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CNA Salary and Wages Outlook by State

As per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean annual wage for nursing assistants was $26,590, in May 2016. The mean per hour wages was estimated to be $13.29. The total number of CNAs working throughout the United States was 1,443,150. As per the statistics mentioned on indeed.com, these professionals received $24,041 in October 2017.

With the expansion of healthcare industry and increasing demand of professionals in this occupation, the job opportunities for the aspiring CNA candidates are readily available. Therefore, if you are in search of a fast growing and lucrative career, becoming a certified nursing assistant would be the most rewarding choice.

Yearly / Annual CNA Salary on Different Percentile Brackets

Percentile Bracket

Wages

90th

$37,900

75th

$31,370

50th

$26,590

25th

$22,470

10th

$20,040

Information Source - bls.gov

  • The annual salary of 90% CNAs was less than $37,900; while the salary of 10% was more than $37,900.
  • 75% made below $31,370; 25% made more than $31,370.
  • 50% earned less than $26,590; the other 50% got above $26,590.
  • 25% were paid less than $22,470; while remaining 75% were paid more than $22,470.
  • 10% were salaried below $20,040; 90% were paid above $20,040.

Monthly CNA Salary on Different Percentile Brackets

Percentile Bracket

Wages

90th

$3,062

75th

$2,711

50th

$2,412

25th

$2,193

10th

$2,100

Information Source - salary.com

  • The yearly income of 90% CNAs was less than $3,062; while the income of 10% was more than $3,062.
  • 75% of CNAs were paid less than $2,711; while 25% were paid more than $2,711.
  • 50% earned below $2,412; the remaining 50% earned above $2,412.
  • 25% of certified nurses were remunerated less than $2,318; while remaining 75% were compensated with more than $2,318.
  • 10% received an amount less than $2,100; 90% received more than $2,100.

Weekly CNA Salary on Different Percentile Brackets

Percentile Bracket

Wages

90th

$707

75th

$651

50th

$590

25th

$535

10th

$485

Information Source - salary.com

  • 90% CNAs earned an annual income less than $707; while 10% earned more than $707.
  • 75% made below $651; 25% made more than $651.
  • 50% earned less than $590; the other 50% got above $590.
  • 25% were paid an amount less than $535; while remaining 75% were compensated with an amount more than $535.
  • 10% made an income below $485; while 90% made an income above $485.

Hourly CNA Salary on Different Percentile Brackets

Percentile Bracket

Wages

90th

$18

75th

$16

50th

$15

25th

$13

10th

$12

Information Source - salary.com

  • The amount earned by 90% CNAs annually was less than $18; while the amount earned by 10% CNAs was more than $12.
  • 75% were remunerated less than $16; the remaining 25% were salaried more than $16.
  • 50% earned less than $15; the other 50% got above $15.
  • 25% were waged below $13; while remaining 75% were waged above $13.
  • 10% were compensated with an amount less than $12; 90% were compensated more than $12.

CNA Salary of Professionals with Related Job Designations

Every job designation has its own duties, responsibilities, salary and benefits. The better designation an individual holds, the more salary package s/he gets. According to indeed.com, the average salary of Certified Nursing Assistants is $24,000. The Average salaries of CNAs for different job postings all over the country is approximately 57% lower in comparion to the average salaries for all the job postings universally. Here’s a list of similar job titles along with their salaries:

Dental Assistants

$36,940

Home Health Aides

$22,170

Licensed Practical Nurses

$44,090

Medical Assistamts

$31,540

Occupational Therapy Aides

$56,070

Physical Therapist Assistants

$45,290

Psychiatric Technicians

$28,670

Registered Nurses

$68,450

Veterinart Assistants

$25,250

Acute Care CNA

$16,000

Skilled Nursing Facility CNA

$17,000

CNA Hospice

$32,000

Correctional Prison Facility CNA

$15,000

CNA CA State Prison

$23,000

CNA Medical South

$24,000

Information Source - bls.gov (In USD as of May, 2016)

Benefits

  • Monetary Benefits
Core Compensation

Median

Percent of Total

Base Salary    

$30,698

65.6%

Bonuses

$43

0.1%

Core Compensation does not consider the personal reasons to find out your expected range of salary, but is actually based on averages for this particular profession.

Value of Benefits

Median

Percent of Total

Social Security

$2,352

5.0%

401K/403B

$1,107

2.4%

Disability

$277

0.6%

Healthcare

$6, 592           

14.1%

Pension

$1,937

4.1%

Time Off

$3,784

8.1%

Total Compensation

$46,788

100%

  • Non-monetary Benefits

CNAs enjoy a wide number of non-monetary benefits, which includes:

  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Vacation leave
  • Tuition assistance
  • Life insurance
  • AD&D insurance
  • Dental, medical, vision, long-term disability.

Top paying industries for this occupation

Industry

Annual mean wage

Hourly mean wage

Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)   

$37,450

$18.00

Scientific Research and Development Services

$35,160

$16.90

Educational Support Services

$33,810

$16.26

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools

$33,570

$16.14

Outpatient Care Centers   

$31,990

$15.38

Information Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2016)

U.S. States with Highest CNA Salary

The list of top paying states for this occupation has been specified below:

State

Annual mean wage

Hourly mean wage

Alaska

$37,520

$18.04

New York

$34,300

$16.49

Nevada

$33,650

$16.18

District of Columbia   

$33,380

$16.05

California

$32,770

$15.76

Information Source: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (as of May 2016)

Salary as per Work Experience

Experience

Salary

Entry-Level (0-5 yrs)

$22K

Mid-Career (5-10 yrs)

$24K

Experienced (10-20 yrs)

$25K

Late-Career (>20 yrs)

$26K

Information Source: Payscale.com

Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job opportunities of CNAs are expected to grow by 11% from 2016 to 2026, much faster as compared to the average for all other occupations. In near future, more number of nursing assistants and orderlies will be required to take care of the elderly patients in long-term care facilities. In addition, the rising rates of chronic conditions and of dementia will also increase the demand for patient care.

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