 | 110 |
| Sep 2026 | $21.00$840$43,680 | $18.50$740$38,480–$22.50$900$46,800 | 399 |
| Oct 2026 | $21.00$840$43,680 | $19.50$780$40,560–$23.00$920$47,840 | 547 |
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pay across every state with live data.
Showing all 43 states with live data. Bars scale to the highest-paying state.
The metros writing the biggest Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) paychecks.
| City | State | Median /hr/wk/yr | P25–P75 | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| culver city | CA · CALIFORNIA | $26.50$1,060$55,120 | $22.38$895$46,550–$30.50$1,220$63,440 | 12 |
| springfield | OR · OREGON | $26.00$1,040$54,080 | $23.13$925$48,110–$28.50$1,140$59,280 | 10 |
| portland | OR · OREGON | $25.50$1,020$53,040 | $24.00$960$49,920–$26.25$1,050$54,600 | 11 |
| madison | WI · WISCONSIN | $24.00$960$49,920 | $22.50$900$46,800–$24.00$960$49,920 | 10 |
| denver | CO · COLORADO | $23.75$950$49,400 | $23.00$920$47,840–$24.75$990$51,480 | 18 |
CITY PAY DATA
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Where the top of the market is paying for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
| Employer | Median /hr/wk/yr | Range | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advocate Aurora Health | $25.50$1,020$53,040 | $24.00$960$49,920–$25.50$1,020$53,040 | 12 |
| Atrium Health | $24.00$960$49,920 | $24.00$960$49,920–$24.00$960$49,920 | 5 |
| Avalon Health Care Group | $25.00$1,000$52,000 | $20.00$800$41,600–$25.50$1,020$53,040 | 7 |
| Cayuga Medical Center | $25.00$1,000$52,000 | $25.00$1,000$52,000–$25.00$1,000$52,000 | 7 |
| Evergreen Healthcare Group | $25.50$1,020$53,040 | $23.00$920$47,840–$29.00$1,160$60,320 | 10 |
| HealthTrust Workforce Solutions | $32.00$1,280$66,560 | $16.50$660$34,320–$37.00$1,480$76,960 | 5 |
| Medilodge | $25.00$1,000$52,000 | $21.50$860$44,720–$28.00$1,120$58,240 | 14 |
| PeaceHealth | $28.50$1,140$59,280 | $28.50$1,140$59,280–$28.50$1,140$59,280 | 5 |
| Southern California Hospitals | $30.50$1,220$63,440 | $29.00$1,160$60,320–$30.50$1,220$63,440 | 9 |
| Volare Health, LLC | $27.25$1,090$56,680 | $25.50$1,020$53,040–$29.00$1,160$60,320 | 8 |
Showing all 10 employers with live pay data.
How Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pay shifts by schedule and contract type.
Staff Position pays the most at $30.73/hr$1,229/wk$63,918/yr median — 50% above PRN at $20.50/hr$820/wk$42,640/yr. Fulltime drives the volume with 1,485 active postings.
How to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Certified Nursing Assistants provide essential hands-on patient care, assisting with daily activities, vital signs, and basic nursing tasks under nurse supervision.
CNAs complete a state-approved training program (minimum 75 hours), then pass the state certification exam with written and skills components. Some states require background checks.
| Degree | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State-Approved CNA ProgramCNA Certificate | 4-12 weeks | Minimum 75 hours training (federal requirement). Many programs are 100-150 hours. Includes classroom and clinical components. |
| High School CNA ProgramHS CNA | 1 semester | Some high schools offer CNA certification through health occupations programs. |
| Community College CNACC CNA | 1 semester | CNA training at community colleges, sometimes paired with prerequisite nursing courses. |
State certification required. Must pass written and skills competency exam.
CPR certification required for most CNA positions.
| Credential | Issued by | Pay impact |
|---|---|---|
| NNAAP National Nurse Aide Assessment Program National CNA exam used by many states. Includes written and skills demonstration. | NCSBN | Exam pathway |
| Home Health Aide Home Health Aide Certification Additional certification (typically 75+ hours) allowing work in home health settings. | State/Medicare | Expanded work settings |
| Medication Aide Certified Medication Aide (CMA) Additional certification allowing medication administration. State availability varies. | State | +$1-3/hour |
| Phlebotomy Phlebotomy Technician Certification Additional skill certification for blood draws. Valuable in hospital settings. | Various (ASCP, AMT) | +$1-2/hour |
- 0-3 monthsCNA Trainee
Completing CNA training program and preparing for certification exam.
- 0-2 yearsCertified Nursing Assistant
Entry-level CNA building experience in various patient care settings.
- 2-5 yearsExperienced CNA
Skilled CNA handling complex patients, may specialize (ICU tech, dialysis tech).
- 5+ yearsCNA Charge/Lead
Senior CNA coordinating aide assignments and mentoring new staff.
- 1-2 year programLicensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Many CNAs pursue LPN licensure for increased scope and pay.
- 2-4 year programRegistered Nurse (RN)
CNA experience provides excellent foundation for nursing school. Many RNs start as CNAs.
Schedule. Varies widely. Long-term care often 8-hour shifts with day, evening, and night options. Hospitals may offer 8 or 12-hour shifts. Weekends and holidays required.
Physical demands. Very physically demanding. Frequent lifting, bending, and transferring patients. Standing and walking for entire shifts. High risk for back injuries without proper body mechanics.
High demand due to aging population and healthcare needs. CNAs are always in demand, especially in long-term care. Excellent stepping stone to nursing career. Travel CNA pay: $1,000-1,500+/week.
What clinicians ask about Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) pay.
What is the average Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) salary in 2026?
The median Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) salary is $21.00/hr (approximately $43,680/yr) based on 2,088 active job postings.
What is the pay range for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)?
Hourly pay ranges from $19.00 at the 25th percentile to $22.50 at the 75th percentile, with the top 10% earning above $24.50/hr.
Which state pays Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) roles the most?
Oregon currently leads with a median of $25.50/hr across 43 postings.
How many employers are hiring Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)s?
Our dataset shows 741 unique employers posting Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) roles across 51 states.
Where does TrueRounds get Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) salary data?
All salary figures are computed from active US healthcare job postings with listed pay ranges, collected over a rolling 6-month window and weighted by posting volume.
Explore other Nursing Support tracks.
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) sits inside the Direct Care track. Here are sibling tracks across Nursing Support — same category, different clinical focus and pay envelope.
Active US healthcare postings. Weighted by volume. Refreshed daily.
Pay benchmarks are computed from active job postings with listed pay ranges, collected on a rolling 6-month window. Each role's percentiles are weighted by posting volume so a metro with two postings doesn't outweigh a metro with two hundred. Outliers (postings priced more than 4× the role median) are dropped to avoid contract-line distortion.
Use the data, then push back.
Bring these numbers into your next contract conversation. Recruiters know what the market pays — now you do too.