CNA Salary

How Much Does a CNA Make?

A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is an in-demand role that offers steady work and flexible scheduling for people who want to be at the bedside. Pay depends mostly on where you work and how much you advance.

Key Takeaways

• CNA pay varies by setting, with general medical and surgical hospitals paying the most on average.
• Employment is projected to grow through 2034, so the job is stable.
• You can earn more through overtime and by adding certifications or moving up to LPN or RN.

What CNAs Earn by Setting

Your workplace is the biggest factor in your pay. Here is how the main settings compare.

General medical and surgical hospitals pay the most, averaging $40,840. You work under a nurse, providing personal care for a varied patient population with a wide range of needs.

Skilled nursing facilities average $38,730. You provide daily personal care to residents, often the same people over a long period.

Home health care services average $35,640. You visit patients in their homes and handle daily tasks and basic care such as taking vital signs.

(Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

You can also earn extra through overtime. Because CNAs do not need an advanced degree, federal law requires time-and-a-half pay for hours worked over 40 in a week. Positions that require an advanced degree are classified as exempt and do not get overtime, but that does not apply to you.

Job Outlook

The BLS projects CNA employment to grow 2% from 2024 to 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 211,800 openings each year. Most of that demand comes from hospitals and clinics.

CNA jobs in nursing homes can be harder to find, since many depend on government funding that often rises slower than the cost of care. That can leave a facility with less money to hire. Even so, the ongoing nursing shortage keeps nursing careers stable overall, which matters if you plan to advance later.

Hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities run 24/7, so expect nights, weekends, and holidays. If you face competition for a position and you are flexible on hours, say so early. It can set you apart.

How to Advance

Furthering your education moves you up. The next step is LPN, where you may supervise CNAs and take on more responsibility. Look for CNA-to-LPN bridge programs that apply your CNA training and experience toward LPN requirements.

You can also raise your earning potential with a specialty certification. "There are many certifications, such as bathing aides, oral care aides, restorative aides, and oncology aides, all of which offer advancement at the bedside without changing to another career," says Genevieve Gipson, RN, MEd, RNC, director of the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants.

Each credential is awarded by a different organization that sets its own experience and education standards. Common options include:

• CNA II, offered by some state boards to CNAs with advanced training or experience
• Certified Alzheimer Caregiver, National Certification Board for Alzheimer Care
• Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant, Hospice and Palliative Nursing Association
• Certified Wound Care Associate, American Board of Wound Management
• Medication Aide Certification, National Council of State Boards of Nursing

Another path is to cross over to medical assisting through a CNA-to-CMA bridge program. Pay runs slightly higher, and most medical assistants work in physicians' offices with more regular hours.