Average Nursing Assistant Salary

How Much Does a Nursing Assistant Make?

On average, a Nursing Assistant make $39,610 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent made $30,020, while the top-paid 10 percent made $48,780.

Annually National Average Salary: $39,610

$30K

$34K

$39K

$44K

$48K

10%

25%

50%

75%

90%

* Based on information from the May 2023 salary report from the BLS.

Salary by State

Annually

Monthly

Hourly

Annual Salary by State

State	10% Annual	25% Annual	Avg. Annual	75% Annual	90% Annual
Alabama	$23,910	$28,030	$31,280	$34,720	$37,470
Alaska	$40,060	$40,190	$47,080	$50,470	$58,270
Arizona	$34,760	$36,650	$40,950	$43,660	$47,870
Arkansas	$25,990	$29,050	$32,050	$34,870	$37,610
California	$37,800	$39,930	$47,070	$48,570	$59,490
Colorado	$36,760	$38,750	$43,580	$46,270	$51,900
Connecticut	$37,100	$38,320	$43,050	$46,020	$50,530
Delaware	$31,200	$34,150	$38,620	$42,260	$46,130
District of Columbia	$38,490	$43,430	$47,860	$50,160	$58,590
Florida	$30,400	$33,750	$36,750	$38,800	$43,970
Georgia	$26,580	$29,470	$34,890	$38,490	$44,800
Hawaii	$36,560	$38,550	$44,990	$48,950	$54,270
Idaho	$29,120	$33,470	$37,270	$40,650	$45,320
Illinois	$34,940	$37,270	$41,300	$45,910	$47,720
Indiana	$30,410	$34,530	$37,660	$39,710	$45,190
Iowa	$31,930	$35,320	$38,380	$41,120	$45,640
Kansas	$30,080	$33,060	$36,020	$37,700	$42,970
Kentucky	$28,180	$30,900	$35,980	$39,160	$44,190
Louisiana	$23,470	$27,140	$30,420	$33,610	$37,080
Maine	$36,750	$37,970	$42,960	$46,320	$49,130
Maryland	$32,920	$35,980	$40,770	$45,140	$49,130
Massachusetts	$36,830	$38,980	$44,750	$47,120	$53,290
Michigan	$33,960	$36,470	$38,930	$40,970	$44,630
Minnesota	$36,450	$37,950	$42,960	$45,620	$50,600
Mississippi	$22,590	$25,170	$29,660	$33,650	$36,400
Missouri	$29,550	$32,190	$36,350	$38,400	$42,720
Montana	$31,620	$35,960	$40,800	$45,510	$51,760
Nebraska	$32,090	$35,790	$38,470	$42,010	$45,700
Nevada	$35,210	$36,520	$43,420	$46,500	$60,880
New Hampshire	$35,400	$38,520	$45,090	$47,670	$56,690
New Jersey	$36,410	$38,790	$42,960	$46,100	$49,980
New Mexico	$29,260	$33,760	$37,030	$39,550	$46,060
New York	$35,440	$39,450	$46,020	$50,610	$55,810
North Carolina	$27,630	$30,610	$35,340	$38,540	$43,180
North Dakota	$33,780	$37,760	$41,020	$45,390	$47,870
Ohio	$30,990	$35,790	$38,570	$42,110	$46,560
Oklahoma	$27,910	$29,810	$33,090	$35,570	$38,570
Oregon	$38,010	$41,590	$46,970	$52,000	$58,050
Pennsylvania	$33,780	$36,560	$39,780	$43,800	$46,170
Rhode Island	$36,620	$37,900	$43,390	$46,960	$50,610
South Carolina	$26,880	$31,330	$34,590	$37,230	$41,140
South Dakota	$29,430	$33,330	$36,360	$39,190	$43,410
Tennessee	$28,590	$30,490	$34,850	$37,090	$42,050
Texas	$28,500	$30,730	$35,370	$37,690	$44,320
Utah	$30,370	$34,850	$37,630	$39,700	$44,770
Vermont	$35,980	$37,710	$41,560	$45,060	$47,880
Virginia	$28,500	$32,330	$37,440	$42,940	$46,200
Washington	$38,530	$42,130	$46,430	$49,800	$54,620
West Virginia	$29,280	$31,780	$35,340	$37,550	$40,520
Wisconsin	$35,220	$37,310	$40,600	$43,980	$45,910
Wyoming	$33,260	$35,570	$39,010	$42,680	$46,260
Guam	$27,730	$29,220	$33,100	$35,940	$40,150
Puerto Rico	$17,750	$18,740	$28,020	$38,750	$59,240
Virgin Islands	$31,560	$39,240	$40,270	$40,400	$46,800

