Nursing assistant (CNA) pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical nursing assistant (cna) pay ranges from $35,470 in Birmingham, AL to $56,840 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Nursing Assistants, SOC 31-1131).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $56,840 | $42,000 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $56,080 | $39,600 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $51,990 | $39,600 |
| 4 | Milwaukee, WI | $45,690 | $38,900 |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $45,350 | $38,500 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $49,110 | $37,900 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $46,330 | $37,600 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,020 | $37,200 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $50,350 | $37,000 |
| 10 | Sacramento, CA | $47,510 | $37,000 |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $42,970 | $36,900 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $46,940 | $36,400 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $45,290 | $36,400 |
| 14 | Riverside, CA | $46,430 | $36,300 |
| 15 | Louisville, KY | $42,220 | $36,300 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | $43,080 | $36,000 |
| 17 | Hartford, CT | $44,340 | $35,800 |
| 18 | San Diego, CA | $48,070 | $35,600 |
| 19 | Richmond, VA | $42,720 | $35,600 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $38,010 | $35,500 |
| 21 | Kansas City, MO | $39,710 | $35,400 |
| 22 | Philadelphia, PA | $46,220 | $35,300 |
| 23 | Boston, MA | $47,590 | $35,300 |
| 24 | Cincinnati, OH | $40,350 | $35,200 |
| 25 | Nashville, TN | $39,510 | $35,200 |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | $47,380 | $34,600 |
| 27 | Cleveland, OH | $39,010 | $34,400 |
| 28 | Washington, DC | $45,730 | $34,300 |
| 29 | St. Louis, MO | $39,110 | $34,000 |
| 30 | Buffalo, NY | $39,790 | $34,000 |
| 31 | New York, NY | $49,270 | $33,900 |
| 32 | Austin, TX | $38,550 | $33,800 |
| 33 | Charlotte, NC | $39,430 | $33,700 |
| 34 | Oklahoma City, OK | $36,560 | $33,700 |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | $39,710 | $33,600 |
| 36 | San Antonio, TX | $36,800 | $33,500 |
| 37 | Houston, TX | $37,970 | $33,200 |
| 38 | Indianapolis, IN | $38,880 | $32,900 |
| 39 | Virginia Beach, VA | $38,990 | $32,800 |
| 40 | Jacksonville, FL | $37,760 | $32,700 |
| 41 | Salt Lake City, UT | $40,510 | $32,600 |
| 42 | Grand Rapids, MI | $38,340 | $32,500 |
| 43 | Atlanta, GA | $39,350 | $32,300 |
| 44 | Dallas, TX | $38,530 | $32,100 |
| 45 | Baltimore, MD | $42,770 | $32,100 |
| 46 | Tampa, FL | $37,470 | $32,000 |
| 47 | Orlando, FL | $37,690 | $32,000 |
| 48 | Detroit, MI | $39,900 | $31,700 |
| 49 | Birmingham, AL | $35,470 | $31,500 |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $38,010 | $28,700 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays nursing assistants the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical nursing assistant (cna) pay among the 50 largest US metros: $56,840 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $35,470. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does nursing assistant (cna) pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical nursing assistant (cna) pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA. It goes the least far in Miami, FL, where it's worth about $28,700 in typical-US-city dollars.