Certified Nursing Assistant Salaries

Admit it - pursuing a career in the medical field is certainly a good idea. There will always be a demand for medical practitioners, nurses, nurse assistants and other medical jobs. While it isn’t a very nice thought – people will always get sick, become old and will always require medical assistance. If you’re not keen on becoming a doctor, or if you do not have time to study to become a nurse, then you might want to try studying as a Certified Nursing Assistant.

Certified Nursing Assistants - What Are They?

Certified nursing assistants are on the front line in the field of medicine, they take care of patients just like nurses do. They monitor vital signs, serve food to patients, keep the patients clean, perform CPR, monitor patient status and communicate to patients on a regular basis.

Certified Nursing Assistants are similar to nurses. However, the  difference is that nurses receive a higher degree of education. Certified Nursing Assistants on the other hand, are only required to take six to twelve weeks of intensive training then a couple of months of internship. All in all, education to become a CNA can be as quick as six months, so if you want to land a lucrative job in the medical field without taking too long, then this is the job for you

What About The Pay?

Over the years, the demand for certified nursing assistants has steadily increased  throughout the United States. Bear in mind that a booming population will ultimately require more people in the health sector – so this increase in demand would also increase the possible pay that CNAs get.

To date, certified nursing assistants get as much as $20,000 to $30,000 annually. Pay increases are made based on experience, so the longer you work (and the better your work area), the better chance there is of  pay increases. In fact, a well experienced CNA who has been in the job for several years can make up to $40,000 per year.

Is The Pay The Same?

It’s important to bear in mind that certified nursing assistants work in varying medical facilities. Some work in hospitals, assisted care facilities, nursing homes and the like, and the intensity of the job may vary from one site to the other. Thus, it’s good to remember that the variety of medical care facilities and job descriptions for CNAs will certainly result to a variation in pay as well.

Each of the fifty states regulates the salary guidelines for CNAs. CNAs may have a bigger hourly minimum rate in some states than others – so what you get will not only depend on the medical facility that you work for, it will also depend on the state that you are located in. Certified nursing assistants usually get $8 to $14 per hour minimum, depending on location. Again, depending on experience, you can earn more than that.