Average Nursing Assistants Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Nursing Assistants is $42,260 per year. The middle 50% earn between $37,260 and $47,220, with 1,448,910 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 51 states and 385 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Nursing Assistants pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $33,940
- 25th
- $37,260
- Median
- $42,260
- 75th
- $47,220
- 90th
- $51,980
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Nursing Assistants earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay is tightly clustered around the median. Most nursing assistants earn within a narrow band, with less variation than many other occupations. That is often a sign of standardized roles or union and public-sector pay scales.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for nursing assistants from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +2.3%
- 32,600 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 204,100
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Postsecondary training beyond high school is typically required, but a full four-year degree is not always necessary.
Where Nursing Assistants earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Oregon at $49,830, about 17.9% above the national median. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA leads with a median of $56,840.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $49,830 | 14,800 |
| Washington | $49,180 | 30,270 |
| New York | $48,590 | 87,990 |
| New Hampshire | $47,870 | 7,810 |
| District of Columbia | $47,700 | 3,490 |
| California | $47,630 | 110,060 |
| Colorado | $47,380 | 22,240 |
| Vermont | $47,130 | 3,030 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,840 | 5,350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $56,080 | 11,790 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $51,990 | 16,530 |
| Napa, CA | $50,370 | 460 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $50,350 | 8,890 |
| Bend, OR | $50,080 | 620 |
| Boulder, CO | $49,860 | 1,030 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $49,770 | 420 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see nursing assistants pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Nursing Assistants rose from $29,660 to $42,260, a gain of +42.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $29,660 would need to be worth $37,350 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $42,260 is $4,910 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +13.1% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 13.1% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +42.5%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +13.1%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Nursing Assistants median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $42,260
- 2024
- $39,530
- 2023
- $38,200
- 2022
- $35,760
- 2021
- $30,310
- 2020
- $30,850
- 2019
- $29,660
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Psychiatric Aides
- $44,910
- Orderlies
- $38,290
- Medical Transcriptionists
- $40,410
- Phlebotomists
- $45,230
- Occupational Therapy Aides
- $39,160
- Medical Assistants
- $45,690
Common salary questions for Nursing Assistants
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Nursing Assistants workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.