Annual Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is District of Columbia, where the average salary is $47,860.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

District of Columbia - $47,860

Alaska - $47,080

California - $47,070

Oregon - $46,970

Washington - $46,430

Monthly Salary by State

State	10% Monthly	25% Monthly	Avg. Monthly	75% Monthly	90% Monthly
Alabama	$1,917	$2,333	$2,583	$2,833	$3,083
Alaska	$3,333	$3,333	$3,917	$4,167	$4,833
Arizona	$2,833	$3,000	$3,333	$3,583	$3,917
Arkansas	$2,083	$2,417	$2,667	$2,833	$3,083
California	$3,083	$3,250	$3,917	$4,000	$4,917
Colorado	$3,000	$3,167	$3,583	$3,833	$4,250
Connecticut	$3,083	$3,167	$3,583	$3,833	$4,167
Delaware	$2,583	$2,833	$3,167	$3,500	$3,833
District of Columbia	$3,167	$3,583	$3,917	$4,167	$4,833
Florida	$2,500	$2,750	$3,000	$3,167	$3,583
Georgia	$2,167	$2,417	$2,833	$3,167	$3,667
Hawaii	$3,000	$3,167	$3,667	$4,000	$4,500
Idaho	$2,417	$2,750	$3,083	$3,333	$3,750
Illinois	$2,833	$3,083	$3,417	$3,750	$3,917
Indiana	$2,500	$2,833	$3,083	$3,250	$3,750
Iowa	$2,583	$2,917	$3,167	$3,417	$3,750
Kansas	$2,500	$2,750	$3,000	$3,083	$3,500
Kentucky	$2,333	$2,500	$2,917	$3,250	$3,667
Louisiana	$1,917	$2,250	$2,500	$2,750	$3,083
Maine	$3,000	$3,083	$3,500	$3,833	$4,083
Maryland	$2,667	$2,917	$3,333	$3,750	$4,083
Massachusetts	$3,000	$3,167	$3,667	$3,917	$4,417
Michigan	$2,750	$3,000	$3,167	$3,333	$3,667
Minnesota	$3,000	$3,083	$3,500	$3,750	$4,167
Mississippi	$1,833	$2,083	$2,417	$2,750	$3,000
Missouri	$2,417	$2,667	$3,000	$3,167	$3,500
Montana	$2,583	$2,917	$3,333	$3,750	$4,250
Nebraska	$2,667	$2,917	$3,167	$3,500	$3,750
Nevada	$2,917	$3,000	$3,583	$3,833	$5,000
New Hampshire	$2,917	$3,167	$3,750	$3,917	$4,667
New Jersey	$3,000	$3,167	$3,500	$3,833	$4,083
New Mexico	$2,417	$2,750	$3,083	$3,250	$3,833
New York	$2,917	$3,250	$3,833	$4,167	$4,583
North Carolina	$2,250	$2,500	$2,917	$3,167	$3,583
North Dakota	$2,750	$3,083	$3,417	$3,750	$3,917
Ohio	$2,500	$2,917	$3,167	$3,500	$3,833
Oklahoma	$2,250	$2,417	$2,750	$2,917	$3,167
Oregon	$3,167	$3,417	$3,833	$4,333	$4,833
Pennsylvania	$2,750	$3,000	$3,250	$3,583	$3,833
Rhode Island	$3,000	$3,083	$3,583	$3,833	$4,167
South Carolina	$2,167	$2,583	$2,833	$3,083	$3,417
South Dakota	$2,417	$2,750	$3,000	$3,250	$3,583
Tennessee	$2,333	$2,500	$2,833	$3,083	$3,500
Texas	$2,333	$2,500	$2,917	$3,083	$3,667
Utah	$2,500	$2,833	$3,083	$3,250	$3,667
Vermont	$2,917	$3,083	$3,417	$3,750	$3,917
Virginia	$2,333	$2,667	$3,083	$3,500	$3,833
Washington	$3,167	$3,500	$3,833	$4,083	$4,500
West Virginia	$2,417	$2,583	$2,917	$3,083	$3,333
Wisconsin	$2,917	$3,083	$3,333	$3,583	$3,750
Wyoming	$2,750	$2,917	$3,250	$3,500	$3,833
Guam	$2,250	$2,417	$2,750	$2,917	$3,333
Puerto Rico	$1,417	$1,500	$2,333	$3,167	$4,917
Virgin Islands	$2,583	$3,250	$3,333	$3,333	$3,833

