Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Nursing assistants provide hands-on support in health care settings and represent a large occupation with 1,442,000 workers nationwide. The role combines interpersonal interaction, physical work, and attention to detail. People considering this path can expect to use skills such as speaking and listening, customer service, and adaptability in day-to-day situations. Physical strength and stamina are also important, reflecting the job’s active nature. Nationally, nursing assistants earn a median annual salary of $39,530, with higher median pay in several states and metro areas. Projected employment growth of 2.3% and an estimated 204,000 annual openings indicate steady hiring needs across the country. Opportunities exist in many regions, with some states and metropolitan areas showing especially strong salary and opportunity scores. For those looking for a health-related role that can be started with a postsecondary nondegree award, nursing assisting can offer a direct route into the field and a foundation for future career moves, including related occupations such as home health and personal care aides or various therapy and psychiatric aide roles.
Nursing assistants earn a national median annual salary of $39,530, with pay varying by state and metro area. Among the top states for career opportunity, median salaries range from $46,680 in Massachusetts to $49,180 in Washington, with California, New York, and Colorado also above the national median. At the metro level, pay can be even higher. San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA offers a median salary of $56,840, while San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA has a median of $56,080. The New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ metro lists a median of $49,270, and the Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV metros have median salaries of $47,590 and $45,730, respectively. These figures show that earning potential increases in certain states and large metropolitan areas, giving nursing assistants options to target regions with higher median wages as they plan their careers.
Nursing assistants have a sizable national workforce, with employment at 1,442,000. The occupation shows projected employment growth of 2.3%, indicating that the total number of positions is expected to increase. In addition to this growth, there are an estimated 204,000 annual openings. These openings can reflect both new positions from growth and turnover in existing roles, creating ongoing opportunities for job seekers and career changers. The combination of a large employment base and consistent projected openings suggests that nursing assistants will remain an important part of the health care workforce. Growth of 2.3% appears consistently across the highlighted top states and metro areas, suggesting similar forward-looking demand in those regions. For individuals wanting relatively reliable hiring activity, this occupation offers many entry points each year in a wide range of locations, supporting both local job searches and potential relocation plans.
Location choices matter for nursing assistants, both for pay and overall opportunity. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California leads with a score of 67.38, a median salary of $47,630, and employment of 110,060. New York and Massachusetts follow closely with opportunity scores of 65.78 and 65.87 and median salaries of $48,590 and $46,680. Washington and Colorado also stand out, with median salaries of $49,180 and $47,380 and opportunity scores of 56.29 and 56.97. All of these states share a projected growth rate of 2.3%. At the metro level, San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA has the highest opportunity score at 77.42 and the highest listed median salary of $56,840. The New York–Newark–Jersey City, NY–NJ metro is close behind with an opportunity score of 77.27 and a median salary of $49,270. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA also offers strong pay at $56,080. Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA–NH and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, DC–VA–MD–WV add additional high-opportunity options, each combining thousands of jobs with mid-to-high $40,000s median salaries.
The typical education requirement for nursing assistants is a postsecondary nondegree award. This means that most people prepare for the role through short, focused training rather than a multi-year degree. That structure can make entry into the field more accessible for recent graduates, career changers, or workers looking to move into health-related roles without committing to a long academic program. Success in this occupation also depends on a broad skill set. Interpersonal skills, speaking and listening, and customer service are central to working with patients and other staff. Physical strength and stamina support the more physically demanding aspects of the job, while being detail oriented and adaptable helps with accuracy and responding to changing needs. Additional skills such as leadership, science, creativity and innovation, and mechanical abilities round out the profile, giving nursing assistants tools to handle both routine and unexpected situations. Together, the education pathway and these skills create a practical route into a hands-on health care career.
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