CNA or Certified Nursing Assistant is a profession that allows a person to help various kinds of patients and clients, with the help or under the supervision of a Registered Nurse (RN), or just a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). This job is indeed a very much important one, and thus it is very much in demand nowadays. If you’re good at your work, there is really no turning back, and you’ll be making a name for yourself in the healthcare world. A CNA is also known by either of the following names :

• Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
• Nursing Assistant (NA)
• State Tested Nurse Assistant (STNA)

All About CNA’s Salary: Hourly and Average CNA Wages

If you’re trying to have an idea about how much does a CNA earn, you’ve exactly come to the right place. CNA’s salary mostly gets decided on the number of hours he or she put into his or her work. That means the CNA salary is all about the hourly rate. It will depend whether you put just a few hours, or work full time every day, or do overtime each week. Obviously, a certified nursing assistant doing overtime will have better and more preference than the one doing just a few hours. It’s all about how much dedication you put into your work, and you will get rewarded for that.

While doing a CNA job, you can even apply to earn additional certifications. Additional certifications like being a Registered Nurse (RN) or being a Patient Care Technician (PCT), will greatly help in increasing your overall salary structure. And of course, the more experience you gain, the better job prospects you can hunt for. Fixing schedules in a CNA is very much flexible, and therefore makes this job a great option for students, parents who are busy, etc.

The CNA hourly pay typically ranges from $8.50 at the lower end, to $16.60 at the higher end. The average hourly CNA salary is around $11.50. Talking about annual salary packages, the CNA annual salary ranges from $17,400 at the lower end to $34,600 at the upper end. This means the CNA average salary will be around $24,000 yearly.

Factors That Affect CNA Salary

There are only two factors that help in determining the salary of a said CNA individual. These factors are – availability of jobs at a certain area and the location itself. Both of these points are explained below.

• Availability Of Jobs: This is one of the most important factors that will define your CNA pay. If the jobs at a particular place are pretty low, then it means the demand of the job will be lower. Lower demand means the pay will not be that great and thus the job salary will not be a good prospect. But, if you move to a place that has more demand for the CNA jobs, then the job prospect will be better, and the salary structure will be different too.
• Location: This is the secondary reason for the above salary condition. Some places like California or Texas states of the USA have a very high rate of pay for the CNA profession. So, if you happen to live in that area, and do your job, then you can expect to get a good salary package. But, if you stay in other areas, like Nevada or Montana states of the US, then the pay will be structurally low. This is because the average pay structure in these states is less. So, if you happen to pursue this career seriously, you may want to look at moving to some other states, where the CNA profession gives better returns, in terms of the overall salary package.

Salary comparison: CNA vs LPN vs RN vs MA vs PCA

There are various professions in the healthcare industry that could sound very much similar to a Certified nursing assistant, however, there can be a lot of difference between in their wages. Below, you can find out a detailed comparison of salaries between CNA and other related professions.

Certified Nursing Assistant: The average Certified Nursing Assistant salary is $24,000, with the lows being around $17,400 and highs being around $34,000, on an annual basis. The hourly rate of a CNA individual is $8.50 to $16.60, with an average pay of $11.50.

Licensed Practical Nurse: The average salary of a LPN calculates to around $42,400 per annum. This salary brings the hourly rate to $20.30 per hour, or $815 on a per weekly basis, or $3533 if you calculate on a monthly basis.

Registered Nurse: The salary package of a registered nurse falls a bit on the higher side. The annual salary package of an RN individual is around $68,450. Registered nurse salary ranges among the highest, and therefore will be the best option for career planners seeking for a high paying job. The hourly rate for a registered nurse is around $34.70, on an average basis. Combined with that, the current best state providing the best salary for a registered nurse, is San Francisco, in the US.

Medical Assistant: The average salary of a medical assistant is $34,177, with the lows being around $31,506 and the highs being around $36,904, on a yearly basis. It is projected that the demand for medical assistant jobs will grow at around 29 percent on a yearly basis, during 2016 to 2026. One can easily get a diploma certificate in 9-12 months or an associate degree in just 18-24 months.

Patient Care Assistant: The average salary of an entry level PCA, with less than 5 years of experience, is $24,000, on a yearly basis. This PCA salary also includes various other incentives like tips, bonuses, and even pay for overtime too. The hourly rate of a PCA is around $11.50 on an average basis.

Top 5 Paying States For CNAs

There are many states that have a good salary structure for CNAs out there. But, the following are the best states where the pay or salary is a little bit on the higher side, comparatively.

• Alaska: This is one of the highest paid states for CNA salaries. The average annual salary is at $35,440, with the hourly rates being $17.04.

• New York: This the second most CNA paying state, just behind Alaska. CNA salary in NY  is around $32,130, with the hourly rates being $15.45.

• Nevada: The third most state when it comes to payment of a hefty CNA salary. The average annual salary in the state of Nevada ranges anywhere around $32,130. This makes the hourly rate at $15.45.

• Connecticut: This is the fourth high salary paying the state for a CNA individual. The average annual CNA salary in CT is around $31,950. The hourly rates are $15.36.

• Massachusetts: This state is last on the list when it comes to paying CNA salaries. The average monthly salary is around $30,010 yearly, with an hourly rate of around $14.43.

Therefore, these are all the five best CNA salary paying states along with their payment rates.