Monthly Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is District of Columbia, where the average salary is $3,917.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

District of Columbia - $3,917

Alaska - $3,917

California - $3,917

New York - $3,833

Oregon - $3,833

Hourly Salary by State

State	10% Hourly	25% Hourly	Avg. Hourly	75% Hourly	90% Hourly
Alabama	$11.50	$13.48	$15.04	$16.69	$18.02
Alaska	$19.26	$19.32	$22.63	$24.26	$28.02
Arizona	$16.71	$17.62	$19.69	$20.99	$23.01
Arkansas	$12.49	$13.97	$15.41	$16.77	$18.08
California	$18.17	$19.20	$22.63	$23.35	$28.60
Colorado	$17.67	$18.63	$20.95	$22.25	$24.95
Connecticut	$17.84	$18.42	$20.70	$22.13	$24.29
Delaware	$15.00	$16.42	$18.57	$20.32	$22.18
District of Columbia	$18.51	$20.88	$23.01	$24.11	$28.17
Florida	$14.61	$16.23	$17.67	$18.65	$21.14
Georgia	$12.78	$14.17	$16.77	$18.51	$21.54
Hawaii	$17.58	$18.53	$21.63	$23.53	$26.09
Idaho	$14.00	$16.09	$17.92	$19.54	$21.79
Illinois	$16.80	$17.92	$19.85	$22.07	$22.94
Indiana	$14.62	$16.60	$18.10	$19.09	$21.73
Iowa	$15.35	$16.98	$18.45	$19.77	$21.94
Kansas	$14.46	$15.90	$17.32	$18.12	$20.66
Kentucky	$13.55	$14.86	$17.30	$18.83	$21.24
Louisiana	$11.28	$13.05	$14.63	$16.16	$17.83
Maine	$17.67	$18.25	$20.65	$22.27	$23.62
Maryland	$15.83	$17.30	$19.60	$21.70	$23.62
Massachusetts	$17.71	$18.74	$21.51	$22.65	$25.62
Michigan	$16.33	$17.54	$18.72	$19.70	$21.46
Minnesota	$17.52	$18.24	$20.65	$21.94	$24.33
Mississippi	$10.86	$12.10	$14.26	$16.18	$17.50
Missouri	$14.21	$15.48	$17.48	$18.46	$20.54
Montana	$15.20	$17.29	$19.61	$21.88	$24.88
Nebraska	$15.43	$17.21	$18.49	$20.20	$21.97
Nevada	$16.93	$17.56	$20.87	$22.36	$29.27
New Hampshire	$17.02	$18.52	$21.68	$22.92	$27.25
New Jersey	$17.50	$18.65	$20.65	$22.17	$24.03
New Mexico	$14.07	$16.23	$17.80	$19.01	$22.15
New York	$17.04	$18.97	$22.13	$24.33	$26.83
North Carolina	$13.28	$14.72	$16.99	$18.53	$20.76
North Dakota	$16.24	$18.15	$19.72	$21.82	$23.02
Ohio	$14.90	$17.21	$18.54	$20.25	$22.38
Oklahoma	$13.42	$14.33	$15.91	$17.10	$18.54
Oregon	$18.28	$20.00	$22.58	$25.00	$27.91
Pennsylvania	$16.24	$17.58	$19.12	$21.06	$22.20
Rhode Island	$17.61	$18.22	$20.86	$22.58	$24.33
South Carolina	$12.92	$15.06	$16.63	$17.90	$19.78
South Dakota	$14.15	$16.02	$17.48	$18.84	$20.87
Tennessee	$13.74	$14.66	$16.75	$17.83	$20.22
Texas	$13.70	$14.78	$17.01	$18.12	$21.31
Utah	$14.60	$16.76	$18.09	$19.09	$21.53
Vermont	$17.30	$18.13	$19.98	$21.66	$23.02
Virginia	$13.70	$15.54	$18.00	$20.64	$22.21
Washington	$18.52	$20.26	$22.32	$23.94	$26.26
West Virginia	$14.08	$15.28	$16.99	$18.05	$19.48
Wisconsin	$16.93	$17.94	$19.52	$21.15	$22.07
Wyoming	$15.99	$17.10	$18.75	$20.52	$22.24
Guam	$13.33	$14.05	$15.92	$17.28	$19.31
Puerto Rico	$8.53	$9.01	$13.47	$18.63	$28.48
Virgin Islands	$15.17	$18.86	$19.36	$19.42	$22.50

