Certified Nursing Assistant Hourly Pay & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 31,478 US job postings by 6,760 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for certified nursing assistants: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 31,478 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for certified nursing assistants in US job postings is $21.00 an hour (7,202 postings from 1,799 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $19.00 to $23.06 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $21.00 an hour (1,155 postings).
- The skills that most set certified nursing assistant postings apart are compassionate, patience.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Certified Nursing Assistant job postings in the US, October 2026
- $21.00/hr
- Median advertised pay (7,202 postings)
- $19.00–$23.06
- Middle 50% of postings
- $21.00/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 31,478
- US job postings from 6,760 employers
How much does a certified nursing assistant make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $21.00 an hour, from 7,202 US job postings by 1,799 employers that state pay. That is about $44,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 7,202 US certified nursing assistant job postings: median $44,000 a year ($21.00 an hour), middle half $40,000 to $48,000.
- Median: $44,000 ($21.00/hr)
- 25th percentile: $40,000
- 75th percentile: $48,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $20K–$30K | 1.9% |
| $30K–$40K | 25.9% |
| $40K–$50K | 55.1% |
| $50K–$60K | 14.2% |
| $60K–$70K | 1.9% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $21.00 | $19.00–$23.06 | 4,666 |
| All pay postings, annualised | $44,000 | $40K–$48K | 7,202 |
For comparison, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the national median annual wage of Nursing Assistants (31-1131) at $42,000 (May 2025). Postings advertise pay; the BLS measures what people earn, across all employers and levels.
What is the starting salary for a certified nursing assistant?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $21.00 an hour (1,155 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $21.00/hr | 1,155 |
| 2-4 years | $21.49/hr | 258 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 27 |
Highest-paying certified nursing assistant jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Assistant | $22.22/hr | 689 | 139 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant (general) | $21.25/hr | 2,061 | 535 |
| Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) | $21.00/hr | 2,168 | 867 |
| CNA | $21.00/hr | 1,661 | 471 |
Certified nursing assistant pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $24.00/hr | $21.47–$27.02 | 190 | 1.4% |
| California | $23.87/hr | $22.00–$26.00 | 205 | 3.2% |
| Minnesota | $23.06/hr | $20.75–$24.20 | 211 | 3.1% |
| Washington | $23.00/hr | $21.00–$25.00 | 144 | 1.4% |
| New York | $22.75/hr | $20.69–$25.18 | 698 | 6.0% |
| Massachusetts | $22.75/hr | $21.00–$23.32 | 231 | 2.5% |
| New Jersey | $22.00/hr | $20.34–$23.30 | 211 | 2.7% |
| Illinois | $21.47/hr | $20.00–$22.34 | 262 | 4.6% |
| Colorado | $21.45/hr | $20.44–$23.50 | 115 | 1.3% |
| Pennsylvania | $21.12/hr | $19.50–$23.00 | 429 | 5.0% |
| Maryland | $21.00/hr | $19.75–$21.58 | 910 | 8.5% |
| Virginia | $21.00/hr | $19.50–$21.50 | 216 | 2.8% |
| Ohio | $20.02/hr | $19.00–$21.50 | 165 | 3.6% |
| North Carolina | $20.00/hr | $17.00–$21.00 | 185 | 4.7% |
| Florida | $18.00/hr | $17.00–$20.00 | 162 | 4.5% |
| Texas | $17.50/hr | $16.00–$19.50 | 117 | 5.1% |
| Georgia | $17.00/hr | $16.00–$19.34 | 110 | 4.1% |
Skills employers ask for in certified nursing assistant job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Compassionate | 30% |
| Communication | 29% |
| Interpersonal skills | 16% |
| Dependable | 9% |
| Teamwork | 8% |
| Compassion | 7% |
| Patience | 7% |
| Attention to detail | 6% |
| Work independently | 5% |
| Organizational skills | 5% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set certified nursing assistants apart
- Compassionate10.2× as often as in all postings · 30%
- Compassion8.1× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Patience6.8× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Dependable3.2× as often as in all postings · 9%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a certified nursing assistant job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a certified nursing assistant do?
Employers post these jobs as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), CNA, Nursing Assistant, Certified Nursing Assistant CNA, Certified Nurse Assistant and other titles. The largest specializations are Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) (25%), CNA (24%), Nursing Assistant (14%), Hospice Aide (4%), Certified Medication Aide (1%), Med Tech (under 1%).
The closest official occupation is Nursing Assistants (31-1131.00). Its most important 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.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a certified nursing assistant?
Among 2,825 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 3% say 0 years and 84% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 2,825 US certified nursing assistant job postings: median 1 year, and 84% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 17% |
| 1 yr | 67% |
| 2 yrs | 10% |
| 3-4 yrs | 3% |
| 5-7 yrs | 1% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 70%, Part-time 30% of the 3,865 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a certified nursing assistant: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) | 1,763 (26.1%) |
| Certified Nursing Assistant | 1,678 (24.8%) |
| CNA | 1,546 (22.9%) |
| Nursing Assistant | 310 (4.6%) |
| Certified Nursing Assistant CNA | 244 (3.6%) |
| Certified Nurse Assistant | 195 (2.9%) |
| Certified Nurse Aide | 191 (2.8%) |
| CNA Certified Nursing Assistant | 173 (2.6%) |
| Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA) | 107 (1.6%) |
| Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) | 95 (1.4%) |
| STNA | 94 (1.4%) |
| Nurse Assistant | 79 (1.2%) |
| Hospice Aide | 67 (1.0%) |
| Certified Nursing Assistants | 62 (0.9%) |
| State Tested Nursing Assistant | 62 (0.9%) |
| State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA) | 59 (0.9%) |
| CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) | 57 (0.8%) |
| Licensed Nursing Assistant | 51 (0.8%) |
| Certified Nurses Aide | 51 (0.8%) |
| Certified Nursing Aide | 49 (0.7%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Certified nursing assistant job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CNA | 5,919 | 1,546 | $21.00/hr | 1 year | compassionate, communication, interpersonal skills |
| Certified Nursing Assistant CNA | 447 | 244 | – | – | compassionate, caring, dependable |
Certified Nursing Assistant compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Nursing Assistant | $21.00/hr | 1 year | 31,478 | – |
| Caregiver | $18.25/hr | 1 year | 63,324 | 21 |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | $32.65/hr | 1 year | 34,229 | 16 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $34.52/hr | 1 year | 12,964 | 16 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $35.00/hr | 1 year | 6,754 | 15 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Caregiver | 21 | $18.25/hr |
| Licensed Practical Nurse | 16 | $32.65/hr |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | 16 | $34.52/hr |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 15 | $35.00/hr |
| Recreation Coordinator | 15 | $18.75/hr |
| Behavior Technician | 18 | $24.00/hr |
Applying for certified nursing assistant jobs?
- Certified nursing assistant resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find certified nursing assistant jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a certified nursing assistant make an hour?
How much does a CNA make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 40 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 36 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.