How much does a CNA make?
A CNA makes $42,260 a year at the national median, and the middle half of nursing assistants earn $37,260 to $47,220.[onet_cna][oews] BLS reports certified nursing assistants under the occupation "nursing assistants" (SOC 31-1131), which also includes nurse aides and patient care assistants who hold the same state certification. It estimated 1,448,910 nursing assistant jobs in May 2025.[oews_api]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $33,940 | $16.32 | $29,451 |
| 25th | $37,260 | $17.91 | $32,118 |
| Median (50th) | $42,260 | $20.32 | $36,136 |
| 75th | $47,220 | $22.70 | $40,121 |
| 90th | $51,980 | $24.99 | $43,946 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Because the bottom of the range is close to the median, raises in CNA work come mostly from moving to a better-paying employer, area or shift, or from a further license. A CNA at the 90th percentile earns $51,980, still below the LPN median of $64,400.[onet_lpn]
CNA hourly pay
CNA hourly pay is $20.32 at the national median, $16.32 at the 10th percentile and $24.99 at the 90th.[onet_cna] Most CNAs are paid by the hour, and BLS wages exclude overtime and shift differentials.[oews_faq] Hours over 40 in a workweek must be paid at 1.5 times the regular rate under federal law.[flsa]
| Percentile | Hourly | Per 8-h shift | 32 h/week, yearly | 40 h/week, yearly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $16.32 | $131 | $27,152 | $33,940 |
| 25th | $17.91 | $143 | $29,808 | $37,260 |
| Median | $20.32 | $163 | $33,808 | $42,260 |
| 75th | $22.70 | $182 | $37,776 | $47,220 |
| 90th | $24.99 | $200 | $41,584 | $51,980 |
CNA salary in California
The CNA salary in California is $47,630 a year at the median, or $22.90 an hour, $5,370 above the national median and 6th among the states.[onet_cna] California also employs the most nursing assistants of any state, about 110,060 in May 2025.[oews_api] Pay inside the state runs from $44,670 in El Centro, CA to $56,840 in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,840 | $27.33 | $47,340 | $77,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $56,080 | $26.96 | $46,700 | $70,540 |
| Napa, CA | $50,370 | $24.22 | $42,020 | $63,080 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $49,240 | $23.67 | $42,610 | $58,550 |
| Vallejo, CA | $48,900 | $23.51 | $40,320 | $62,550 |
| Salinas, CA | $48,870 | $23.50 | $39,900 | $57,040 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $48,080 | $23.12 | $44,990 | $58,770 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $48,070 | $23.11 | $40,420 | $60,510 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $47,940 | $23.05 | $39,110 | $57,720 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $47,510 | $22.84 | $39,470 | $61,240 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $47,410 | $22.79 | $40,960 | $61,290 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,380 | $22.78 | $40,050 | $61,100 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $47,130 | $22.66 | $40,700 | $59,770 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $47,130 | $22.66 | $40,120 | $55,890 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $46,840 | $22.52 | $39,730 | $55,650 |
| Visalia, CA | $46,810 | $22.50 | $38,740 | $55,120 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $46,800 | $22.50 | $39,540 | $58,560 |
| Modesto, CA | $46,550 | $22.38 | $38,390 | $58,150 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $46,530 | $22.37 | $39,250 | $56,380 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $46,430 | $22.32 | $38,950 | $55,840 |
| Chico, CA | $46,380 | $22.30 | $38,860 | $56,620 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $46,130 | $22.18 | $37,710 | $56,380 |
| Yuba City, CA | $46,130 | $22.18 | $40,260 | $52,990 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $45,980 | $22.11 | $39,420 | $58,590 |
| Redding, CA | $44,880 | $21.58 | $37,010 | $60,180 |
| Merced, CA | $44,730 | $21.50 | $39,040 | $50,880 |
| Fresno, CA | $44,710 | $21.50 | $37,770 | $49,230 |
| El Centro, CA | $44,670 | $21.48 | $37,280 | $47,190 |
California has a state income tax, so enter your rate in the calculator to see take-home pay for a California metro. Registered nurses in California earn the highest RN pay in the country; see registered nurse salary for the RN figures.
