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Certified nursing assistant salary in Virginia

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$43,200median pay per year in Virginia, or $20.77 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,560lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,02025th percentile
  3. $43,200median
  4. $46,93075th percentile
  5. $50,980top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $42,260[3]

Nursing assistants in Virginia had a median pay of $43,200 a year in May 2025[1]. That was $940 above the US median[6].

Jobs in VA
40,580[4]
Rank by median pay
24 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+2.2%[6]

How much do certified nursing assistants make in Virginia?

The median pay for nursing assistants in Virginia was $43,200 a year, or $20.77 an hour[1]. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. The US median was $42,260[3], so Virginia is $940 higher[6]. Virginia had the 24th highest median among the 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Compared with all jobs in the state, the median here was $12,490 lower than the $55,690 all-jobs median[7][8].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,560 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $50,980[2]. The middle half fell between $37,020 and $46,930[2]. The average wage was $42,160 a year[9].

Among the metro areas in or partly in Virginia, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest median at $45,730[10]. Charlottesville came in at $44,140 and Richmond at $42,720[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].

Virginia vs US pay

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

VAUS
Median per year$43,200[1]$42,260[3]
Median per hour$20.77[1]$20.32[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$31,560[2]$33,940[13]
Top 10% earn more than$50,980[2]$51,980[13]
Jobs40,580[4]1,448,910[3]

Pay by metro area in Virginia

Metro areas in Virginia 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 areaMedian per yearJobs
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV[11]$45,73025,520
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$38,9908,110
Richmond, VA$42,7206,660
Roanoke, VA$38,9602,430
Charlottesville, VA$44,1401,610
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA$37,5501,400
Lynchburg, VA$43,6601,300
Winchester, VA-WV$39,970810

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
District of Columbia[14]$47,7003,490
Maryland$43,24027,720
North Carolina$38,46064,010
Kentucky$38,37023,410
Tennessee$37,99027,040
West Virginia$36,7209,390

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 nursing assistant make in Virginia?
The median pay was $43,200 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $42,160[9].
How much does a nursing assistant make an hour in Virginia?
The median was $20.77 an hour[1]. The 10th percentile was $15.17 an hour and the 90th percentile was $24.51[17].
Which city in Virginia pays nursing assistants the most?
Of the 11 metro areas in or partly in Virginia with a published median, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest, at $45,730 a year[10].
Is Virginia a good state for nursing assistants?
Virginia had the 24th highest median pay for this job out of 50 states and DC with a published figure[5]. Its median was $940 above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a nursing assistant in Virginia?
This is a US figure, not a Virginia 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 Virginia was $43,200 per year and $20.77 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 Virginia: 10th percentile $31,560, 25th percentile $37,020, 75th percentile $46,930, 90th percentile $50,980. 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 40,580 people worked as Nursing Assistants in Virginia (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: Virginia had the 24th 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 Virginia ($43,200) was $940 (2.2%) higher than the US median ($42,260). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Nursing Assistants in Virginia was $12,490 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($55,690). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in Virginia was $55,690. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Nursing Assistants in Virginia was $42,160 per year and $20.27 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 11 metro areas in or partly in Virginia with a published median for Nursing Assistants, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV had the highest median annual wage, $45,730. 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 Virginia (highest first): District of Columbia $47,700; Maryland $43,240; North Carolina $38,460; Kentucky $38,370; Tennessee $37,990; West Virginia $36,720. 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 Virginia: 10th percentile $15.17, 25th percentile $17.80, 75th percentile $22.56, 90th percentile $24.51. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only Virginia. 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.