Nursing assistants, also sometimes called nursing attendants, nursing aides, or orderlies, provide basic patient care under direction of nursing staff. LPN and RNs usually say that nursing assistants are their “eyes and ears.”
Nursing assistants perform duties such as feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, or moving patients. They also change linens and clean up patients in the event of an accident. Although nursing attendants may be considered an entry level position within the healthcare world, they serve a very important function.
Nursing Assistant Education Requirements
An entry-level nursing assistant may only need a high school diploma or GED. CPR certification is also a requirement that some employers may state. However, nursing assistants can also become certified by taking a state-approved education program. Upon completion of this training, the nursing assistant must pass their state’s competency exam to become certified.
Educational requirements to become certified typically take 3-4 months. You can usually complete these programs through a community college, technical school, or a hospital may organize a CNA training session.
Nursing Assistant Salary, Wage, and Income
In 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average hourly wage for a nursing assistant in the U.S. was $12.62. The average salary for a nursing assistant was $25,160.
Keep in mind that these are only averages. An entry-level nursing assistant may make less until they gain more experience. Other factors that can affect income include the state and industry in which the nursing assistant works. Here is a video overview of salary information:
Industries with the Highest and Lowest Levels of Employment
The industries with the highest level of employment for a nursing aide were as follows:
- Nursing care facilities ($25,160 average salary)
- General medical and surgical hospitals ($28,430 average salary)
The Top Paying Industries for Nursing Aides
The industries that paid the most money to nursing attendants were as follows:
- Federal Executive Branch ($36,380 average salary)
- Lessors of Real Estate ($31,670 average salary)
Top and Lowest Paying States
Here are the top two and lowest two paying states for nursing aides:
- Top two paying states: Alaska ($37,180) and Nevada ($33,000)
- Two lowest paying states: Louisiana ($20,600) and Arkansas ($21,400)
Nursing Assistant Salary and Hourly Wage by State
| Alabama Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.58 | 22000 |
| Alaska Nursing Assistant Salary | 17.87 | 37180 |
| Arizona Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.53 | 28150 |
| Arkansas Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.29 | 21400 |
| California Nursing Assistant Salary | 14.43 | 30020 |
| Colorado Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.76 | 28610 |
| Connecticut Nursing Assistant Salary | 15.36 | 31940 |
| Delaware Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.44 | 27950 |
| District of Columbia Nursing Assistant Salary | 14.87 | 30940 |
| Florida Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.59 | 24110 |
| Georgia Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.72 | 22290 |
| Guam Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.74 | 24410 |
| Hawaii Nursing Assistant Salary | 14.66 | 30480 |
| Idaho Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.98 | 22830 |
| Illinois Nursing Assistant Salary | 12.14 | 25260 |
| Indiana Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.40 | 23710 |
| Iowa Nursing Assistant Salary | 12.15 | 25270 |
| Kansas Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.20 | 23300 |
| Kentucky Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.36 | 23620 |
| Louisiana Nursing Assistant Salary | 9.90 | 20600 |
| Maine Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.89 | 24720 |
| Maryland Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.82 | 28740 |
| Massachusetts Nursing Assistant Salary | 14.50 | 30160 |
| Michigan Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.27 | 27610 |
| Minnesota Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.36 | 27800 |
| Mississippi Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.02 | 20840 |
| Missouri Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.11 | 23100 |
| Montana Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.97 | 24900 |
| Nebraska Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.90 | 24750 |
| Nevada Nursing Assistant Salary | 15.86 | 33000 |
| New Hampshire Nursing Assistant Salary | 14.03 | 29170 |
| New Jersey Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.56 | 28190 |
| New Mexico Nursing Assistant Salary | 12.88 | 26790 |
| New York Nursing Assistant Salary | 15.61 | 32470 |
| North Carolina Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.89 | 22650 |
| North Dakota Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.88 | 28860 |
| Ohio Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.89 | 24730 |
| Oklahoma Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.64 | 22140 |
| Oregon Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.80 | 28710 |
| Pennsylvania Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.52 | 28110 |
| Puerto Rico Nursing Assistant Salary | 9.64 | 20060 |
| Rhode Island Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.65 | 28390 |
| South Carolina Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.13 | 23140 |
| South Dakota Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.12 | 23130 |
| Tennessee Nursing Assistant Salary | 10.98 | 22830 |
| Texas Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.52 | 23960 |
| Utah Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.42 | 23760 |
| Vermont Nursing Assistant Salary | 12.84 | 26700 |
| Virgin Islands Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.16 | 23220 |
| Virginia Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.62 | 24160 |
| Washington Nursing Assistant Salary | 14.06 | 29250 |
| West Virginia Nursing Assistant Salary | 11.10 | 23080 |
| Wisconsin Nursing Assistant Salary | 12.91 | 26850 |
| Wyoming Nursing Assistant Salary | 13.41 | 27900 |
References:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Nursing Assistants, on the Internet at bls.gov.