Nursing Assistants
Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131) earn a median $42,260 a year ($20.32 an hour) in the United States, with 1,448,910 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oregon.
What nursing assistants do
Nursing assistants provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff, in a health or nursing facility. The SOC lists monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and ambulation, and notes the work may include medication administration and other health-related tasks. They turn or reposition bedridden patients, answer call signals to learn what patients need, feed patients or help them eat and drink, and measure and record food and liquid intake and urinary and fecal output. They give physical support for daily activities such as getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, standing and walking, and remind patients to take medications or supplements. They review dietary restrictions, food allergies and preferences so patients get the proper diet, and document observations of behavior, complaints or physical symptoms for nurses. O*NET alternate titles include certified nursing assistant, certified medication aide and birth attendant. About 39 percent of respondents report a high school diploma and 24 percent a postsecondary certificate. The SOC places home health aides, personal care aides, orderlies and psychiatric aides in separate codes.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical level of education for this occupation (39 percent).
Also called: Birth Attendant, Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), Certified Nurses Aide (CNA).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.32 | $17.91 | $20.32 | $22.70 | $24.99 | $20.53 | 1,448,910 |
| Annual | $33,940 | $37,260 | $42,260 | $47,220 | $51,980 | $42,700 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where nursing assistants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $20.78 | $22.83 | $23.96 | $28.40 | $29.48 | $25.08 | 14,800 | 7.52 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $43,210 | $47,480 | $49,830 | $59,080 | $61,310 | $52,160 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $20.43 | $22.59 | $23.65 | $27.85 | $30.13 | $25.11 | 30,270 | 8.53 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $42,500 | $46,980 | $49,180 | $57,930 | $62,660 | $52,230 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.49 | $21.04 | $23.36 | $24.99 | $28.79 | $23.46 | 87,990 | 9.08 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $38,450 | $43,760 | $48,590 | $51,980 | $59,890 | $48,800 | ||||
| New Hampshire | Hourly | $18.82 | $21.58 | $23.02 | $26.16 | $28.68 | $23.70 | 7,810 | 11.42 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $39,140 | $44,890 | $47,870 | $54,400 | $59,660 | $49,290 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $18.70 | $20.38 | $22.93 | $24.93 | $27.64 | $23.04 | 3,490 | 4.98 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $38,900 | $42,400 | $47,700 | $51,850 | $57,500 | $47,930 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.28 | $22.04 | $22.90 | $26.35 | $29.38 | $24.13 | 110,060 | 6.04 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $40,110 | $45,850 | $47,630 | $54,800 | $61,100 | $50,190 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $16.52 | $17.33 | $18.03 | $20.34 | $22.50 | $18.83 | 96,960 | 9.77 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $34,350 | $36,040 | $37,510 | $42,310 | $46,790 | $39,160 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.72 | $16.97 | $18.03 | $20.71 | $22.84 | $18.65 | 88,680 | 6.30 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $30,620 | $35,300 | $37,500 | $43,070 | $47,500 | $38,780 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.49 | $21.04 | $23.36 | $24.99 | $28.79 | $23.46 | 87,990 | 9.08 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $38,450 | $43,760 | $48,590 | $51,980 | $59,890 | $48,800 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.07 | $18.95 | $22.10 | $23.26 | $25.99 | $21.75 | 68,640 | 11.26 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $37,590 | $39,420 | $45,960 | $48,380 | $54,050 | $45,230 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $22.76 | $24.94 | $27.33 | $32.64 | $37.04 | $28.54 | 5,350 | 4.71 | 0.51 |
