CNA Average Salary in the U.S
What Will I Earn With My CNA Training?
Getting your CNA is a big achievement. It is a great way to get started in the health care industry. In fact, many people will start out as a CNA while they explore their options and determine what they would like to do in the future. Of course, getting paid is also important. Many people wonder what kind of salary they can expect with their CNA certification. This depends on where you live and where you work, but there are some generalizations that can give you a better idea of what to expect.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics there were 1,839,010 people working as a nursing aide, assistant or orderly in 2019. These workers are responsible for a variety of nursing related tasks all performed under supervision. These include feeding, dressing, cleaning and helping to move patients. While you may work in a variety of settings as a CNA, most commonly people find employment working with the elderly.
Certified Nursing Assistants, or CNAs, are the medical professionals who are responsible for giving patients basic healthcare. CNAs are directly supervised by Licensed Practical Nurses, LPNs, or Registered Nurses, RNs. The main duties of a CNA are bathing, feeding, moving, grooming, and changing the clothing and dressing of a patient.
Pay rates vary dramatically based on where you live and what you do as a CNA. The mean annual wage was $24,980, which works out to about $12.01 per hour. This however is the just the midpoint in a large range. The bottom 10% in this field were earning about $8.42 per hour while the top 10% was earning more than $16 per hour. On average pay is pretty consistent for those working in the public sector as well as for those working for private companies.
To see just how much income can vary based on where you live, letās look at a couple of states and the average income of CNAs there. In Arkansas the average hourly wage is $9.72. However, in Alaska it is $15.57. In some cities the pay is also much higher or lower than the state average. For example in New York the average pay for nursing aides is $14.83, but in the Nassau-Suffolk metropolitan area the average is much higher at $16.79. Conversely, in the Utica-Rome area in New York the average pay for CNAs is only $11.36 per hour.
As you can see, your pay will be dependent upon where you work and where you live. While earning a great income is important, remember that becoming a CNA carries many other purposes as well. You will go to work each day and really help others to have a better quality of life. Additionally you will learn new skills and valuable experience which you can use to advance your career in the health care industry.
Pay Levels
For entry-level CNAs, the average starting salary is approximately $19,000 per year. CNAs with more experience under their belt can stand to make an upwards $36,000 per year. And because of the growing demand, nursing homes and hospitals tend to entice potential CNAs with attractive bonuses. According to various employment studies, the demand for properly-trained CNAs is expected to grow as the current population ages and lives longer, requiring more long-term healthcare.
Employment Location and Other Variables
The pay level for a CNA will vary depending on where he or she is employed. There is a big salary difference between states as well as rural and urban areas. There is more to the list of salary variables that just location, such as the type of medical facility, the level of experience as a CNA, the demand for staff members at a particular facility, certification, and any additional medical training. However, the size of the actual medical facility seems to have little bearing on the pay scale for a CNA.
Examples of Pay Levels by State
Currently, the state of California offers the highest CNA hourly rate in the country, which ranges from $10-$14 on average. These figures are followed by Florida, Illinois, Texas, and Pennsylvania in terms of highest average hourly rates. Contract and self-employed CNAs earn a higher average hourly pay as opposed to part-time and full-time employees.
Increasing Your Salary in the Future
Education can greatly influence the amount of money a CNA makes. Those who decide to further their education will become more valuable to their employer. You can continue your medical training and education in order to not only boost your value as a CNA, but also seriously raise the number of career opportunities available to you, putting you ahead of other candidates vying for the same position.
Overview of State-By-State CNA Salary
Many people are now pursuing this career but have no idea how much they will be taking home on completion of the course and certification. You will find out how CNA is paid in each state shortly.
Determinants of CNA
Before we delve into this discussion, there are important factors you need to take into account
The level of qualification
The first thing is that CNA salary depends on the level of qualification. According to the nursing assistant certifying board, there are five attainable levels of CNA. These include 6-12 months of training, 2 years of Associated Degree in nursing, 4 years of training in Bachelorās degree in nursing, e years Master Degree in nursing and then the highest possible level, which is Doctorate. The higher the qualification of the CNA, the higher his or her salary is.
The level of experience of the CNA
The other factor to be taken into consideration is the level of experience of the CNA. Those with have a lot of work experience are generally preferred and are paid higher compared to those with limited experience. This is because they need little or no career training and can work with minimum supervision.
The employer
Where you work has a lot to do with how much you will be paid. CNAs can work in private offices of doctors, nursing homes, hospitals, learning institutions, rehabilitation centers as well as home-based medical services. Those who work in government run institutions or facilities are likely to earn much more than what their counterparts get from privately owned facilities.
The kind of CNA job
There are several categories of CNA jobs. The one you will get depends on your resume as well as experience. The highest paying CNA job in the United States of America is that dealing with census type work while the lowest paid is the caregiver personal assistant provider who takes home $ 46,000 and $17,000 respectively.
CNA Salary by State
Each state in the United States of America has it own governance structure. This includes rules and regulations that can affect 
health sector and therefore those who work there. It is not therefore strange that each state pays their CNAs differently although the ranges are not that much.
The annual average salary of certified Nursing assistant in the United States of America is currently about $25, 420 with the highest pay being $ 37,440 and the lowest getting just under $20, 000. These figures change with time and the CNA job or career in question. They also depend in the level of experience of the CNA.
Most states in the United States calculate the certified nursing assistant salary in terms of work hours. The highest paying state is Alaska at $14.36 per hour while the lowest paying state is Louisiana at about $7.57 per hours . The rest of the states pay annual salaries as follows but as already been mentioned, these figures are not static and may change with many variables.
CNA Annual Salary By State
Washington ($32,880 to $38,200)
Idaho ($ 28,720 to $34,960)
Montana ($30,800 to $39,120)
North Dakota ($30,800 to $41,200)
South Dakota ($30,072 to $ 37,040)
Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois ($30,800 to $37,040)
Michigan ($30,800 to $34,960)
New York ($32,880 to $35,200)
Pennsylvania ($22,027 to $29,120)
Connecticut ($24,960 to $31,200)
Vermont ($20,800 to $29,120)
New Hampshire ($24,024 to $29,120)
Maine ($20,800 to $27040
New Jersey, Mass ($24,906 to $31,200)
Rhode Islands ($23,920 to $39, 597)
Delaware ($21,840 to $29,120)
Maryland, District of Columbia ($22,800 to $31,200)
Virginia ($20,800 to $27,040)
West Virginia ($18720 to $21,840)
North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky and Missouri and Ohio ($18,720 to $24,960)
South Carolina ($18,720 to $24,440)
Florida ($20,800 to $25,000)
Hawaii ($22,880 to $31,200)
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Utah ($18,720 to $ 22,880)
Indiana ($19,760 to $24,960)
Alaska ($24,960 to $ 31,200)
Texas ($20,800 to $31,200)
Illinois ($20,800 to $27, 040)
Iowa ($20,800 to $26,000)
Nebraska ($20,800 to $24,960)
Kansas ($19,760 to $24,960)
Wyoming ($ 20,800 to $29,120)
Colorado and Arizona ($21,840 to $29,140)
New Mexico ($20,800 to $27,040)
Oregon ($22,880 to $29,120)
Nevada ($24,960 to $31,200)
California ($21,840 to $ 31,200)
It goes without a shadow of doubt that these salaries are lucrative and even the lowest paying States give what is decent and respectable. So if you have been dreaming of becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant, then you have no course to worry because now you have what you are likely to be paid in your state. Equally, you have an idea of what it takes to earn more. Pursue your dream because it is worthy course.