CNA Pay by State, May 2025: What Nursing Assistants Earn in Every State and Workplace
By NurseCompensation Research Team · 2026-10-19 · 8 min read
The national median for nursing assistants is $42,260, or $20.32 an hour. It ranges from $30,510 in Louisiana to $49,830 in Oregon. Nursing homes pay slightly more than hospitals. Full BLS May 2025 data.
About 1.45 million people work as nursing assistants in the U.S., more than twice the number of LPNs and about 43% of the number of RNs. Many nurses start here, and many people stay in the role for years.
This is what the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports they earn as of May 2025. BLS groups certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nurse aides, and similar titles under one category, "nursing assistants."
National snapshot
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,940 | |
| 25th percentile | $37,260 | |
| Median | $42,260 | $20.32 |
| Mean | $42,700 | |
| 75th percentile | $47,220 | |
| 90th percentile | $51,980 | |
| Employed | 1,448,910 |
The median nursing assistant earns 83% of the median for all U.S. workers ($50,980). The pay range is narrow: the 90th percentile is only about $18,000 above the 10th. For comparison, that spread is close to $69,000 for RNs.
A year earlier, in May 2024, the national median was $39,530. The May 2025 figure is 6.9% higher, a faster increase than the 4.2% for RNs or 3.3% for LPNs over the same period.
CNA pay in every state
Ranked by median annual pay. The second-to-last column compares the CNA median to the median for all workers in that state.
| Rank | State | CNA median (annual) | Hourly median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employed | CNA median as % of all-worker median | Change from 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $49,830 | $23.96 | $43,210 | $61,310 | 14,800 | 87% | +3.0% |
| 2 | Washington | $49,180 | $23.65 | $42,500 | $62,660 | 30,270 | 78% | +1.9% |
| 3 | New York | $48,590 | $23.36 | $38,450 | $59,890 | 87,990 | 81% | +2.5% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $47,870 | $23.02 | $39,140 | $59,660 | 7,810 | 86% | +4.0% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $47,700 | $22.93 | $38,900 | $57,500 | 3,490 | 52% | +1.8% |
| 6 | California | $47,630 | $22.90 | $40,110 | $61,100 | 110,060 | 82% | +2.6% |
| 7 | Colorado | $47,380 | $22.78 | $38,690 | $56,070 | 22,240 | 79% | +5.4% |
| 8 | Vermont | $47,130 | $22.66 | $37,620 | $59,600 | 3,030 | 84% | +8.1% |
| 9 | Maine | $47,070 | $22.63 | $39,100 | $58,120 | 8,540 | 92% | +3.1% |
| 10 | New Jersey | $46,830 | $22.52 | $38,900 | $55,140 | 32,400 | 80% | +4.3% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $46,680 | $22.44 | $39,380 | $57,880 | 38,130 | 73% | +2.8% |
| 12 | Minnesota | $46,680 | $22.44 | $38,010 | $55,410 | 29,120 | 82% | +2.4% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $46,440 | $22.33 | $39,220 | $54,950 | 10,220 | 82% | +5.2% |
| 14 | Alaska | $46,370 | $22.29 | $39,450 | $58,430 | 2,060 | 76% | +1.2% |
| 15 | Illinois | $45,960 | $22.10 | $37,590 | $54,050 | 68,640 | 88% | +2.7% |
| 16 | North Dakota | $45,820 | $22.03 | $35,130 | $51,380 | 6,840 | 87% | +3.7% |
| 17 | Nevada | $45,490 | $21.87 | $36,940 | $50,680 | 8,100 | 95% | +1.0% |
| 18 | Hawaii | $45,350 | $21.80 | $36,000 | $52,660 | 5,050 | 81% | +1.2% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $45,130 | $21.70 | $37,900 | $50,650 | 28,370 | 90% | +4.3% |
| 20 | Connecticut | $44,790 | $21.53 | $38,660 | $53,870 | 21,380 | 75% | +0.7% |
| 21 | Arizona | $44,780 | $21.53 | $37,100 | $57,820 | 20,320 | 89% | +6.7% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $21.44 | $37,760 | $49,360 | 67,740 | 90% | +8.5% |
| 23 | Maryland | $43,240 | $20.79 | $36,060 | $49,330 | 27,720 | 73% | +8.1% |
| 24 | Virginia | $43,200 | $20.77 | $31,560 | $50,980 | 40,580 | 78% | +11.4% |
| 25 | Delaware | $42,030 | $20.21 | $36,530 | $48,080 | 5,530 | 81% | +7.1% |
| 26 | Montana | $40,900 | $19.67 | $36,780 | $49,700 | 4,390 | 84% | +4.1% |
| 27 | Nebraska | $40,000 | $19.23 | $37,090 | $48,980 | 16,450 | 82% | +3.6% |
| 28 | Utah | $39,840 | $19.15 | $34,870 | $47,080 | 12,260 | 80% | +3.5% |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,570 | $19.03 | $36,830 | $46,740 | 43,290 | 80% | +1.7% |
| 30 | New Mexico | $39,390 | $18.94 | $34,110 | $48,340 | 4,750 | 83% | +6.4% |
| 31 | Iowa | $39,350 | $18.92 | $35,620 | $47,980 | 22,670 | 81% | +1.9% |
| 32 | Wyoming | $39,160 | $18.83 | $33,390 | $49,610 | 2,830 | 78% | +2.1% |
| 33 | Ohio | $39,010 | $18.76 | $35,060 | $46,570 | 63,280 | 79% | +1.1% |
