CareerFacts

All careers › Nursing Assistants › California

Certified nursing assistant salary in California

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$47,630median pay per year in California, or $22.90 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $40,110lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,85025th percentile
  3. $47,630median
  4. $54,80075th percentile
  5. $61,100top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $42,260[3]

The median pay for nursing assistants in California was $47,630 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $5,370 higher than the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
110,060[4]
Rank by median pay
6 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+12.7%[6]

How much do certified nursing assistants make in California?

The median wage for nursing assistants in California was $47,630 a year, or $22.90 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more than that and half earned less. The average was a bit higher, at $50,190 a year[7].

Across the US, the median was $42,260[3]. California came in $5,370, or 12.7%, above that[6]. California had the 6th highest median among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median for nursing assistants was $10,610 lower than the $58,240 all-jobs median[8][9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,110, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $61,100[2]. By metro area, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $56,840[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had a median of $56,080[11].

These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for certified nursing assistants in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$47,630[1]$42,260[3]
Median per hour$22.90[1]$20.32[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$40,110[2]$33,940[13]
Top 10% earn more than$61,100[2]$51,980[13]
Jobs110,060[4]1,448,910[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for certified nursing assistants, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$47,38043,090
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$56,08011,790
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$46,4309,940
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$48,0709,670
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$47,5105,650
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$56,8405,350
Fresno, CA$44,7103,880
Stockton-Lodi, CA$46,5302,560

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for certified nursing assistants in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Oregon[14]$49,83014,800
Nevada$45,4908,100
Arizona$44,78020,320

Median pay for certified nursing assistants in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for certified nursing assistants are projected to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: postsecondary nondegree award[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a certified nursing assistant make in California?
The median was $47,630 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $50,190 a year[7].
How much does a certified nursing assistant make an hour in California?
The median was $22.90 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $19.28 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $29.38[17][2].
Which city in California pays nursing assistants the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median among the metro areas with a published figure, at $56,840 a year[10].
Is California a good state for nursing assistants?
California had the 6th highest median annual wage for this job among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was $5,370 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a certified nursing assistant in California?
This is a US figure, not a California one. Across the US, the typical entry education is a postsecondary nondegree award, with no related work experience and no on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nursing Assistants in California was $47,630 per year and $22.90 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nursing Assistants in California: 10th percentile $40,110, 25th percentile $45,850, 75th percentile $54,800, 90th percentile $61,100. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nursing Assistants in the US as a whole was $42,260 per year and $20.32 per hour, with about 1,448,910 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 110,060 people worked as Nursing Assistants in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 6th highest median annual wage for Nursing Assistants out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in California ($47,630) was $5,370 (12.7%) higher than the US median ($42,260). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Nursing Assistants in California was $50,190 per year and $24.13 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in California was $10,610 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Nursing Assistants, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $56,840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nursing Assistants in the US: 10th percentile $33,940, 25th percentile $37,260, 75th percentile $47,220, 90th percentile $51,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in states that border California (highest first): Oregon $49,830; Nevada $45,490; Arizona $44,780. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Nursing Assistants is projected to grow 2.6% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 196,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Nursing Assistants: education needed for entry: Postsecondary nondegree award; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Nursing Assistants in California: 10th percentile $19.28, 25th percentile $22.04, 75th percentile $26.35, 90th percentile $29.38. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.