The median Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) salary is $20.50 per hour, or $42,640 per year, based on 8,166 job postings across 101 states. Compare pay by location, employer, shift, and contract type.
$20.50
Median hourly
$42,640
Annual salary
$17-$24
Pay range
101
States tracked
Salary guide
A typical Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) earns $20.50/hr, with most posted roles landing between $18.50 and $22.50/hr.
Recent posted pay is up, with the last 30 days showing +2.4% movement versus the prior period.
Location matters: San Marcos, CALIFORNIA is currently among the highest-paying cities, while Wichita, KANSAS sits near the lower end.
30-day market pulse
Compare the most recent 30 days of job postings against the previous 30 days. Use this as a quick read on whether pay and hiring volume are moving together.
Posted pay
+2.4%
Current median: $21.00/hr
Prior period: $20.50/hr
Job openings
+7.7%
2,188 recent postings
Previous period: 2,032 postings
Daily pay signal
$20.75/hr latest
Year-over-year
Building
We are collecting enough historical Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) postings to show a reliable year-over-year pay comparison.
Pay is moving up even though posting volume changed. Recent listings are showing a median of $21.00/hr, up from $20.50/hr.
Pay range
The middle band is usually the most useful offer benchmark. The 10th and 90th percentiles show the broader market floor and ceiling.
Entry / low
$16.50
$34,320/yr
Median
$20.50
$42,640/yr
Top earners
$24.00
$49,920/yr
MARKET TRENDS
Month-over-month median hourly pay and posting volume.
| Month | Median Hourly | Postings |
|---|---|---|
Apr 2026Current | $21.00/hr | 2,063 |
Mar 2026 | $20.50/hr | 2,157 |
Feb 2026 | $20.00/hr | 682 |
Jan 2026 | $20.00/hr | 652 |
Dec 2025 | $20.50/hr | 2,097 |
Nov 2025 | $20.00/hr | 515 |
BY LOCATION
See how pay varies across the country. Ranked by job volume.
126 postings · 29 companies
$17.00
$16-$17
Estimated from national data
~$17.95
—
61 postings · 24 companies
$20.00
$20-$21
16 postings · 8 companies
$16.75
$16-$18
488 postings · 170 companies
$22.50
$22-$24
151 postings · 57 companies
$22.00
$22-$24
65 postings · 14 companies
$21.50
$20-$23
39 postings · 3 companies
$19.00
$19-$20
9 postings · 6 companies
$20.50
$20-$24
402 postings · 120 companies
$18.00
$17-$19
139 postings · 47 companies
$17.00
$16-$19
12 postings · 10 companies
$22.25
$21-$25
29 postings · 16 companies
$22.00
$20-$22
531 postings · 117 companies
$21.50
$21-$22
119 postings · 42 companies
$18.50
$18-$20
85 postings · 40 companies
$21.00
$19-$22
93 postings · 21 companies
$18.50
$17-$21
77 postings · 13 companies
$17.50
$17-$20
35 postings · 14 companies
$15.00
$14-$17
26 postings · 8 companies
$23.50
$23-$26
150 postings · 31 companies
$20.50
$19-$22
253 postings · 96 companies
$23.00
$21-$24
151 postings · 23 companies
$23.00
$21-$26
254 postings · 42 companies
$22.25
$21-$25
21 postings · 6 companies
$14.50
$14-$16
176 postings · 49 companies
$20.00
$19-$21
17 postings · 5 companies
$21.00
$21-$25
34 postings · 12 companies
$19.75
$18-$20
31 postings · 10 companies
$21.00
$19-$22
Estimated from national data
~$18.28
—
271 postings · 90 companies
$22.00
$21-$23
93 postings · 12 companies
$19.00
$19-$20
378 postings · 102 companies
$20.50
$20-$23
369 postings · 43 companies
$18.00
$15-$21
24 postings · 7 companies
$22.50
$23-$23
62 postings · 20 companies
$18.75
$16-$22
87 postings · 14 companies
$15.50
$15-$16
131 postings · 23 companies
$25.50
$24-$26
695 postings · 124 companies
$20.00
$19-$22
78 postings · 24 companies
$21.50
$21-$23
62 postings · 21 companies
$18.25
$16-$21
30 postings · 9 companies
$22.00
$20-$24
78 postings · 35 companies
$19.00
$18-$20
159 postings · 48 companies
$16.50
$15-$18
55 postings · 22 companies
$19.50
$17-$21
Estimated from national data
~$17.03
—
261 postings · 58 companies
$21.00
$20-$22
153 postings · 49 companies
$24.00
$22-$25
114 postings · 8 companies
$17.50
$17-$19
224 postings · 49 companies
$21.00
$20-$23
11 postings · 5 companies
$19.00
$19-$19
Est.Estimated values are based on national averages.
BY CITY
See which cities offer the highest and lowest Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) salaries.
