CNA Salary 2026
Pass your CNA Salary exam on the first attempt. Practice questions with detailed answer explanations, hints, and instant scoring.
CNA: upcoming dates and official changes
- Aug 1, 2026: Connecticut (Prometric) implements new exam pricing: $48 for written only, $48 for oral only, $125 for bundled written and clinical skills, effective August 1, 2026.[4]
- Jul 1, 2026: Idaho (Prometric) raises CNA exam fees to $34 each for written and oral exams, plus test site fees, effective July 1, 2026.[5]
- Passing score (written or oral): Set per state; no national percentage published.[1]
- Retake policy: Minimum 3 attempts required; aides must be told which areas they failed before each retake.[1]
- Validity: 2 years from issuance in most states.[2]
- Renewal: State-specific; typically 2-year cycles with continuing education requirements (12–24 hours per year) and paid-work requirements.[3]
All verified CNA facts and sources
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for nursing assistants was $38,200 in May 2026, with the middle 50% earning between $31,470 and $43,760. CNA salaries have risen approximately 18% over the past five years, outpacing inflation for most healthcare support occupations. With over 1.56 million CNAs employed across the country and more than 216,000 job openings projected annually through 2032, understanding CNA pay is essential for anyone entering or advancing in this career. Practice with the free CNA practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (3,000+ questions with answer explanations).
CNA compensation depends heavily on where you work, what setting you choose, what shift you take, and how much experience you bring. A CNA in Alaska or California can earn 50–70% more than one in Alabama or Mississippi doing the same work. Hospital CNAs consistently outearn those in nursing homes, and night and weekend shifts add $1–$4/hour through shift differentials. This guide covers every angle of CNA salary data so you can make informed career and financial decisions.
Free CNA Study Tools
Interactive CNA resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
- CNA practice test — 3,000+ questions with instant scoring and answer explanations
- CNA flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
- CNA study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
- CNA cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review
CNA Salary by State and Region (2026)
West Coast & Mountain States
Alaska leads all states with a mean CNA wage of $44,420/yr ($21.36/hr), driven by remote facility premiums and a high cost of living. California follows closely at $42,040/yr ($20.21/hr), with Bay Area and Los Angeles metro facilities paying $22–$28/hr. Washington CNAs earn $40,870/yr ($19.65/hr), particularly strong in the Seattle-Tacoma corridor. Oregon averages $38,900/yr ($18.70/hr). Hawaii pays $40,030/yr ($19.25/hr) but has the highest cost of living in the region. Colorado and Nevada round out the West at $36,500–$38,200/yr. The West Coast offers the strongest CNA union protections, which directly boost wages and benefits.
How to Increase Your CNA Salary
- ✓Negotiate your starting rate — present competing offers and highlight any prior healthcare experience
- ✓Work evening, night, or weekend shifts to collect shift differentials worth $1–$4/hr extra
- ✓Pursue specialty certifications like Medication Aide, EKG Technician, or Phlebotomy to qualify for higher-paying roles
- ✓Switch to a hospital setting — hospital CNAs earn 15–25% more than nursing home CNAs on average
- ✓Register with staffing agencies like IntelyCare, Maxim Healthcare, or Aya Healthcare for per diem shifts at premium rates
- ✓Consider travel CNA assignments — 8–13 week contracts with housing stipends and $25–$40/hr pay
- ✓Pick up overtime shifts — most facilities pay 1.5x your hourly rate after 40 hours per week
- ✓Move to a higher-paying state or metro area — Alaska, California, New York, and Washington pay $20+/hr
- ✓Get your CNA II or Advanced CNA certification where your state offers expanded scope tiers
- ✓Pursue an LPN or RN bridge program — the investment pays back in 2–5x salary increases within two years
- ✓Join a unionized facility — union CNA wages average $2–$4/hr higher than non-union facilities
- ✓Build seniority at one facility — many employers offer annual raises of $0.50–$1.50/hr for retention
Highest Paying vs Lowest Paying CNA Jobs
- +Travel CNA — $25–$40/hr plus housing stipends and travel reimbursement
- +Hospital ICU/Surgical CNA — $21–$28/hr with full benefits and union protection
- +Private Duty CNA (high-acuity) — $22–$30/hr negotiated directly with families
- +Staffing Agency CNA (metro areas) — $20–$26/hr with shift flexibility
- +Dialysis CNA — $19–$24/hr with DaVita or Fresenius in metro markets
- +Government/VA Hospital CNA — $19–$23/hr with federal benefits package
- −Rural nursing home CNA — $12–$15/hr in low-wage Southern and Midwestern states
- −Assisted living CNA (non-certified facility) — $13–$16/hr with limited benefits
- −Home health aide (entry level) — $13–$15/hr through low-paying agencies
- −Small group home CNA — $12–$16/hr with minimal raise structure
- −Per diem without agency — $14–$17/hr sporadic shifts with no benefits
- −For-profit nursing home chain (rural) — $13–$16/hr with high patient ratios
CNA Career and Salary Resources
Explore our complete library of CNA guides to boost your career and earnings:
If you want more targeted practice, the prometric cna practice test page covers the same material with additional questions and explanations.