CNA salary by state
Oregon pays nursing assistants the most at a median of $49,830, followed by Washington ($49,180) and New York ($48,590); Louisiana pays the least at $30,510.[onet_cna][oews_api]
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Oregon | $49,830 | $23.96 | $43,210 | $61,310 | 14,800 |
| 2. Washington | $49,180 | $23.64 | $42,500 | $62,660 | 30,270 |
| 3. New York | $48,590 | $23.36 | $38,450 | $59,890 | 87,990 |
| 4. New Hampshire | $47,870 | $23.01 | $39,140 | $59,660 | 7,810 |
| 5. District of Columbia | $47,700 | $22.93 | $38,900 | $57,500 | 3,490 |
| 6. California | $47,630 | $22.90 | $40,110 | $61,100 | 110,060 |
| 7. Colorado | $47,380 | $22.78 | $38,690 | $56,070 | 22,240 |
| 8. Vermont | $47,130 | $22.66 | $37,620 | $59,600 | 3,030 |
| 9. Maine | $47,070 | $22.63 | $39,100 | $58,120 | 8,540 |
| 10. New Jersey | $46,830 | $22.51 | $38,900 | $55,140 | 32,400 |
| 11. Massachusetts | $46,680 | $22.44 | $39,380 | $57,880 | 38,130 |
| 12. Minnesota | $46,680 | $22.44 | $38,010 | $55,410 | 29,120 |
| 13. Rhode Island | $46,440 | $22.33 | $39,220 | $54,950 | 10,220 |
| 14. Alaska | $46,370 | $22.29 | $39,450 | $58,430 | 2,060 |
| 15. Illinois | $45,960 | $22.10 | $37,590 | $54,050 | 68,640 |
| 16. North Dakota | $45,820 | $22.03 | $35,130 | $51,380 | 6,840 |
| 17. Nevada | $45,490 | $21.87 | $36,940 | $50,680 | 8,100 |
| 18. Hawaii | $45,350 | $21.80 | $36,000 | $52,660 | 5,050 |
| 19. Wisconsin | $45,130 | $21.70 | $37,900 | $50,650 | 28,370 |
| 20. Connecticut | $44,790 | $21.53 | $38,660 | $53,870 | 21,380 |
| 21. Arizona | $44,780 | $21.53 | $37,100 | $57,820 | 20,320 |
| 22. Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $21.44 | $37,760 | $49,360 | 67,740 |
| 23. Maryland | $43,240 | $20.79 | $36,060 | $49,330 | 27,720 |
| 24. Virginia | $43,200 | $20.77 | $31,560 | $50,980 | 40,580 |
| 25. Delaware | $42,030 | $20.21 | $36,530 | $48,080 | 5,530 |
| 26. Montana | $40,900 | $19.66 | $36,780 | $49,700 | 4,390 |
| 27. Nebraska | $40,000 | $19.23 | $37,090 | $48,980 | 16,450 |
| 28. Utah | $39,840 | $19.15 | $34,870 | $47,080 | 12,260 |
| 29. Michigan | $39,570 | $19.02 | $36,830 | $46,740 | 43,290 |
| 30. New Mexico | $39,390 | $18.94 | $34,110 | $48,340 | 4,750 |
| 31. Iowa | $39,350 | $18.92 | $35,620 | $47,980 | 22,670 |
| 32. Wyoming | $39,160 | $18.83 | $33,390 | $49,610 | 2,830 |
| 33. Ohio | $39,010 | $18.75 | $35,060 | $46,570 | 63,280 |
| 34. South Dakota | $38,800 | $18.65 | $31,110 | $46,100 | 6,860 |
| 35. Idaho | $38,650 | $18.58 | $28,380 | $47,430 | 7,910 |
| 36. North Carolina | $38,460 | $18.49 | $30,260 | $47,080 | 64,010 |
| 37. Kentucky | $38,370 | $18.45 | $30,390 | $46,450 | 23,410 |
| 38. Indiana | $38,330 | $18.43 | $35,390 | $46,890 | 33,640 |
| 39. Kansas | $38,010 | $18.27 | $32,180 | $46,980 | 24,610 |
| 40. Tennessee | $37,990 | $18.26 | $31,110 | $44,660 | 27,040 |
| 41. Georgia | $37,680 | $18.12 | $30,300 | $47,310 | 43,440 |
| 42. Missouri | $37,680 | $18.12 | $31,350 | $45,260 | 34,050 |
| 43. Florida | $37,510 | $18.03 | $34,350 | $46,790 | 96,960 |
| 44. Texas | $37,500 | $18.03 | $30,620 | $47,500 | 88,680 |
| 45. South Carolina | $37,220 | $17.89 | $30,460 | $44,760 | 21,760 |
| 46. West Virginia | $36,720 | $17.65 | $31,060 | $45,290 | 9,390 |
| 47. Oklahoma | $35,930 | $17.27 | $29,630 | $42,870 | 19,410 |
| 48. Arkansas | $34,430 | $16.55 | $28,840 | $39,020 | 17,260 |
| 49. Alabama | $34,140 | $16.41 | $28,330 | $38,680 | 25,250 |
| 50. Mississippi | $31,520 | $15.15 | $27,050 | $38,290 | 14,200 |
| 51. Louisiana | $30,510 | $14.67 | $27,980 | $37,390 | 20,690 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025.
Highest-paying metro areas for CNAs
The best-paying metro area for nursing assistants is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at a median of $56,840.[onet_cna]
| Metro area | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,840 | $27.33 |
| 2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $56,080 | $26.96 |
| 3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,990 | $25.00 |
| 4. Napa, CA | $50,370 | $24.22 |
| 5. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $50,350 | $24.21 |
| 6. Bend, OR | $50,080 | $24.08 |
| 7. Boulder, CO | $49,860 | $23.97 |
| 8. Grants Pass, OR | $49,770 | $23.93 |
| 9. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $49,270 | $23.69 |
| 10. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $49,240 | $23.67 |
From CNA to a higher-paying license
The next license up, LPN, pays $22,140 more a year at the national median, and a registered nurse earns more than twice the CNA median.[onet_lpn][onet_rn] The training, cost and payback of each step are on CNA to LPN and LPN to RN. If you are not certified yet, start with how to become a CNA.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CNA make an hour?
$20.32 at the national median (BLS, May 2025). The 10th percentile is $16.32 and the 90th is $24.99.
How much does a CNA make in California?
The California median is $47,630 a year ($22.90 an hour). The best-paid California area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $56,840.
What state pays CNAs the most?
Oregon, with a median of $49,830, followed by Washington and New York. Louisiana pays the least at $30,510.
How much does a CNA make a week?
About $813 before tax for a 40-hour week at the national median, or $695 after federal tax and FICA for a single filer with no state tax.
Sources
- Local Wages: 31-1131.00 Nursing Assistants (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Overtime Pay (Fair Labor Standards Act: time and one-half after 40 hours in a workweek)
- Local Wages: 29-2061.00 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 29-1141.00 Registered Nurses (state and metro percentiles)