Nursing Assistant Salary by State (May 2025 BLS Data)
By The College Match Editorial Team · Data: May 2025 · Updated October 2026
Nursing assistants earn a median of $42,260 a year nationally, but pay depends heavily on location: from $30,510 in Louisiana to $49,830 in Oregon.
Nursing assistants (including CNAs) help patients with daily activities such as bathing, eating and moving, and check vital signs. The table below covers all 50 states and Washington, DC, using the latest wage survey from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
U.S. median
$42,260
Highest: Oregon
$49,830
Lowest: Louisiana
$30,510
Employed in the U.S.
1,448,910
Nursing Assistant pay in every state
Sorted by median annual wage. "Typical range" is the 10th to 90th percentile: 80% of nursing assistants in the state earn within it.
| Rank | State | Median | Average | Typical range | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon | $49,830 | $52,160 | $43,210 – $61,310 | 14,800 |
| 2 | Washington | $49,180 | $52,230 | $42,500 – $62,660 | 30,270 |
| 3 | New York | $48,590 | $48,800 | $38,450 – $59,890 | 87,990 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $47,870 | $49,290 | $39,140 – $59,660 | 7,810 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $47,700 | $47,930 | $38,900 – $57,500 | 3,490 |
| 6 | California | $47,630 | $50,190 | $40,110 – $61,100 | 110,060 |
| 7 | Colorado | $47,380 | $47,400 | $38,690 – $56,070 | 22,240 |
| 8 | Vermont | $47,130 | $46,850 | $37,620 – $59,600 | 3,030 |
| 9 | Maine | $47,070 | $47,510 | $39,100 – $58,120 | 8,540 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $46,830 | $46,810 | $38,900 – $55,140 | 32,400 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $46,680 | $47,700 | $39,380 – $57,880 | 38,130 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $46,680 | $46,030 | $38,010 – $55,410 | 29,120 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $46,440 | $46,360 | $39,220 – $54,950 | 10,220 |
| 14 | Alaska | $46,370 | $48,920 | $39,450 – $58,430 | 2,060 |
| 15 | Illinois | $45,960 | $45,230 | $37,590 – $54,050 | 68,640 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $45,820 | $43,330 | $35,130 – $51,380 | 6,840 |
| 17 | Nevada | $45,490 | $44,900 | $36,940 – $50,680 | 8,100 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $45,350 | $45,710 | $36,000 – $52,660 | 5,050 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $45,130 | $44,600 | $37,900 – $50,650 | 28,370 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $44,790 | $45,440 | $38,660 – $53,870 | 21,380 |
| 21 | Arizona | $44,780 | $44,820 | $37,100 – $57,820 | 20,320 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $44,590 | $43,960 | $37,760 – $49,360 | 67,740 |
| 23 | Maryland | $43,240 | $43,310 | $36,060 – $49,330 | 27,720 |
| 24 | Virginia | $43,200 | $42,160 | $31,560 – $50,980 | 40,580 |
| 25 | Delaware | $42,030 | $42,290 | $36,530 – $48,080 | 5,530 |
| 26 | Montana | $40,900 | $43,160 | $36,780 – $49,700 | 4,390 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $40,000 | $42,390 | $37,090 – $48,980 | 16,450 |
| 28 | Utah | $39,840 | $40,450 | $34,870 – $47,080 | 12,260 |
| 29 | Michigan | $39,570 | $41,490 | $36,830 – $46,740 | 43,290 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $39,390 | $41,400 | $34,110 – $48,340 | 4,750 |
| 31 | Iowa | $39,350 | $41,490 | $35,620 – $47,980 | 22,670 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $39,160 | $41,470 | $33,390 – $49,610 | 2,830 |
| 33 | Ohio | $39,010 | $40,520 | $35,060 – $46,570 | 63,280 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $38,800 | $39,510 | $31,110 – $46,100 | 6,860 |
| 35 | Idaho | $38,650 | $39,100 | $28,380 – $47,430 | 7,910 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $38,460 | $39,280 | $30,260 – $47,080 | 64,010 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $38,370 | $39,170 | $30,390 – $46,450 | 23,410 |
| 38 | Indiana | $38,330 | $40,200 | $35,390 – $46,890 | 33,640 |
| 39 | Kansas | $38,010 | $39,730 | $32,180 – $46,980 | 24,610 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $37,990 | $38,230 | $31,110 – $44,660 | 27,040 |
| 41 | Georgia | $37,680 | $38,760 | $30,300 – $47,310 | 43,440 |
| 42 | Missouri | $37,680 | $38,410 | $31,350 – $45,260 | 34,050 |
| 43 | Florida | $37,510 | $39,160 | $34,350 – $46,790 | 96,960 |
| 44 | Texas | $37,500 | $38,780 | $30,620 – $47,500 | 88,680 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $37,220 | $37,390 | $30,460 – $44,760 | 21,760 |
| 46 | West Virginia | $36,720 | $37,490 | $31,060 – $45,290 | 9,390 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $35,930 | $35,920 | $29,630 – $42,870 | 19,410 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $34,430 | $33,970 | $28,840 – $39,020 | 17,260 |
| 49 | Alabama | $34,140 | $33,670 | $28,330 – $38,680 | 25,250 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $31,520 | $32,890 | $27,050 – $38,290 | 14,200 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $30,510 | $32,250 | $27,980 – $37,390 | 20,690 |
| United States | $42,260 | $42,700 | $33,940 – $51,980 | 1,448,910 |
Common questions
How much do nursing assistants make in the U.S.?
The national median annual wage for nursing assistants was $42,260 in May 2025, with an average of $42,700. The middle 80% earned between $33,940 and $51,980.
Which state pays nursing assistants the most?
Oregon has the highest median wage at $49,830 a year. Of the 51 areas (states plus DC) with published figures, 24 pay above the national median.
Which state pays nursing assistants the least?
Louisiana has the lowest median wage at $30,510 a year. Lower pay often comes with a lower cost of living, so compare against local living costs.
Which state employs the most nursing assistants?
California employs the most, about 110,060.
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Find My MatchAbout this data
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, occupation code 31-1131. Figures are annual wages for employed nursing assistants and exclude the self-employed. Some states' figures are not published by BLS and show as n/a. See our editorial standards for how we build these pages.