Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

31-1131 Nursing Assistants

Provide or assist with basic care or support under the direction of onsite licensed nursing staff. Perform duties such as monitoring of health status, feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, or ambulation of patients in a health or nursing facility. May include medication administration and other health-related tasks. Includes nursing care attendants, nursing aides, and nursing attendants. Excludes “Home Health Aides” (31-1121), “Personal Care Aides” (31-1122), “Orderlies” (31-1132), and “Psychiatric Aides” (31-1133).


National estimates for Nursing Assistants
Industry profile for Nursing Assistants
Geographic profile for Nursing Assistants

National estimates for Nursing Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Nursing Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
1,314,830 0.5 % $ 15.99 $ 33,250 0.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Nursing Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 11.48 $ 13.89 $ 14.57 $ 17.87 $ 21.27
Annual Wage (2) $ 23,880 $ 28,900 $ 30,310 $ 37,170 $ 44,240


Industry profile for Nursing Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Nursing Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Nursing Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Nursing Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 471,160 33.48 $ 15.43 $ 32,090
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 386,510 6.91 $ 16.92 $ 35,190
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 140,850 15.80 $ 15.15 $ 31,520
Home Health Care Services 83,560 5.52 $ 14.39 $ 29,930
Employment Services 38,910 1.12 $ 16.83 $ 35,000

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Nursing Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nursing Care Facilities (Skilled Nursing Facilities) 471,160 33.48 $ 15.43 $ 32,090
Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly 140,850 15.80 $ 15.15 $ 31,520
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 26,100 9.67 $ 17.02 $ 35,400
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 386,510 6.91 $ 16.92 $ 35,190
Home Health Care Services 83,560 5.52 $ 14.39 $ 29,930

Top paying industries for Nursing Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Junior Colleges 70 0.01 $ 29.48 $ 61,310
Scientific Research and Development Services 220 0.03 $ 21.43 $ 44,580
Insurance Carriers 30 (7) $ 20.58 $ 42,810
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 16,070 0.76 $ 20.12 $ 41,850
Technical and Trade Schools (8) (8) $ 19.36 $ 40,280


Geographic profile for Nursing Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Nursing Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Nursing Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of nursing assistants by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Nursing Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 94,450 5.71 0.61 $ 19.12 $ 39,760
New York 85,490 9.86 1.06 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
Florida 83,010 9.65 1.03 $ 14.35 $ 29,840
Texas 71,700 5.86 0.63 $ 14.72 $ 30,620
Pennsylvania 68,180 12.21 1.31 $ 16.44 $ 34,190


Map of location quotient of nursing assistants by state, May 2021


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Nursing Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Dakota 7,790 19.71 2.11 $ 17.34 $ 36,070
Rhode Island 8,320 18.18 1.95 $ 17.12 $ 35,610
Kansas 21,750 16.24 1.74 $ 14.30 $ 29,730
South Dakota 6,590 15.64 1.68 $ 14.26 $ 29,660
Iowa 22,070 14.86 1.59 $ 15.60 $ 32,440


Map of annual mean wages of nursing assistants by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Nursing Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 1,760 5.94 0.64 $ 20.71 $ 43,080
New York 85,490 9.86 1.06 $ 19.56 $ 40,680
California 94,450 5.71 0.61 $ 19.12 $ 39,760
District of Columbia 3,140 4.74 0.51 $ 18.94 $ 39,390
Oregon 12,460 6.82 0.73 $ 18.67 $ 38,830



Map of employment of nursing assistants by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Nursing Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 81,890 9.44 1.01 $ 20.17 $ 41,940
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 39,130 9.24 0.99 $ 16.53 $ 34,390
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 38,030 6.65 0.71 $ 18.60 $ 38,690
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 31,280 11.78 1.26 $ 17.14 $ 35,650
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 26,580 10.28 1.10 $ 18.69 $ 38,880
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 22,390 9.13 0.98 $ 14.42 $ 30,000
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 21,990 7.50 0.80 $ 17.06 $ 35,490
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 19,050 7.36 0.79 $ 16.13 $ 33,540
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 18,530 5.16 0.55 $ 15.57 $ 32,380
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 16,990 9.43 1.01 $ 16.37 $ 34,040


Map of location quotient of nursing assistants by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Nursing Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Goldsboro, NC 1,390 35.14 3.77 $ 14.36 $ 29,880
Bismarck, ND 2,180 31.39 3.36 $ 17.38 $ 36,140
Hot Springs, AR 870 24.03 2.57 $ 12.93 $ 26,890
Rome, GA 910 23.44 2.51 $ 13.32 $ 27,710
Grand Forks, ND-MN 1,100 22.74 2.44 $ 16.76 $ 34,850
Greenville, NC 1,700 22.54 2.42 $ 13.98 $ 29,080
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 860 21.90 2.35 $ 14.83 $ 30,850
Homosassa Springs, FL 640 20.15 2.16 $ 12.99 $ 27,020
Topeka, KS 2,090 19.61 2.10 $ 14.34 $ 29,830
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC 2,840 19.36 2.07 $ 14.07 $ 29,260