| Annual | $47,340 | $51,870 | $56,840 | $67,880 | $77,040 | $59,370 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $22.45 | $24.04 | $26.96 | $28.33 | $33.91 | $27.26 | 11,790 | 4.97 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $46,700 | $50,010 | $56,080 | $58,930 | $70,540 | $56,700 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $22.14 | $23.13 | $25.00 | $28.82 | $32.35 | $26.55 | 16,530 | 7.93 | 0.85 |
| Annual | $46,060 | $48,110 | $51,990 | $59,950 | $67,280 | $55,220 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $20.20 | $22.51 | $24.21 | $26.12 | $30.33 | $24.97 | 460 | 5.97 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $42,020 | $46,820 | $50,370 | $54,340 | $63,080 | $51,930 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $21.15 | $22.90 | $24.21 | $28.52 | $29.41 | $25.32 | 8,890 | 7.36 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $43,980 | $47,640 | $50,350 | $59,330 | $61,170 | $52,660 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $20.79 | $22.80 | $23.69 | $26.53 | $29.10 | $24.43 | 79,480 | 8.37 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $43,240 | $47,430 | $49,270 | $55,170 | $60,530 | $50,810 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.74 | $20.65 | $22.57 | $23.59 | $26.18 | $22.41 | 45,850 | 10.16 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $38,980 | $42,940 | $46,940 | $49,060 | $54,450 | $46,610 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.25 | $22.13 | $22.78 | $24.21 | $29.38 | $23.90 | 43,090 | 6.87 | 0.74 |
| Annual | $40,050 | $46,030 | $47,380 | $50,360 | $61,100 | $49,700 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $18.56 | $20.85 | $22.22 | $22.87 | $23.97 | $22.03 | 30,680 | 10.59 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $38,600 | $43,370 | $46,220 | $47,560 | $49,860 | $45,820 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $19.32 | $21.61 | $22.88 | $24.07 | $28.58 | $23.43 | 26,130 | 9.66 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $40,190 | $44,940 | $47,590 | $50,060 | $59,450 | $48,730 | ||||
Top industries employing nursing assistants
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) employ 36.9% of nursing assistants nationally (534,270 jobs) at a median $43,000 a year ($20.67 an hour), followed by General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (30.6%) and Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (11.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) NAICS 623100 | 534,270 | 36.9% | $43,000 | $20.67 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 442,820 | 30.6% | $41,650 | $20.02 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly NAICS 623300 | 161,150 | 11.1% | $39,490 | $18.99 |
| Home Health Care Services NAICS 621600 | 70,770 | 4.9% | $38,040 | $18.29 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 48,300 | 3.3% | $47,810 | $22.99 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (1,448,910). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $30,310 for nursing assistants in May 2021 and $42,260 in May 2025, with employment of 1,314,830 and 1,448,910.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $30,310 | $14.57 | 1,314,830 |
| May 2022 | $35,760 | $17.19 | 1,310,090 |
| May 2023 | $38,200 | $18.36 | 1,351,760 |
| May 2024 | $39,530 | $19.01 | 1,388,430 |
| May 2025 | $42,260 | $20.32 | 1,448,910 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon profile | $23.96 | $49,830 | $43,210 | $61,310 | 14,800 | 7.52 | 0.81 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $23.65 | $49,180 | $42,500 | $62,660 | 30,270 | 8.53 | 0.91 |
| 3 | New York profile | $23.36 | $48,590 | $38,450 | $59,890 | 87,990 | 9.08 | 0.97 |
| 4 | New Hampshire profile | $23.02 | $47,870 | $39,140 | $59,660 | 7,810 | 11.42 | 1.23 |
| 5 | District of Columbia profile | $22.93 | $47,700 | $38,900 | $57,500 | 3,490 | 4.98 | 0.53 |
| 6 | California profile | $22.90 | $47,630 | $40,110 | $61,100 | 110,060 | 6.04 | 0.65 |
| 7 | Colorado profile | $22.78 | $47,380 | $38,690 | $56,070 | 22,240 | 7.74 | 0.83 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | $22.66 | $47,130 | $37,620 | $59,600 | 3,030 | 9.98 | 1.07 |
| 9 | Maine profile | $22.63 | $47,070 | $39,100 | $58,120 | 8,540 | 13.34 | 1.43 |