Hourly Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is District of Columbia, where the average salary is $23.01.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

District of Columbia - $23.01

Alaska - $22.63

California - $22.63

Oregon - $22.58

Washington - $22.32

Nursing Assistants: Salary Overview

Nursing assistants work under the supervision of licensed practical or vocational nurses and registered nurses and help patients with daily activities.

Their job description typically includes cleaning and bathing patients, helping patients when using the toilet and dressing, recording patients’ health concerns, measuring their vital signs, serving meals, and helping patients eat.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for nursing assistants was $29,660 in May 2019 which means that half of all workers in this profession earned less than this amount while half earned more.

Salaries for this profession vary depending on a wide range of factors, including experience level, education, and industry of employment.

The top 10 percent earned more than $40,620 while the lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,960.

Nursing Assistant Salary by Industry

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nursing assistants held approximately 1.5 million jobs in the United States in 2018, most of them working for nursing care facilities or for hospitals.

The average annual wage reported by nursing assistants who worked in nursing care facilities was $29,650 while those who worked for general medical and surgical hospitals reportedly earned $32,540 per year on average.

Nursing assistants who worked for continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly reportedly earned $29,100 per year, on average.

The average annual wage was $29,310 for nursing assistants employed in the field of home health care services and $28,070 for those who worked in industrial and family services.

According to the BLS report, the top-paying industries for nursing assistants were scientific research and development services, the federal executive branch, and junior colleges.

Nursing assistants who worked in research reportedly earned $42,210 while those employed in the federal executive branch earned around $39,090 on average.

The average annual wage reported by nursing assistants who worked for junior colleges was $38,970.

Salaries for nursing assistants also vary based on the region and the state of employment.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest average annual wage was reported by nursing assistants in Alaska- a state where the mean wage was $40,320.

Other top-paying states for this profession are New York, Hawaii, California, and the District of Columbia- states where average annual wages were above $35,000.

Nursing assistants in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana earned wages that were below $25,000, on average.

Nursing Assistant Salary by Experience Level and Education

Nursing assistants often need a state-issued license or certification but exact requirements vary by state.

A nursing assistant who holds a certificate is called a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).

Some states also offer nursing assistants the possibility of becoming a Certified Medication Assistant (CMA).

This additional credential allows them to dispense medication.

Earning additional certifications can improve a nursing assistant’s salary.

Salaries for nursing assistants also vary depending on the experience level.

According to nursejournal.org, entry-level Certified Nursing Assistants earned $23,440 per year while those in their late-career reportedly earned $28,580 per year.

Certified Nursing Assistants in their early career earned $24,420.

Mid-career CNAs reportedly earned $25,710 annually while experienced CNAs earned $26,960 per year, on average.

Job Prospects

Employment for nursing assistants is projected to grow 9 percent from 2018 to 2028.

This growth is explained, in part by the fact that the baby boom generation ages and they are more likely to need medical assistance.

Nursing assistants will be needed to care for patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart diseases but also to care for patients in nursing and residential care facilities.

However, this demand is sensitive to fluctuations in government funding.

Many nursing homes rely on such funding and cuts in government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid may affect patients’ ability to pay.

* Based on information from the May 2023 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Nursing Assistants. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.

* Employment conditions in your area may vary.