If you want more targeted practice, the point click cna page covers the same material with additional questions and explanations.
- Free CNA Practice Test — Pass your certification exam on the first try with hundreds of practice questions.
- cna wage — Detailed wage data and pay rate comparisons across settings and states.
- Certified Nursing Assistant Salary Overview — Additional salary data and compensation analysis for CNAs.
- CNA Career Paths and Specializations — Discover which specializations offer the highest pay premiums.
- Top CNA Career Specializations — Focused guide to specialty certifications that increase your salary.
- Hospital CNA Jobs — How to land the highest-paying CNA positions in hospital settings.
- CNA Agency Jobs Near Me — Find staffing agency positions with premium hourly rates.
- Can a CNA Be a Travel Nurse? — Travel CNA assignments, requirements, and earning potential.
- travel cna — Complete guide to travel CNA contracts, housing stipends, and multi-state licensing.
- Private Duty CNA — Negotiate your own pay rate with private duty positions.
- CNA Jobs Near Me — Find local CNA jobs and compare pay by facility type.
- CNA to RN Bridge Programs — Advance your career from CNA to RN for 2–5x salary increase.
- CNA to LPN Programs — Bridge programs that help CNAs become Licensed Practical Nurses.
- CNA Careers — Job opportunities, specializations, and growth paths for CNAs in 2026.
- Working as a CNA — What daily life looks like, shift structures, and workplace expectations.
- CNA Requirements — State-by-state requirements for becoming a certified nursing assistant.
Sample CNA Practice Questions
Try these questions from our free CNA practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
HIPAA regulations require CNAs to:
- A. Share resident health information freely with all healthcare workers in the building
- B. Protect resident health information and share it only on a need-to-know basis
- C. Post resident diagnoses on room doors for easy reference
- D. Discuss resident conditions with visitors who claim to be family
Answer: B. Protect resident health information and share it only on a need-to-know basis
HIPAA requires that protected health information be shared only with those who need it for the resident's care, never freely distributed.
The right to be free from abuse includes protection from:
- A. Only physical hitting or striking by staff members
- B. Physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse by any person
- C. Abuse by staff only, not family members or other residents
- D. Only actions that result in visible physical injury
Answer: B. Physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse by any person
Residents are protected from all forms of abuse — physical, verbal, emotional, sexual, and financial — from any source including staff, family, and other residents.
When assisting a resident with range-of-motion exercises, the CNA should move each joint until the resident reports:
- A. Severe pain
- B. Mild discomfort or resistance
- C. No sensation at all
- D. A popping sound
Answer: B. Mild discomfort or resistance
Range-of-motion exercises should be performed to the point of mild resistance or slight discomfort, never forcing the joint past that point to avoid injury.
A patient on a mechanical soft diet chokes frequently. What should the CNA do?
- A. Switch the patient to a regular diet for variety
- B. Continue feeding slowly and document the choking episodes at end of shift
- C. Stop feeding, report to the nurse immediately, and document observations
- D. Offer only liquids until the next meal
Answer: C. Stop feeding, report to the nurse immediately, and document observations
Repeated choking is a safety concern indicating a possible swallowing problem; feeding must stop and the nurse must be notified right away.
CNA Salary Questions and Answers
Sources & last verified
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services — passing score, retake policy (official source). “The State shall establish the passing standard for the written or oral examination and for the skills demonstration.” Verified Oct 14, 2026.
- archive.regulations.delaware.gov — validity (official source). “CNA certification shall be effective for 2 years following the date of issue and shall expire 2 years following such date” Verified Oct 14, 2026.
- cdph.ca.gov — renewal (official source). “Certificates are renewed every two years, and the required training is 48 hours of in-service training or continuing education” Verified Oct 14, 2026.
- prometric.com — other (official source). “Effective August 1, 2026, the following exam pricing will be implemented” Verified Oct 14, 2026.
- prometric.com — other (official source). “Effective July 1, 2026, the following exam pricing will be implemented: $34 written, $34 oral, plus test site fees” Verified Oct 14, 2026.
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How this page was made: written with AI tools. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- floridasnursing.gov — Eligibility, exam format · verified Oct 2026
- law.cornell.edu — Eligibility, test delivery · verified Oct 2026
- prometric.com — Exam information · verified Oct 2026