| 34 | South Dakota | $38,800 | $18.65 | $31,110 | $46,100 | 6,860 | 82% | +1.9% |
| 35 | Idaho | $38,650 | $18.58 | $28,380 | $47,430 | 7,910 | 81% | +3.0% |
| 36 | North Carolina | $38,460 | $18.49 | $30,260 | $47,080 | 64,010 | 80% | +2.1% |
| 37 | Kentucky | $38,370 | $18.45 | $30,390 | $46,450 | 23,410 | 82% | +2.8% |
| 38 | Indiana | $38,330 | $18.43 | $35,390 | $46,890 | 33,640 | 80% | +2.7% |
| 39 | Kansas | $38,010 | $18.27 | $32,180 | $46,980 | 24,610 | 79% | +3.0% |
| 40 | Tennessee | $37,990 | $18.27 | $31,110 | $44,660 | 27,040 | 80% | +3.4% |
| 41 | Georgia | $37,680 | $18.12 | $30,300 | $47,310 | 43,440 | 78% | +3.0% |
| 42 | Missouri | $37,680 | $18.11 | $31,350 | $45,260 | 34,050 | 79% | +1.4% |
| 43 | Florida | $37,510 | $18.03 | $34,350 | $46,790 | 96,960 | 78% | +1.8% |
| 44 | Texas | $37,500 | $18.03 | $30,620 | $47,500 | 88,680 | 77% | +3.1% |
| 45 | South Carolina | $37,220 | $17.90 | $30,460 | $44,760 | 21,760 | 80% | +2.3% |
| 46 | West Virginia | $36,720 | $17.66 | $31,060 | $45,290 | 9,390 | 81% | +1.0% |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $35,930 | $17.27 | $29,630 | $42,870 | 19,410 | 79% | +2.5% |
| 48 | Arkansas | $34,430 | $16.55 | $28,840 | $39,020 | 17,260 | 79% | +7.6% |
| 49 | Alabama | $34,140 | $16.41 | $28,330 | $38,680 | 25,250 | 75% | +5.1% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,520 | $15.15 | $27,050 | $38,290 | 14,200 | 79% | +3.5% |
| 51 | Louisiana | $30,510 | $14.67 | $27,980 | $37,390 | 20,690 | 67% | +0.9% |
The gap between the top and bottom states is $19,320 a year, or about $9.30 an hour. A nursing assistant at the 10th percentile in Oregon ($43,210) earns more than the median nursing assistant in 28 states.
Measured against local pay, the picture shifts. Nevada nursing assistants earn 95% of the state's all-worker median, and Maine 92%. In Louisiana, the figure is 67%, the lowest of any state. D.C. shows 52%, but that reflects D.C.'s unusually high overall wages ($91,540 all-worker median) more than low CNA pay.
Where nursing assistants work, and what each workplace pays
| Workplace (BLS industry) | Nursing assistants employed | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing) | 534,270 | $43,000 | $20.67 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 442,820 | $41,650 | $20.02 |
| Continuing care and assisted living | 161,150 | $39,490 | $18.99 |
| Home health care services | 70,770 | $38,040 | $18.29 |
| Employment services (staffing agencies) | 48,300 | $47,810 | $22.99 |
| Individual and family services | 32,110 | $35,380 | $17.01 |
| Specialty hospitals | 28,810 | $45,660 | $21.95 |
| Offices of physicians | 25,030 | $39,720 | $19.09 |
| Outpatient care centers | 15,440 | $48,290 | $23.22 |
| Federal government | 14,560 | $54,080 | $26.00 |
Two things stand out:
- Nursing homes pay CNAs a little more than general hospitals. The median is $43,000 versus $41,650. This is the reverse of the pattern for RNs, who earn substantially more in hospitals.
- The highest medians are in smaller settings. Federal jobs (mostly VA facilities) pay a median of $54,080. Outpatient care centers and staffing agencies are both close to $48,000. Together, though, these three employ fewer than 80,000 of the 1.45 million nursing assistants.
The step up: CNA to LPN to RN
| Role (national, May 2025) | Median annual pay | Increase over the step below |
|---|---|---|
| Nursing assistant | $42,260 | |
| LPN / LVN | $64,400 | +$22,140 |
| Registered nurse | $97,550 | +$33,150 |
At the national median, an LPN license adds about $22,000 a year over nursing assistant pay. An RN license adds another $33,000. In 36 states and D.C., an LPN at the 10th percentile earns more than a nursing assistant at the 90th.
What the data includes
These figures are base wages. They exclude overtime, shift differentials, and bonuses, all of which are common in long-term care. Nursing assistants who regularly pick up extra shifts will earn more than these numbers show. Year-over-year changes for small states should be read with caution, since BLS estimates blend three years of survey data and are not designed for precise comparisons over time.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 national, state, and national industry-specific data (SOC 31-1131 Nursing Assistants; 29-2061 Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses; 29-1141 Registered Nurses; 00-0000 All Occupations). May 2024 figures from the prior OEWS release. Percentages, gaps, and comparisons calculated by NurseCompensation from published BLS figures.