Nursing Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for nursing assistants is $42,260, or $20.32 per hour. About 1,448,910 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $49,830 in Oregon to $30,510 in Louisiana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $49,830 | $23.96 | 14,800 | 0.81 |
| 2 | Washington | $49,180 | $23.65 | 30,270 | 0.91 |
| 3 | New York | $48,590 | $23.36 | 87,990 | 0.97 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $47,870 | $23.02 | 7,810 | 1.23 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $47,700 | $22.93 | 3,490 | 0.53 |
| 6 | California | $47,630 | $22.90 | 110,060 | 0.65 |
| 7 | Colorado | $47,380 | $22.78 | 22,240 | 0.83 |
| 8 | Vermont | $47,130 | $22.66 | 3,030 | 1.07 |
| 9 | Maine | $47,070 | $22.63 | 8,540 | 1.43 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $46,830 | $22.52 | 32,400 | 0.81 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $46,680 | $22.44 | 29,120 | 1.06 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $46,680 | $22.44 | 38,130 | 1.13 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $46,440 | $22.33 | 10,220 | 2.19 |
| 14 | Alaska | $46,370 | $22.29 | 2,060 | 0.68 |
| 15 | Illinois | $45,960 | $22.10 | 68,640 | 1.21 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $45,820 | $22.03 | 6,840 | 1.71 |
| 17 | Nevada | $45,490 | $21.87 | 8,100 | 0.56 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $45,350 | $21.80 | 5,050 | 0.86 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $45,130 | $21.70 | 28,370 | 1.04 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $44,790 | $21.53 | 21,380 | 1.35 |
| 21 | Arizona | $44,780 | $21.53 | 20,320 | 0.67 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $21.44 | 67,740 | 1.20 |
| 23 | Maryland | $43,240 | $20.79 | 27,720 | 1.08 |
| 24 | Virginia | $43,200 | $20.77 | 40,580 | 1.06 |
| 25 | Delaware | $42,030 | $20.21 | 5,530 | 1.22 |
| 26 | Montana | $40,900 | $19.67 | 4,390 | 0.92 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $40,000 | $19.23 | 16,450 | 1.72 |
| 28 | Utah | $39,840 | $19.15 | 12,260 | 0.76 |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,570 | $19.03 | 43,290 | 1.05 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $39,390 | $18.94 | 4,750 | 0.59 |
| 31 | Iowa | $39,350 | $18.92 | 22,670 | 1.56 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $39,160 | $18.83 | 2,830 | 1.08 |
| 33 | Ohio | $39,010 | $18.76 | 63,280 | 1.22 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $38,800 | $18.65 | 6,860 | 1.61 |
| 35 | Idaho | $38,650 | $18.58 | 7,910 | 0.99 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $38,460 | $18.49 | 64,010 | 1.39 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $38,370 | $18.45 | 23,410 | 1.26 |
| 38 | Indiana | $38,330 | $18.43 | 33,640 | 1.13 |
| 39 | Kansas | $38,010 | $18.27 | 24,610 | 1.84 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $37,990 | $18.27 | 27,040 | 0.89 |
| 41 | Missouri | $37,680 | $18.11 | 34,050 | 1.24 |
| 42 | Georgia | $37,680 | $18.12 | 43,440 | 0.95 |
| 43 | Florida | $37,510 | $18.03 | 96,960 | 1.05 |
| 44 | Texas | $37,500 | $18.03 | 88,680 | 0.68 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $37,220 | $17.90 | 21,760 | 1.01 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $36,720 | $17.66 | 9,390 | 1.44 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $35,930 | $17.27 | 19,410 | 1.22 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $34,430 | $16.55 | 17,260 | 1.42 |
| 49 | Alabama | $34,140 | $16.41 | 25,250 | 1.28 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,520 | $15.15 | 14,200 | 1.31 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $30,510 | $14.67 | 20,690 | 1.15 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do nursing assistants make?
The median annual wage for nursing assistants in the United States is $42,260, or $20.32 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $33,940, and the top 10% earn $51,980.
How many nursing assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 1,448,910 people work as nursing assistants nationwide.
Which state pays nursing assistants the most?
Oregon pays the most at a median of $49,830, followed by Washington ($49,180) and New York ($48,590).
Which state pays nursing assistants the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median at $30,510.
Where are nursing assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Rhode Island at 2.19×.