| 10 | New Jersey profile | $22.52 | $46,830 | $38,900 | $55,140 | 32,400 | 7.56 | 0.81 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $22.44 | $46,680 | $39,380 | $57,880 | 38,130 | 10.48 | 1.13 |
| 12 | Minnesota profile | $22.44 | $46,680 | $38,010 | $55,410 | 29,120 | 9.87 | 1.06 |
| 13 | Rhode Island profile | $22.33 | $46,440 | $39,220 | $54,950 | 10,220 | 20.38 | 2.19 |
| 14 | Alaska profile | $22.29 | $46,370 | $39,450 | $58,430 | 2,060 | 6.33 | 0.68 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $22.10 | $45,960 | $37,590 | $54,050 | 68,640 | 11.26 | 1.21 |
| 16 | North Dakota profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $35,130 | $51,380 | 6,840 | 15.92 | 1.71 |
| 17 | Nevada profile | $21.87 | $45,490 | $36,940 | $50,680 | 8,100 | 5.22 | 0.56 |
| 18 | Hawaii profile | $21.80 | $45,350 | $36,000 | $52,660 | 5,050 | 8.05 | 0.86 |
| 19 | Wisconsin profile | $21.70 | $45,130 | $37,900 | $50,650 | 28,370 | 9.64 | 1.04 |
| 20 | Connecticut profile | $21.53 | $44,790 | $38,660 | $53,870 | 21,380 | 12.60 | 1.35 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $21.53 | $44,780 | $37,100 | $57,820 | 20,320 | 6.27 | 0.67 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.44 | $44,590 | $37,760 | $49,360 | 67,740 | 11.17 | 1.20 |
| 23 | Maryland profile | $20.79 | $43,240 | $36,060 | $49,330 | 27,720 | 10.03 | 1.08 |
| 24 | Virginia profile | $20.77 | $43,200 | $31,560 | $50,980 | 40,580 | 9.87 | 1.06 |
| 25 | Delaware profile | $20.21 | $42,030 | $36,530 | $48,080 | 5,530 | 11.40 | 1.22 |
| 26 | Montana profile | $19.67 | $40,900 | $36,780 | $49,700 | 4,390 | 8.58 | 0.92 |
| 27 | Nebraska profile | $19.23 | $40,000 | $37,090 | $48,980 | 16,450 | 16.06 | 1.72 |
| 28 | Utah profile | $19.15 | $39,840 | $34,870 | $47,080 | 12,260 | 7.06 | 0.76 |
| 29 | Michigan profile | $19.03 | $39,570 | $36,830 | $46,740 | 43,290 | 9.83 | 1.05 |
| 30 | New Mexico profile | $18.94 | $39,390 | $34,110 | $48,340 | 4,750 | 5.45 | 0.59 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $18.92 | $39,350 | $35,620 | $47,980 | 22,670 | 14.54 | 1.56 |
| 32 | Wyoming profile | $18.83 | $39,160 | $33,390 | $49,610 | 2,830 | 10.08 | 1.08 |
| 33 | Ohio profile | $18.76 | $39,010 | $35,060 | $46,570 | 63,280 | 11.40 | 1.22 |
| 34 | South Dakota profile | $18.65 | $38,800 | $31,110 | $46,100 | 6,860 | 15.00 | 1.61 |
| 35 | Idaho profile | $18.58 | $38,650 | $28,380 | $47,430 | 7,910 | 9.23 | 0.99 |
| 36 | North Carolina profile | $18.49 | $38,460 | $30,260 | $47,080 | 64,010 | 12.95 | 1.39 |
| 37 | Kentucky profile | $18.45 | $38,370 | $30,390 | $46,450 | 23,410 | 11.70 | 1.26 |
| 38 | Indiana profile | $18.43 | $38,330 | $35,390 | $46,890 | 33,640 | 10.51 | 1.13 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $18.27 | $38,010 | $32,180 | $46,980 | 24,610 | 17.12 | 1.84 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $18.27 | $37,990 | $31,110 | $44,660 | 27,040 | 8.25 | 0.89 |
| 41 | Georgia profile | $18.12 | $37,680 | $30,300 | $47,310 | 43,440 | 8.89 | 0.95 |
| 42 | Missouri profile | $18.11 | $37,680 | $31,350 | $45,260 | 34,050 | 11.60 | 1.24 |
| 43 | Florida profile | $18.03 | $37,510 | $34,350 | $46,790 | 96,960 | 9.77 | 1.05 |
| 44 | Texas profile | $18.03 | $37,500 | $30,620 | $47,500 | 88,680 | 6.30 | 0.68 |
| 45 | South Carolina profile | $17.90 | $37,220 | $30,460 | $44,760 | 21,760 | 9.44 | 1.01 |
| 46 | West Virginia profile | $17.66 | $36,720 | $31,060 | $45,290 | 9,390 | 13.38 | 1.44 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $17.27 | $35,930 | $29,630 | $42,870 | 19,410 | 11.37 | 1.22 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $16.55 | $34,430 | $28,840 | $39,020 | 17,260 | 13.24 | 1.42 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $16.41 | $34,140 | $28,330 | $38,680 | 25,250 | 11.95 | 1.28 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $15.15 | $31,520 | $27,050 | $38,290 | 14,200 | 12.21 | 1.31 |
| 51 | Louisiana profile | $14.67 | $30,510 | $27,980 | $37,390 | 20,690 | 10.69 | 1.15 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-1130), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-1131 Nursing Assistants.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-1131, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-1131.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.