Nursing Assistants Salary in North Carolina
Nursing Assistants in North Carolina have a median of $38,460 a year, below the national $42,260 (−9%); the state ranks 36th of 51 states by median. That is 20% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia pays more (up to $43,200 in Virginia) and Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina pay less (down to $37,220 in South Carolina). North Carolina employs 64,010 nursing assistants, 13.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 7th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.39 means the occupation is more concentrated in North Carolina than nationally.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.55 | $17.28 | $18.49 | $21.08 | $22.64 | $18.89 | 64,010 | 12.95 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $30,260 | $35,950 | $38,460 | $43,850 | $47,080 | $39,280 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 36th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 7th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.39
- Jobs per 1,000
- 12.95
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina publish a row for nursing assistants, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $19.50 | $40,560 | $36,830 | $49,320 | 4,830 | 14.03 | 1.51 |
| Asheville, NC | $19.31 | $40,170 | $33,670 | $49,030 | 2,590 | 14.31 | 1.54 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $19.09 | $39,710 | $30,660 | $47,740 | 6,420 | 8.64 | 0.93 |
| Greenville, NC | $18.98 | $39,480 | $29,290 | $43,060 | 1,730 | 21.47 | 2.30 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $18.96 | $39,430 | $33,730 | $49,050 | 13,580 | 9.99 | 1.07 |
| Burlington, NC | $18.79 | $39,090 | $30,480 | $45,650 | 1,020 | 15.08 | 1.62 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $18.75 | $38,990 | $31,210 | $47,440 | 8,110 | 10.63 | 1.14 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $18.59 | $38,660 | $32,510 | $45,630 | 4,450 | 16.38 | 1.76 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $18.53 | $38,540 | $29,920 | $46,580 | 600 | 14.87 | 1.60 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $18.39 | $38,260 | $29,600 | $45,920 | 5,280 | 14.45 | 1.55 |
| Wilmington, NC | $18.13 | $37,710 | $29,710 | $47,100 | 2,390 | 12.47 | 1.34 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $18.10 | $37,650 | $27,600 | $43,740 | 940 | 17.13 | 1.84 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $18.05 | $37,530 | $28,660 | $44,990 | 2,130 | 16.20 | 1.74 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $18.00 | $37,430 | $31,240 | $44,860 | 2,780 | 18.06 | 1.94 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $17.76 | $36,930 | $29,830 | $43,570 | 950 | 22.22 | 2.38 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $17.25 | $35,880 | $30,130 | $42,070 | 530 | 10.06 | 1.08 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $17.95 | $37,340 | $29,300 | $44,370 | 4,150 | 16.40 | 1.76 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $17.77 | $36,960 | $28,240 | $43,080 | 4,720 | 17.86 | 1.92 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $17.58 | $36,560 | $28,180 | $43,440 | 4,720 | 19.85 | 2.13 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $18.49 | $38,460 | 64,010 | 1.39 |
| Georgia | $18.12 | $37,680 | 43,440 | 0.95 |
| South Carolina | $17.90 | $37,220 | 21,760 | 1.01 |
| Tennessee | $18.27 | $37,990 | 27,040 | 0.89 |
| Virginia | $20.77 | $43,200 | 40,580 | 1.06 |
See the national page for Nursing Assistants (every state ranked) and the North Carolina wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS North Carolina estimates.
- 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.