The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a national median annual wage of $42,260 for nursing assistants in May 2025. This is not an entry-level wage, a state estimate or a job offer.
What do the national BLS figures say?
The median marks the middle when nursing assistants’ wages nationwide are ordered from lowest to highest. For May 2025, BLS reported that the lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,940 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $51,980.
BLS reports these national median annual wages for nursing assistants in selected settings for May 2025:
- Nursing care facilities: $43,000
- Hospitals: $42,310
- Home healthcare services: $38,040
These are national medians by setting. They do not establish the rate at a specific employer, shift or location.
What affects CNA pay?
- Setting: Hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living, home health and staffing agencies can pay differently.
- Location: Local labor markets and cost of living affect wages.
- Schedule: Some employers pay extra for evening, night, weekend or holiday shifts. This is called a shift differential. Overtime rules also affect pay.
- Experience and credentials: Additional certifications and duties can change the pay range.
- Employment terms: Guaranteed hours, benefits, travel and union agreements can matter as much as the hourly rate.
How should you compare job offers?
Compare the employer’s published base rate, shift differentials, guaranteed hours, overtime rules, benefits, commute and schedule. Ask whether the posted rate includes differentials and whether the rate changes after orientation or a probation period.
Do not compare a national median directly with a local offer. A local employer may pay above or below the national figure. Use the BLS nursing-assistant pay page to see when the wages were measured and which workers are included. Confirm the actual terms with the employer.
What questions should you ask about pay?
- What is the full hourly range for this role?
- Which shifts, weekends and holidays receive differentials?
- Are my hours guaranteed? What happens to my shifts if there are fewer patients or residents than usual?
- When do benefits begin, and what do they cost?
- Is overtime available or mandatory?
- Does the employer pay for required training, CPR or certification renewal?
What is the outlook?
BLS projects employment of nursing assistants and orderlies, counted as one group, to grow 3% from 2025 to 2035. The yearly openings figure on the same BLS page covers the same combined group, so do not treat either number as CNA-only.
This projection does not guarantee a job, hours or a particular wage.
BLS nursing-assistant pay and outlook ↗
Why this page does not publish a state salary table
Wage figures change and are easy to misread when the period, area or occupation definition is omitted. Use the BLS wage estimates by state to find the latest published figures and check the period they cover. Use the employer’s own posting for the terms that apply to you. If you need local context, compare several employer postings and cost-of-living information rather than relying on one national number.