San Marcos
California · 11 postings
$29.27/hr
Hillsboro
Oregon · 13 postings
$26.50/hr
Clackamas
Oregon · 18 postings
$26.12/hr
Temecula
California · 15 postings
$26.00/hr
Plymouth
Massachusetts · 19 postings
$25.50/hr
Wichita
Kansas · 13 postings
$14.50/hr
Birmingham
Alabama · 12 postings
$15.50/hr
Oklahoma City
Oklahoma · 15 postings
$16.00/hr
Edmond
Oklahoma · 15 postings
$16.50/hr
Decatur
Alabama · 12 postings
$16.50/hr
BY EMPLOYER
See which companies pay the most and least for Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) positions.
Kaiser Permanente
27 postings
$29.26/hr
Southern California Hospitals
9 postings
$29.00/hr
Thinqspot Inc
6 postings
$28.00/hr
Sequoia Living
6 postings
$27.50/hr
Vitalcore Health Strategies
5 postings
$27.50/hr
Centstone Services Llc
5 postings
$14.00/hr
Legacy Nursing And Rehabilitation
5 postings
$14.00/hr
Visiting Angels
107 postings
$14.00/hr
Alg Senior
106 postings
$15.00/hr
Nexion Health, Inc.
51 postings
$15.00/hr
RELATED POSITIONS
| Job Title | Postings | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) | 3,551 | $20.50/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant, Cna | 576 | $20.50/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant Cna | 534 | $20.00/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant - Cna | 219 | $19.50/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant | Cna | 105 | $19.50/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant ( Cna ) | 43 | $16.50/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant / Cna | 32 | $17.00/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant ( Cna ) Days | 28 | $17.00/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant- Cna | 21 | $22.50/hr |
| Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) All Shifts | 17 | $21.50/hr |
EDUCATION & LICENSING
Certified Nursing Assistants provide essential hands-on patient care, assisting with daily activities, vital signs, and basic nursing tasks under nurse supervision.
Minimum: CNA Certificate
CNA Certificate
State-Approved CNA Program
HS CNA
High School CNA Program
CC CNA
Community College CNA
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.
State CNA Certification
RequiredCertified Nursing Assistant Certification
BLS
RequiredBasic Life Support
CNA Trainee
0-3 months experience
Certified Nursing Assistant
0-2 years experience
Experienced CNA
2-5 years experience
CNA Charge/Lead
5+ years experience
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
1-2 year program experience
Certifications can significantly increase earning potential
NNAAP
Exam pathwayNational Nurse Aide Assessment Program
Home Health Aide
Expanded work settingsHome Health Aide Certification
Medication Aide
+$1-3/hourCertified Medication Aide (CMA)
Phlebotomy
+$1-2/hourPhlebotomy Technician Certification
Job Outlook
Strong Growth (4% (2022-2032))
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.
PAY FACTORS
How shift type, contract length, and employment type impact Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) salaries.
FAQ
The median Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) salary is $20.50 per hour, or $42,640 annually. Pay ranges from $16.50/hr (10th percentile) to $24.00/hr (90th percentile) depending on location, experience, and employer.
Based on 8,166 job postings, the highest paying states for Certified Nursing Assistant (cna)s include Oregon, Washington, Maine. Pay rates vary based on cost of living, demand, and state regulations.
There are currently 8,166 Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) job postings across 101 states, from 1573 different healthcare employers.
Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) pay varies based on geographic location, years of experience, certifications, shift differentials (nights/weekends), employment type (travel vs. staff), facility type, and specialized skills. Travel contracts typically pay higher hourly rates.
Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) pay is currently trending upward. Over the past 30 days, median hourly rates increased 2.4%.
Certified Nursing Assistant (cna) pay varies by specialty and setting. Travel positions typically pay $2.00 to $3.50 more per hour than staff positions. Night shifts and weekend differentials also increase earnings.
Pay varies significantly by location. Top paying cities like San Marcos offer $29.27/hr, while lower cost areas may pay around $14.50/hr. However, rural areas often offer signing bonuses and housing stipends to attract talent.
Entry-level Certified Nursing Assistant (cna)s typically earn around $16.50 to $18.50 per hour ($34,320 to $38,480 annually). With experience, pay increases toward the median of $20.50/hr.
DATA METHOD
Source
Based on 8,166 active postings with listed compensation for Certified Nursing Assistant (cna). We prioritize postings with explicit hourly or annual pay and exclude rows without usable compensation signals from salary percentiles.
Range
Percentiles show the spread of posted pay, not a guaranteed offer or take-home pay after taxes. State and city views use available market observations and label estimated values when direct samples are limited.
Freshness
Current dataset window: 2025-11-01 to 2026-04-30. Recent trend cards compare the latest posting window with the prior period so short-term pay movement is separated from the full historical median.
EXPLORE MORE
See how your salary compares to 8,166 similar positions. It's free, anonymous, and takes about 2 minutes.