Nursing assistants salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,940 | $16.32 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $42,260 | $20.32 |
| Mean (average) | $42,700 | $20.53 |
| 90th percentile | $51,980 | $24.99 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Nursing assistants pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 53 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $34,140 | $28,330 | $38,680 | 25,250 | 1.28 |
| Alaska | $46,370 | $39,450 | $58,430 | 2,060 | 0.68 |
| Arizona | $44,780 | $37,100 | $57,820 | 20,320 | 0.67 |
| Arkansas | $34,430 | $28,840 | $39,020 | 17,260 | 1.42 |
| California | $47,630 | $40,110 | $61,100 | 110,060 | 0.65 |
| Colorado | $47,380 | $38,690 | $56,070 | 22,240 | 0.83 |
| Connecticut | $44,790 | $38,660 | $53,870 | 21,380 | 1.35 |
| Delaware | $42,030 | $36,530 | $48,080 | 5,530 | 1.22 |
| District of Columbia | $47,700 | $38,900 | $57,500 | 3,490 | 0.53 |
| Florida | $37,510 | $34,350 | $46,790 | 96,960 | 1.05 |
| Georgia | $37,680 | $30,300 | $47,310 | 43,440 | 0.95 |
| Hawaii | $45,350 | $36,000 | $52,660 | 5,050 | 0.86 |
| Idaho | $38,650 | $28,380 | $47,430 | 7,910 | 0.99 |
| Illinois | $45,960 | $37,590 | $54,050 | 68,640 | 1.21 |
| Indiana | $38,330 | $35,390 | $46,890 | 33,640 | 1.13 |
| Iowa | $39,350 | $35,620 | $47,980 | 22,670 | 1.56 |
| Kansas | $38,010 | $32,180 | $46,980 | 24,610 | 1.84 |
| Kentucky | $38,370 | $30,390 | $46,450 | 23,410 | 1.26 |
| Louisiana | $30,510 | $27,980 | $37,390 | 20,690 | 1.15 |
| Maine | $47,070 | $39,100 | $58,120 | 8,540 | 1.43 |
| Maryland | $43,240 | $36,060 | $49,330 | 27,720 | 1.08 |
| Massachusetts | $46,680 | $39,380 | $57,880 | 38,130 | 1.13 |
| Michigan | $39,570 | $36,830 | $46,740 | 43,290 | 1.05 |
| Minnesota | $46,680 | $38,010 | $55,410 | 29,120 | 1.06 |
| Mississippi | $31,520 | $27,050 | $38,290 | 14,200 | 1.31 |
| Missouri | $37,680 | $31,350 | $45,260 | 34,050 | 1.24 |
| Montana | $40,900 | $36,780 | $49,700 | 4,390 | 0.92 |
| Nebraska | $40,000 | $37,090 | $48,980 | 16,450 | 1.72 |
| Nevada | $45,490 | $36,940 | $50,680 | 8,100 | 0.56 |
| New Hampshire | $47,870 | $39,140 | $59,660 | 7,810 | 1.23 |
| New Jersey | $46,830 | $38,900 | $55,140 | 32,400 | 0.81 |
| New Mexico | $39,390 | $34,110 | $48,340 | 4,750 | 0.59 |
| New York | $48,590 | $38,450 | $59,890 | 87,990 | 0.97 |
| North Carolina | $38,460 | $30,260 | $47,080 | 64,010 | 1.39 |
| North Dakota | $45,820 | $35,130 | $51,380 | 6,840 | 1.71 |
| Ohio | $39,010 | $35,060 | $46,570 | 63,280 | 1.22 |
| Oklahoma | $35,930 | $29,630 | $42,870 | 19,410 | 1.22 |
| Oregon | $49,830 | $43,210 | $61,310 | 14,800 | 0.81 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $37,760 | $49,360 | 67,740 | 1.2 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,850 | $21,840 | $45,450 | 430 | 0.05 |
| Rhode Island | $46,440 | $39,220 | $54,950 | 10,220 | 2.19 |
| South Carolina | $37,220 | $30,460 | $44,760 | 21,760 | 1.01 |
| South Dakota | $38,800 | $31,110 | $46,100 | 6,860 | 1.61 |
| Tennessee | $37,990 | $31,110 | $44,660 | 27,040 | 0.89 |
| Texas | $37,500 | $30,620 | $47,500 | 88,680 | 0.68 |
| Utah | $39,840 | $34,870 | $47,080 | 12,260 | 0.76 |
| Vermont | $47,130 | $37,620 | $59,600 | 3,030 | 1.07 |
| Virgin Islands | $37,240 | $32,560 | $44,920 | 110 | 0.38 |
| Virginia | $43,200 | $31,560 | $50,980 | 40,580 | 1.06 |
| Washington | $49,180 | $42,500 | $62,660 | 30,270 | 0.91 |
| West Virginia | $36,720 | $31,060 | $45,290 | 9,390 | 1.44 |
| Wisconsin | $45,130 | $37,900 | $50,650 | 28,370 | 1.04 |
| Wyoming | $39,160 | $33,390 | $49,610 | 2,830 | 1.08 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for nursing assistants
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 196,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 1.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for nursing assistants
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Health Aide CIP 51.2601
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide CIP 51.3902
- Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, Other CIP 51.3999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Turn or reposition bedridden patients.
- Answer patient call signals, signal lights, bells, or intercom systems to determine patients' needs.
- Feed patients or assist patients to eat or drink.
- Measure and record food and liquid intake or urinary and fecal output, reporting changes to medical or nursing staff.
- Provide physical support to assist patients to perform daily living activities, such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing, walking, or exercising.
- Document or otherwise report observations of patient behavior, complaints, or physical symptoms to nurses.
- Remind patients to take medications or nutritional supplements.
- Review patients' dietary restrictions, food allergies, and preferences to ensure patient receives appropriate diet.
Technology skills
- Apache Spark (hot technology)
- Epic Systems (hot technology)
- MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Billing software
- FaceTime
- GE Healthcare Centricity EMR
- Health information database software
- Medical condition coding software
- Medical procedure coding software
- Medical record charting software
- PointClickCare healthcare software
- Telemetry software
Transferable skills for career changers: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA), Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA), Nurses' Aide, Nursing Aide, Nursing Assistant, Patient Care Assistant (PCA), State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do nursing assistants make?
The national median annual wage for nursing assistants was $42,260 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $33,940 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $51,980. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do nursing assistants need?
BLS lists postsecondary nondegree award as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is nursing assistants a growing career?
BLS projects employment of nursing assistants to change +2.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 196,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay nursing assistants the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Oregon ($49,830), Washington ($49,180), New York ($48,590). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.