What are the main factors that influence a Certified Nurse Aide's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

What industry pays the highest salary for Certified Nurse Aide?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Certified Nurse Aide roles, with salaries approximately 40% above the market median.

How does experience change A Certified Nurse Aide's salary?

A Certified Nurse Aide's salary grows with experience: a Certified Nurse Aide (0-0 years)earns $33,873, a Nursing Assistant - Non-certified (0-1 years)earns $34,148, a Patient Care Technician (PCT) (1-3 years)earns $37,844,

What are the highest paying states for a Certified Nurse Aide?

Certified Nurse Aide salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Certified Nurse Aide roles are District of Columbia $37,216, California $37,075, Massachusetts $36,581. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Certified Nurse Aide roles make?

Salaries for Certified Nurse Aide level roles vary by specialization: Certified Nurse Midwife: $112,475; Certified Medication Aide (CMA): $39,600; Certified Registered Medication Aide: $39,590; Certified Medicine Aide: $38,356; Certified Medication Aide: $38,110.

How do different companies affect a Certified Nurse Aide's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Certified Nurse Aide roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Certified Nurse Aide Salary in the United States

How much does a Certified Nurse Aide make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Certified Nurse Aide in the United States is $33,613 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $16.

However, a Certified Nurse Aide's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $36,927
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $29,871 to $35,348
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $26,464

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Certified Nurse Aide Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$35,348	$2,946	$680	$17
Average	$33,613	$2,801	$646	$16
25th Percentile	$29,871	$2,489	$574	$14

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Certified Nurse Aide Salaries

A Certified Nurse Aide's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Certified Nurse Aide Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Certified Nurse Aides. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $37,216.
California: $37,075.
Massachusetts: $36,581.

District of Columbia $37,216 California $37,075 Massachusetts $36,581 Washington $36,446 New Jersey $36,433 Alaska $36,386 Connecticut $35,922 New York $35,734

Hawaii $35,132 Rhode Island $34,850 Maryland $34,658 Minnesota $34,396 Colorado $34,295 Illinois $34,261 Oregon $34,134 Delaware $34,040

New Hampshire $33,980 Virginia $33,848 Pennsylvania $33,461 Nevada $33,266 North Dakota $33,203 Michigan $33,102 Wisconsin $33,065 Vermont $32,991

Texas $32,786 Maine $32,772 Arizona $32,752 Ohio $32,729 Georgia $32,419 Indiana $32,265 Wyoming $32,235 Utah $32,188

Iowa $32,167 Kansas $32,006 Louisiana $31,959 North Carolina $31,942 Missouri $31,935 Florida $31,804 Montana $31,734 Nebraska $31,667

Kentucky $31,630 South Carolina $31,495 Tennessee $31,411 Idaho $31,377 New Mexico $31,132 Oklahoma $31,078 Alabama $30,880 South Dakota $30,547

Arkansas $30,366 West Virginia $30,268 Mississippi $29,976

Top Paying Cities for Certified Nurse Aides

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $42,396
San Francisco: $41,932
Oakland: $41,048

