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Certified nursing assistant salary in New York
- $38,450lowest 10% earn less
- $43,76025th percentile
- $48,590median
- $51,98075th percentile
- $59,890top 10% earn more
Nursing assistants in New York had a median pay of $48,590 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $6,330 above the US median[6].
How much do certified nursing assistants make in New York?
The median pay for nursing assistants in New York was $48,590 a year, or $23.36 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The US median was $42,260[3], so New York is $6,330 higher[6]. New York had the 3rd highest median among the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median here was $11,080 lower than the $59,670 all-jobs median[7][8].
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,450 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $59,890[2]. The middle half fell between $43,760 and $51,980[2]. The average wage was $48,800 a year[9].
Among the metro areas in or partly in New York, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median at $49,270[10]. Syracuse came in at $42,940 and Buffalo-Cheektowaga at $39,790[11]. OEWS counts wage and salary workers only. It leaves out the self-employed and business owners, plus bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].
New York vs US pay
Pay for certified nursing assistants in New York next to the national figures[1][3].
Pay by metro area in New York
Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for certified nursing assistants, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.
| Metro area | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11] | $49,270 | 79,480 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $39,790 | 5,230 |
| Rochester, NY | $40,050 | 5,130 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $40,160 | 4,200 |
| Syracuse, NY | $42,940 | 3,120 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $45,730 | 2,380 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $43,560 | 1,590 |
| Binghamton, NY | $44,410 | 1,310 |
Pay in nearby states
Median pay for certified nursing assistants in the states that border New York, highest first[14].
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont[14] | $47,130 | 3,030 |
| New Jersey | $46,830 | 32,400 |
| Massachusetts | $46,680 | 38,130 |
| Connecticut | $44,790 | 21,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,590 | 67,740 |
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].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a nursing assistant make in New York?
- The median pay was $48,590 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $48,800[9].
- How much does a nursing assistant make an hour in New York?
- The median was $23.36 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $18.49 an hour and the 90th percentile was $28.79[17].
- Which city in New York pays nursing assistants the most?
- Of the 12 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest, at $49,270 a year[10].
- Is New York a good state for nursing assistants?
- New York had the 3rd highest median pay for this job out of 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Its median was $6,330 above the US median[6].
- What do you need to become a nursing assistant in New York?
- This is a US figure, not a New York 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Nursing Assistants in New York was $48,590 per year and $23.36 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Nursing Assistants in New York: 10th percentile $38,450, 25th percentile $43,760, 75th percentile $51,980, 90th percentile $59,890. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 87,990 people worked as Nursing Assistants in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 3rd highest median annual wage for Nursing Assistants out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in New York ($48,590) was $6,330 (15.0%) higher than the US median ($42,260). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in New York was $11,080 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Nursing Assistants in New York was $48,800 per year and $23.46 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 12 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Nursing Assistants, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $49,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in states that border New York (highest first): Vermont $47,130; New Jersey $46,830; Massachusetts $46,680; Connecticut $44,790; Pennsylvania $44,590. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Nursing Assistants in New York: 10th percentile $18.49, 25th percentile $21.04, 75th percentile $24.99, 90th percentile $28.79. BLS OEWS, May 2025