Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) Salary Guide 2023

Expert review by:
Kathleen Gaines

News and Education Editor, MSN, RN, BA, CBC

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Thinking about becoming a CNA? Then you’re probably wondering how much they make. Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs) earn an average annual salary of $30,290 or $14.56 per year according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.  

However, according to Salary.com, the average certified nurse assistant salary is $34,352, or $17 per hour. But wages vary based on a number of different variables, and respondents to Indeed.com’s salary survey reported an annual wage of $44,350, or $19.63 per hour as of November 2022. The range can go as low as $30,603 and as much as $64,084. 

Keep reading to learn more about CNA salaries including how they vary by state, place of work, years of experience and more. 

Source: ZipRecruiter.com 

 According to Indeed.com, certified nursing assistant salaries increase substantially as they gain more experience. 

1. Less than one year of experience: $18.29 per hour 
2. One to two years of experience: $18.47 per hour 
3. Three to five years of experience: $19.45 per hour 
4. Six to nine years of experience: $19.95 per hour 
5. More than ten years of experience: $21.98 per hour  

The salary paid to certified nursing assistants varies based on their work setting.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the highest salaries are paid to those working outside of medical facilities, while within the category of hands-on care facilities, specialty hospitals and general medical and surgical hospitals provide the highest compensation. 

1. Junior Colleges: $61,310 
2. Scientific Research and Development Services: $44,580 
3. Insurance Carriers: $42,810 
4. Federal Executive Branch: $41,850 
5. Technical and Trade Schools: $40,280 
6. Specialty Hospitals: $35,400 
7. General Medical and Surgical Hospitals: $35,190 
8. Nursing Care Facilities: $32,090 
9. Continuing Care Retirement Communities: $31,520 
10. Home Health Care: $29,930 

Certified nurse assistants can boost their salaries in a number of ways, including:  

1. Advance Your Education

The education required to become a CNA takes between four and twelve weeks, and once certified nurses can immediately begin to work.  

Any nurse who is interested in earning a higher income can use their certification as a foundation for further education, moving on to take online or in-person classes to become a Licensed Practical Nurse or to earn their Associate’s or Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing to become a Registered Nurse. 

Additionally, CNAs can take continuing education classes required to maintain certification and pursue certifications targeting specialized care skills that make them more valuable to their employer.  

2. Negotiate

Though most certified nurse assistant positions have pre-established hourly wages, the historic nursing shortage has given skilled candidates greater leverage to negotiate for a higher pay rate. 

If human resources are unable to increase your salary, they may have flexibility on hours or benefits, including tuition reimbursement or commuting expenses.   

3. Seek a Different Practice Setting

Some practice settings are more demanding than others, and as a result, they pay higher wages. You can also leave hands-on care to work in an industry like insurance, which pays certified nurse assistants higher salaries. 

4. Become a Travel CNA

Travel health agencies pay healthcare professionals significantly higher wages than care facilities in exchange for their willingness to relocate to a new setting for an established period of time. 

Traveling certified nurse assistants can receive higher wages, more generous benefits, referral bonuses, and travel and housing stipends.   

5. Change How You Work  

Per Diem

Working per diem means that you are paid by the day based on the employer’s needs and your availability. These positions generally do not provide benefits, but they pay a higher hourly wage. 

Picking up some per diem hours is a great way to make additional income.  

Contract

Certified nurse assistant contracts are generally temporary positions for a specific period of time. Like per diem positions, they pay higher salaries than full-time jobs while offering more certainty on hours and duration, as well as generally providing a specific schedule.  

6. Seek Additional Compensation  

Overtime

No matter what your work setting, if you work more than forty hours in a week, your employer is required to pay you a rate of one-and-a-half of your normal wages.  

Shift Differential

By volunteering to work less desirable shifts, including overnights, holidays, or weekends, certified nurse assistants can qualify for higher wages known as shift differentials.  

Bonuses

Many employers offer certified nurse assistants bonuses meant to either entice new employees or encourage existing employees to continue working with their facility. These can make a substantial difference, with some employers offering sign-on bonuses and referral bonuses.  

Hazard Pay

Hazard pay is an increase in salary paid for working under hazardous or extremely stressful conditions. 

Many certified nurse assistants were offered hazard pay during the global pandemic, when staffing became critical, but the risk to those working in healthcare was significant. 

Show Me CNA Programs

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the global pandemic made the already existing nursing shortage even worse. As a result, state and federal governments as well as private employers have taken action to entice more nursing professionals. 

In an effort to improve care and achieve minimum staffing levels, several states enacted permanent increases to nursing home staff wages, as well as providing bonuses. 

The more employers increase their wages, the more others will need to boost the amount that they pay to remain competitive and maintain the required staffing levels.  

Becoming a certified nurse assistant offers numerous advantages including job stability and a solid salary and benefits. Making the choice of careers even better is the fact that the required education is so affordable. 

CNA Education Cost

Though every program sets its own fees, the average cost of attending a certified nurse assistant program is approximately $1,500. 

This figure includes several hidden costs, including supplies, the expense of a required medical examination and criminal background check, and the cost of the certification test.  

CNA Salary vs Education Costs

With certified nursing assistants being paid an average salary of over $34,000 plus benefits and many being paid sign-on bonuses well over $3,000, it is easy to see that attending a career program is well worth the investment.

As an added incentive, many view becoming a certified nurse assistant as a stepping stone to a more advanced nursing career, and having the experience of providing hands-on care provides a leg up when it comes to admission to registered nurse programs.   

 According to Salary.com, the average Patient Care Technician salary in the United States is $35,054. The salary range typically falls between $30,546 and $39,196.   

 The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wage for a Phlebotomist is $37,380, with a range of between $28,990 and $48,490.  

 Glassdoor.com reports that Medical Billing Specialists earn a national average salary of $40,419, with most earning between $35,000 and $47,000.  

 Across the nation, Emergency Medical Technicians earn an average salary of $35,864, with a range of $20,742 to $52,577.