San Jose, CA $42,396

San Francisco, CA $41,932

Oakland, CA $41,048

New York, NY $38,701

Paramus, NJ $38,231

Queens Village, NY $38,229

Passaic, NJ $38,197

Bergenfield, NJ $38,194

Stamford, CT $38,120

Huntington, NY $38,106

Newark, NJ $37,858

Bridgeport, CT $37,787

Vallejo, CA $37,720

New Brunswick, NJ $37,707

Petaluma, CA $37,687

Middlesex, NJ $37,623

Somerset, NJ $37,599

Santa Cruz, CA $37,555

Boston, MA $37,350

Monterey, CA $37,232

Seattle, WA $37,155

Santa Rosa, CA $37,149

Los Angeles, CA $37,139

Juneau, AK $37,051

Washington, DC $37,014

Orange, CA $36,895

Santa Ana, CA $36,806

Long Beach, CA $36,772

Anaheim, CA $36,766

Anchorage, AK $36,749

Santa Maria, CA $36,648

Everett, WA $36,641

Danbury, CT $36,523

Bremerton, WA $36,477

Tacoma, WA $36,355

New Suffolk, NY $36,355

Sacramento, CA $36,345

Santa Barbara, CA $36,308

Trenton, NJ $36,271

San Diego, CA $36,271

Brockton, MA $36,234

Fairbanks, AK $36,152

Lompoc, CA $36,066

Lowell, MA $36,039

Ventura, CA $36,033

Nashua, NH $36,026

Stockton, CA $36,023

Modesto, CA $35,777

Poughkeepsie, NY $35,703

Olympia, WA $35,640

Kennewick, WA $35,640

New Haven, CT $35,626

Lawrence, MA $35,505

Hartford, CT $35,471

Riverside, CA $35,465

New Bedford, MA $35,431

Richland, WA $35,431

Bakersfield, CA $35,384

San Bernardino, CA $35,371

New Britain, CT $35,367

Atlantic City, NJ $35,367

New London, CT $35,354

Norwich, CT $35,344

Portsmouth, NH $35,337

Boulder, CO $35,266

Portland, OR $35,219

Worcester, MA $35,216

Minneapolis, MN $35,112

Philadelphia, PA $35,065

Honolulu, HI $34,954

Saint Paul, MN $34,938

Vineland, NJ $34,930

Providence, RI $34,833

Chicago, IL $34,735

Bellingham, WA $34,695

Springfield, MA $34,668

Baltimore, MD $34,658

Chico, CA $34,574

Pittsfield, MA $34,483

Manchester, NH $34,419

Spokane, WA $34,272

Denver, CO $34,268

Albany, NY $34,110

Troy, NY $34,097

Nassau, NY $34,061

Schenectady, NY $34,026

Wilmington, DE $33,999

Burlington, VT $33,952

Salem, OR $33,939

Portland, ME $33,835

Yakima, WA $33,801

Rochester, MN $33,697

Reno, NV $33,680

Fresno, CA $33,680

Milwaukee, WI $33,650

Detroit, MI $33,616

Ann Arbor, MI $33,610

Allentown, PA $33,606

Colorado Springs, CO $33,549

Syracuse, NY $33,532

Carson City, NV $33,532

Houston, TX $33,485

Eugene, OR $33,468

Gary, IN $33,428

Springfield, OR $33,401

Bismarck, ND $33,394

Galveston, TX $33,371

Medford, OR $33,320

Fort Collins, CO $33,307

Concord, NH $33,290

Austin, TX $33,280

Mesa, AZ $33,209

Reading, PA $33,206

Phoenix, AZ $33,203

Dallas, TX $33,193

Saint Cloud, MN $33,160

Madison, WI $33,115

Utica, NY $33,024

Rochester, NY $32,971

Des Moines, IA $32,967

Raleigh, NC $32,964

Atlanta, GA $32,914

Battle Creek, MI $32,903

Salt Lake City, UT $32,893

Lancaster, PA $32,843

Harrisburg, PA $32,796

Kansas City, MO $32,762

Champaign, IL $32,756

Kansas City, KS $32,756

Fort Worth, TX $32,752

Columbus, OH $32,747

Boca Raton, FL $32,739

Pittsburgh, PA $32,725

Richmond, VA $32,712

Indianapolis, IN $32,705

Cleveland, OH $32,702

Las Vegas, NV $32,661

Cincinnati, OH $32,661

Petersburg, VA $32,611

Huntsville, AL $32,561

Lansing, MI $32,538

Lebanon, PA $32,534

Pueblo, CO $32,530

Appleton, WI $32,520

Buffalo, NY $32,507

Dayton, OH $32,497

Racine, WI $32,490

Charlotte, NC $32,487

Saint Louis, MO $32,477

York, PA $32,456

Elkhart, IN $32,456

Gastonia, NC $32,450

Billings, MT $32,442

Beaumont, TX $32,433

Lorain, OH $32,426

Benton Harbor, MI $32,419

Toledo, OH $32,413

Binghamton, NY $32,396

Rock Hill, SC $32,393

Rockford, IL $32,376

Springfield, IL $32,362

Elyria, OH $32,359

Fargo, ND $32,359

Flagstaff, AZ $32,335

Fort Lauderdale, FL $32,315

Duluth, MN $32,295

Miami, FL $32,295

Cheyenne, WY $32,272

Grand Forks, ND $32,272

