Jetted FoxCareers · Nursing & patient care
Nursing assistants
You help patients with bathing, eating, moving and other basic care in hospitals and nursing homes. No college degree needed.
Start after 1–3 months of a short course
Starting pay ranges from about $13.97/hr in Louisiana to $22.83/hr in Oregon.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $13.62–14.45/hr | $16.41/hr |
| Alaska | $18.97–21.69/hr | $22.29/hr |
| Arizona | $17.84–18.43/hr | $21.53/hr |
| Arkansas | $13.87–14.52/hr | $16.55/hr |
| California | $19.28–22.04/hr | $22.90/hr |
| Colorado | $18.60–21.42/hr | $22.78/hr |
| Connecticut | $18.59–20.14/hr | $21.53/hr |
| Delaware | $17.56–18.51/hr | $20.21/hr |
| Florida | $16.52–17.33/hr | $18.03/hr |
| Georgia | $14.57–17.06/hr | $18.12/hr |
| Hawaii | $17.31–19.26/hr | $21.80/hr |
| Idaho | $13.65–17.45/hr | $18.58/hr |
| Illinois | $18.07–18.95/hr | $22.10/hr |
| Indiana | $17.01–17.80/hr | $18.43/hr |
| Iowa | $17.13–17.96/hr | $18.92/hr |
| Kansas | $15.47–17.41/hr | $18.27/hr |
| Kentucky | $14.61–17.38/hr | $18.45/hr |
| Louisiana | $13.45–13.97/hr | $14.67/hr |
| Maine | $18.80–21.25/hr | $22.63/hr |
| Maryland | $17.34–18.46/hr | $20.79/hr |
| Massachusetts | $18.93–21.32/hr | $22.44/hr |
| Michigan | $17.71–18.35/hr | $19.03/hr |
| Minnesota | $18.27–19.39/hr | $22.44/hr |
| Mississippi | $13.01–14.19/hr | $15.15/hr |
| Missouri | $15.07–17.02/hr | $18.11/hr |
| Montana | $17.69–18.29/hr | $19.67/hr |
| Nebraska | $17.83–18.29/hr | $19.23/hr |
| Nevada | $17.76–18.80/hr | $21.87/hr |
| New Hampshire | $18.82–21.58/hr | $23.02/hr |
| New Jersey | $18.70–21.13/hr | $22.52/hr |
| New Mexico | $16.40–17.94/hr | $18.94/hr |
| New York | $18.49–21.04/hr | $23.36/hr |
| North Carolina | $14.55–17.28/hr | $18.49/hr |
| North Dakota | $16.89–17.51/hr | $22.03/hr |
| Ohio | $16.86–17.93/hr | $18.76/hr |
| Oklahoma | $14.24–15.82/hr | $17.27/hr |
| Oregon | $20.78–22.83/hr | $23.96/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $18.16–18.88/hr | $21.44/hr |
| Rhode Island | $18.86–21.52/hr | $22.33/hr |
| South Carolina | $14.64–16.81/hr | $17.90/hr |
| South Dakota | $14.96–17.71/hr | $18.65/hr |
| Tennessee | $14.96–17.09/hr | $18.27/hr |
| Texas | $14.72–16.97/hr | $18.03/hr |
| Utah | $16.76–17.81/hr | $19.15/hr |
| Vermont | $18.09–19.64/hr | $22.66/hr |
| Virginia | $15.17–17.80/hr | $20.77/hr |
| Washington | $20.43–22.59/hr | $23.65/hr |
| Washington, DC | $18.70–20.38/hr | $22.93/hr |
| West Virginia | $14.93–17.05/hr | $17.66/hr |
| Wisconsin | $18.22–19.03/hr | $21.70/hr |
| Wyoming | $16.05–17.88/hr | $18.83/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: 16–18+ (by state) · Background check
Nurse aide registry listing (CNA): required in every state. It lets you work as a nurse aide in Medicare/Medicaid nursing homes and use the CNA title. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
Other way in: Nursing home pays for the course.
A normal day
You work in a nursing home or hospital, caring for 8-15 patients a shift. You help them wash, dress, eat and use the bathroom, move them in and out of bed, and take vital signs. You report changes to the nurse.
The good parts
Short training and lots of jobs. Real patient experience for nursing school. Some employers pay for the CNA class.
The hard parts
Heavy lifting and back strain. Many patients at once and fast pace. Pay is low for how hard the work is.
Where it leads
CNAs move to LPN, RN, medical assistant or other healthcare jobs.
Quick answers
Do nursing assistants need a college degree?
No. Start after 1–3 months of a short course.
How long is the training for nursing assistants?
4–12 week nursing assistant course, then the state exam.
How much do nursing assistants make?
About $16.32–17.91 an hour to start and $20.32 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Similar careers
Registered nurses · Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses · Home health and personal care aides
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.