Bangor, ME $32,198

Cedar Rapids, IA $32,161

Durham, NC $32,147

Louisville, KY $32,144

Grand Rapids, MI $32,137

Hialeah, FL $32,134

Casper, WY $32,087

Scranton, PA $32,046

New Orleans, LA $32,036

Virginia Beach, VA $32,033

Akron, OH $32,016

Peoria, IL $31,972

Sarasota, FL $31,966

Nashville, TN $31,942

Omaha, NE $31,942

Green Bay, WI $31,942

Baton Rouge, LA $31,925

Charleston, SC $31,919

Jamestown, NY $31,902

Davenport, IA $31,902

Tucson, AZ $31,885

Saint Petersburg, FL $31,865

Tampa, FL $31,858

Evansville, IN $31,838

Port Arthur, TX $31,838

Bradenton, FL $31,825

Santa Fe, NM $31,764

Orlando, FL $31,703

Clearwater, FL $31,693

Canton, OH $31,623

La Crosse, WI $31,623

Albuquerque, NM $31,603

Newport News, VA $31,599

High Point, NC $31,589

Ogden, UT $31,576

Corpus Christi, TX $31,549

Norfolk, VA $31,529

Laramie, WY $31,529

Rock Island, IL $31,509

Saginaw, MI $31,502

Jacksonville, FL $31,498

Salisbury, NC $31,492

Boise, ID $31,485

Moline, IL $31,468

Fort Myers, FL $31,458

Memphis, TN $31,451

Tulsa, OK $31,435

Waterloo, IA $31,414

Spartanburg, SC $31,381

Lincoln, NE $31,364

Fort Wayne, IN $31,357

Provo, UT $31,354

Cedar Falls, IA $31,314

San Antonio, TX $31,300

Greensboro, NC $31,287

South Bend, IN $31,283

Savannah, GA $31,246

Muskegon, MI $31,233

Birmingham, AL $31,230

Winston Salem, NC $31,213

Lake Charles, LA $31,132

Anderson, IN $31,125

Lexington, KY $31,115

Augusta, GA $31,105

Greenville, SC $31,105

Lima, OH $31,078

Wichita, KS $31,075

Tuscaloosa, AL $31,075

Columbia, SC $31,045

Springfield, OH $31,038

Asheville, NC $30,984

Bloomington, IN $30,961

Knoxville, TN $30,840

Shreveport, LA $30,836

Wilmington, NC $30,793

Roanoke, VA $30,793

Topeka, KS $30,732

Frankfort, KY $30,728

Oklahoma City, OK $30,705

Chillicothe, OH $30,692

Longview, TX $30,688

Melbourne, FL $30,685

Sioux Falls, SD $30,631

Mobile, AL $30,628

Terre Haute, IN $30,614

Altoona, PA $30,594

Amarillo, TX $30,571

Killeen, TX $30,561

Fayetteville, AR $30,534

Chattanooga, TN $30,524

Sioux City, IA $30,493

Idaho Falls, ID $30,487

Lynchburg, VA $30,460

Gainesville, FL $30,416

Portsmouth, OH $30,399

Little Rock, AR $30,393

Lafayette, LA $30,379

Youngstown, OH $30,379

Daytona Beach, FL $30,359

Clarksville, TN $30,356

Pensacola, FL $30,352

Temple, TX $30,350

Hopkinsville, KY $30,251

Erie, PA $30,245

Florence, SC $30,231

Charleston, WV $30,177

Great Falls, MT $30,161

Macon, GA $30,114

Tallahassee, FL $30,110

Fayetteville, NC $30,104

Waco, TX $30,097

Helena, MT $30,073

Pine Bluff, AR $30,061

Vincennes, IN $30,020

Lubbock, TX $30,006

Alamogordo, NM $29,986

Twin Falls, ID $29,956

Rapid City, SD $29,946

Jackson, MS $29,885

Huntington, WV $29,883

Greenville, MS $29,882

Parkersburg, WV $29,847

Montgomery, AL $29,841

Wichita Falls, TX $29,808

Springfield, MO $29,808

Biloxi, MS $29,791

Monroe, LA $29,757

Johnstown, PA $29,734

Sumter, SC $29,720

Columbus, GA $29,717

Pascagoula, MS $29,653

Abilene, TX $29,653

Kingsport, TN $29,566

Albany, GA $29,566

Gulfport, MS $29,556

Alexandria, LA $29,445

Fort Smith, AR $29,361

El Paso, TX $29,270

Las Cruces, NM $29,119

Harlingen, TX $29,033

Pocatello, ID $29,028

Florence, AL $28,984

Brownsville, TX $28,978

Mcallen, TX $28,907

Dothan, AL $28,860

Columbus, MS $28,660

Altus, OK $28,504

Lawton, OK $28,440

Pierre, SD $28,319

What Skills Can Increase a Certified Nurse Aide's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.53% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Long Term Care (Mentioned in 4.69% Job Postings): Long-term care (LTC) is a variety of services which help meet both the medical and non-medical needs of people with a chronic illness or disability who cannot care for themselves for long periods. Long term care is focused on individualized and coordinated services that promote independence, maximize patients' quality of life, and meet patients' needs over a period of time. It is common for long-term care to provide custodial and non-skilled care, such as assisting with normal daily tasks like dressing, feeding, using the bathroom. Increasingly, long-term care involves providing a level of medical care that requires the expertise of skilled practitioners to address the multiple chronic conditions associated with older populations. Long-term care can be provided at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities or in nursing homes. Long-term care may be needed by people of any age, although it is a more common need for senior citizens.
Home Care (Mentioned in 2.18% Job Postings): Homecare is health care or supportive care provided by a professional caregiver in the individual home where the patient or client is living, as opposed to care provided in group accommodations like clinics or nursing home.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.53%
Long Term Care	4.69%
Home Care	2.18%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Certified Nurse Aide's salary.

Dialysis: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
Attention to Detail: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Dialysis	$38,318	14%
Attention to Detail	$35,629	6%
Initiative	$35,293	5%
Collaboration	$35,293	5%
Cardiac	$34,957	4%
Organizational Skills	$34,957	4%

Get Latest Data

Certified Nurse Aide Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Certified Nurse Aide roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 40% above the average. Conversely, Certified Nurse Aide positions in Business Services typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Certified Nurse Aide as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Certified Nurse Aide

Industry Sector	Average Annual Salary	Average Hourly Rate	Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare	$47,058	$23.0	40%

How Education impacts a Certified Nurse Aide's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Certified Nurse Aides enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Certified Nurse Aide with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $35,160 and $37,049).

Certified Nurse Aide Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Certified Nurse Aide

No Diploma 1.7%

High School 78.7%

Associates 11.4%

Bachelors 7.6%

Masters 0.6%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.7%
High School	78.7%
Associates	11.4%
Bachelors	7.6%
Masters	0.6%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Certified Nurse Aide Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Certified Nurse Aide's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on July 01, 2026

$29,871

Average $33,613/year

$35,348

$2,489

Average $2,801/month

$2,946

$574

Average $646/week

$680

$14

Average $16/hour

$17

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$35,348	$2,946	$680	$17
Average	$33,613	$2,801	$646	$16
25th Percentile	$29,871	$2,489	$574	$14

Salaries of jobs related to Certified Nurse Aide

Salary Trends for Certified Nurse Aide

Salaries for a Certified Nurse Aide can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $48,958 in 2023 to around $49,568 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Certified Nurse Aide salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Certified Nurse Aide Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$48,958

2024

$49,735

2025

$49,568

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$48,958
2024	$49,735
2025	$49,568
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Certified Nurse Aide

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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